Garth Welch
Encyclopedia
Garth Welch is an Australia
n dancer and choreographer.
, Queensland
. His initial dance training took place under the guidance of the respected teacher Phyllis Danaher
.
and joined the Borovansky Ballet in 1954. Welch achieved within a relatively short time the rank of Principal Dancer with the company. He also danced with Western Theatre Ballet (later Scottish Ballet
) and the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas before returning to Australia at the invitation of Dame Peggy van Praagh
as a Principal Dancer with the Australian Ballet in 1962. He remained in the position until he left the company in 1973. While at the Australian Ballet, Welch danced the lead in all the major classical ballets in the company's repertoire and created roles in Sir Robert Helpmann
's The Display and Yugen and in John Butler's Threshold. He partnered the Australian Ballet's principal dancers including Marilyn Jones
, Kathleen Gorham
and Marilyn Rowe
, and partnered guest artists including Dame Margot Fonteyn
.
In the 1970s he worked with Ballet Victoria both as a choreographer and as associate artistic director. During that time he danced Hilarion and later Albrecht to Natalia Makarova
's Giselle in Ballet Victoria's staging of Giselle
Act II in 1975. In 1976 he appeared as the Blackamoor in Petrouchka for the appearances by Valery Panov
and Galina Panov for Ballet Victoria.
Welch was Artistic Director of the West Australian Ballet
from 1980 to 1982 and throughout the 1980s and 1990s taught extensively across Australia. In the 1980s Welch also worked with the Sydney Dance Company
. In 1984, Graeme Murphy
created the role of von Aschenbach in After Venice, and Welch performed this role to singular acclaim in Australia, Europe and New York. With the Sydney Dance Company Welch also performed in Murphy's Late Afternoon of a Faun. In the 1990s Welch returned to musical theatre and appeared in The Game of Love and Chance in 1990, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying in 1993 and Nijinsky at Twilight in 1998.
Welch choreographed Variations on a Theme for the Australian Ballet in 1964. Since that first piece, he has created many more works for the flagship company as well as pieces for the West Australian Ballet, Ballet Victoria, Ballet Philippines
, the Royal New Zealand Ballet
, the Queensland Ballet
and the Sydney Dance Company.
His major works include Othello, made originally for the Australian Ballet School
in 1968, and staged by the Australian Ballet in 1970; and KAL, his first full-length work, made for the West Australian Ballet in 1979.
and they had two sons, also dancers. Stanton Welch
, choreographer, is Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet
and his other son Damien Welch was a principal dancer of the Australian Ballet.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n dancer and choreographer.
Early life and training
Welch grew up in BrisbaneBrisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
. His initial dance training took place under the guidance of the respected teacher Phyllis Danaher
Phyllis Danaher
Phyllis Danaher MBE FRAD was a dancer, teacher of dance and choreographer.Danaher was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She founded Ballet Theatre of Queensland in 1937 and was the first Queensland teacher to gain the Advanced Teachers Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance. From...
.
Dancer and Choreographer
Welch began his career in Call Me Madam for the J. C. Williamson organisation. He came to the attention of Edouard BorovanskyEdouard Borovansky
Edouard Borovansky was a Czech- born Australian ballet dancer, choreographer and director. After touring with Anna Pavlova's company, he and his wife settled in Australia where they established the Borovansky Ballet company...
and joined the Borovansky Ballet in 1954. Welch achieved within a relatively short time the rank of Principal Dancer with the company. He also danced with Western Theatre Ballet (later Scottish Ballet
Scottish Ballet
Scottish Ballet is the national ballet company of Scotland and one of the four leading ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside the Royal Ballet, English National Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet...
) and the Grand Ballet du Marquis de Cuevas before returning to Australia at the invitation of Dame Peggy van Praagh
Peggy van Praagh
Dame Margaret "Peggy" van Praagh, DBE had a long and distinguished career in ballet as a dancer, choreographer, teacher, producer, advocate and director.-Dancing:...
as a Principal Dancer with the Australian Ballet in 1962. He remained in the position until he left the company in 1973. While at the Australian Ballet, Welch danced the lead in all the major classical ballets in the company's repertoire and created roles in Sir Robert Helpmann
Robert Helpmann
Sir Robert Helpmann CBE was an Australian dancer, actor, theatre director and choreographer.-Early years:He was born Robert Murray Helpman in Mount Gambier, South Australia and also boarded at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. From childhood, Helpman had a strong desire to be a dancer...
's The Display and Yugen and in John Butler's Threshold. He partnered the Australian Ballet's principal dancers including Marilyn Jones
Marilyn Jones
Marilyn Jones OBE is an Australian dancer and teacher of dance. She has been described as "the greatest classical dancer Australia has produced"...
, Kathleen Gorham
Kathleen Gorham
Kathleen Gorham OBE was an Australian ballerina.Born in Narrandera, New South Wales, she lived much of her life in Melbourne...
and Marilyn Rowe
Marilyn Rowe
Marilyn Rowe OBE is the first graduate of the Australian Ballet School to be appointed its director, in 1999.-Dancing career:...
, and partnered guest artists including Dame Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
.
In the 1970s he worked with Ballet Victoria both as a choreographer and as associate artistic director. During that time he danced Hilarion and later Albrecht to Natalia Makarova
Natalia Makarova
Nataliya Romanovna Makarova is the legendary Soviet-Russian-born prima ballerina. The History of Dance, published in 1981, notes that “Her performances set standards of artistry and aristocracy of dance which mark her as the finest ballerina of her generation.” She has also won awards as an...
's Giselle in Ballet Victoria's staging of Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
Act II in 1975. In 1976 he appeared as the Blackamoor in Petrouchka for the appearances by Valery Panov
Valery Panov
-Early career :Valery Panov was born in 1938 in Vitebsk, Belarus. He studied in the choreographic school named for Agripinna Vaganova in Saint Petersburg. Today it’s The Academy of Russian Ballet...
and Galina Panov for Ballet Victoria.
Welch was Artistic Director of the West Australian Ballet
West Australian Ballet
The West Australian Ballet is the premier ballet dance company of Western Australia and is based in Perth at His Majesty's Theatre, Western Australia. The company was founded in 1952 by Madame Kira Bousloff and is one of the oldest ballet companies in Australia. Artistic directors have included...
from 1980 to 1982 and throughout the 1980s and 1990s taught extensively across Australia. In the 1980s Welch also worked with the Sydney Dance Company
Sydney Dance Company
The Sydney Dance Company is one of Australia's most successful and well-known contemporary dance companies. The company was founded in 1969 as the dance-in-education group Ballet in a Nutshell by Suzanne Musitz , later changing its name to Athletes and Dancers, and Dance Company ...
. In 1984, Graeme Murphy
Graeme Murphy
Graeme Murphy is an Australian dance choreographer. Together with his fellow dancer Janet Vernon, he has guided Sydney Dance Company to become one of Australia's most successful and well-known dance companies....
created the role of von Aschenbach in After Venice, and Welch performed this role to singular acclaim in Australia, Europe and New York. With the Sydney Dance Company Welch also performed in Murphy's Late Afternoon of a Faun. In the 1990s Welch returned to musical theatre and appeared in The Game of Love and Chance in 1990, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying in 1993 and Nijinsky at Twilight in 1998.
Welch choreographed Variations on a Theme for the Australian Ballet in 1964. Since that first piece, he has created many more works for the flagship company as well as pieces for the West Australian Ballet, Ballet Victoria, Ballet Philippines
Ballet Philippines
Ballet Philippines synthesizes diverse dance and movement forms, from classical ballet to avant-garde choreographies, from traditional to modern dance, from martial arts to aerial movements, into distinctively Filipino contemporary expressions....
, the Royal New Zealand Ballet
Royal New Zealand Ballet
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is based in Wellington, New Zealand.The Royal New Zealand Ballet is a company of 32 dynamic dancers, performing an eclectic repertoire of outstanding dance, for national and international audiences, whilst continuing to build a style that is ultimately unique to the...
, the Queensland Ballet
Queensland Ballet
The Queensland Ballet, founded in 1960 by Charles Lisner OBE, is the premier ballet company of Queensland, Australia, and is based in Brisbane.- About Queensland Ballet :...
and the Sydney Dance Company.
His major works include Othello, made originally for the Australian Ballet School
Australian Ballet School
The Australian Ballet School was founded in 1964 as the primary training facility for The Australian Ballet by Dame Margaret Scott. It is part of the Australian Ballet Centre, which is located in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, Southbank in Melbourne, Victoria...
in 1968, and staged by the Australian Ballet in 1970; and KAL, his first full-length work, made for the West Australian Ballet in 1979.
Family
Welch married fellow Australian Ballet Principal Dancer, Marilyn JonesMarilyn Jones
Marilyn Jones OBE is an Australian dancer and teacher of dance. She has been described as "the greatest classical dancer Australia has produced"...
and they had two sons, also dancers. Stanton Welch
Stanton Welch
-Early Life:Welch was born in Melbourne to Marilyn Jones and Garth Welch, two prominent Australian dancers.-Career:Welch was initially trained at the dance school run by his parents...
, choreographer, is Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet
Houston Ballet
The Houston Ballet, operated by the Houston Ballet Foundation, is the fourth-largest professional ballet company in the United States, based in Houston, Texas. The foundation also maintains a ballet academy, the Ben Stevenson Academy, which trains more than half of the company's dancers...
and his other son Damien Welch was a principal dancer of the Australian Ballet.
Books and Articles
- Martha Bremser (ed.), International Dictionary of Ballet, Volume 2 (Detroit: St James Press, 1993), p. 1533 (list of works choreographed by Garth Welch)
External links
- Garth Welch Collection at the Performing Arts CollectionPerforming Arts CollectionThe Performing Arts Collection at the Arts Centre, Melbourne is the largest specialist performing arts collection in Australia, with over 450,000 items relating to the history of circus, dance, music, opera and theatre in Australia and of Australian performers overseas.- Highlights of the...
, Arts Centre, MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...