Kelvin Coe
Encyclopedia
Kelvin Coe OBE was an Australian ballet dancer and the first male artist to be promoted from the corps de ballet in the Australian Ballet principal dancer. He died of AIDS related illness in 1992.
, Victoria
at the age of 16, was spotted by Dame Peggy van Praagh
when recruiting for the newly formed Australian Ballet. Within just four years, he became a soloist with the company. He became the company's principal dancer in 1968 and achieved the ultimate position of premier danseur in 1974.
Coe became one of Australia's top male dancers, whilst at the Australian Ballet and whilst touring overseas in the UK, the US and the USSR. Some of Coe's most notable roles with the Australian Ballet include those of Albrecht in Giselle
(1969, 1976, 1986), as Espada in Don Quixote
(directed by Rudolf Nureyev
), in 1973.
Coe performed with many international female artists including Carla Fracci
, Valentina Koslova and Galina Samsova
, Maina Gielgud
, Eva Evdokimova
, Elisabetta Terabust and Margot Fonteyn
. He partnered with Australians Elaine Fifield, Marilyn Jones
and Marilyn Rowe
.
Coe and fellow Australian Marilyn Rowe formed a partnership which won them a silver medal at the 1973 Moscow International Ballet Competition
. In 1978, the pair became the first Australian artists to appear as guests of the Bolshoi Ballet
when they perform the leading roles of Don Quixote.
In 1974, Coe danced with the London Festival Ballet where he performed Les Sylphides
and The Prodigal Son. In that year, he also danced with several American dance companies. He later returned to Australia to dance under ballet director Maina Gielgud in the 1980s.
Coe joined Graeme Murphy
at the Sydney Dance Company
in 1982. In 1985, he returned to the faculty of the Australian Ballet School
and taught there until 1991.
The Australian Ballet now award the annual Kelvin Coe Memorial Scholarship to promising young ballet artists.
By the Gay Community
, he is remembered in a panel in the Australian Aids Quilt
.
Dancing career
Coe was born in MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne 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...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
at the age of 16, was spotted by 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:...
when recruiting for the newly formed Australian Ballet. Within just four years, he became a soloist with the company. He became the company's principal dancer in 1968 and achieved the ultimate position of premier danseur in 1974.
Coe became one of Australia's top male dancers, whilst at the Australian Ballet and whilst touring overseas in the UK, the US and the USSR. Some of Coe's most notable roles with the Australian Ballet include those of Albrecht in 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...
(1969, 1976, 1986), as Espada in Don Quixote
Don Quixote (ballet)
Don Quixote is a ballet originally staged in four acts and eight scenes, based on an episode taken from the famous novel Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes. It was originally choreographed by Marius Petipa to the music of Ludwig Minkus and was first presented by the Ballet of the...
(directed by Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Nureyev
Rudolf Khametovich Nureyev was a Russian dancer, considered one of the most celebrated ballet dancers of the 20th century. Nureyev's artistic skills explored expressive areas of the dance, providing a new role to the male ballet dancer who once served only as support to the women.In 1961 he...
), in 1973.
Coe performed with many international female artists including Carla Fracci
Carla Fracci
Carla Fracci is a ballet dancer and actress. Her career highlights include Nijinsky, Giselle , Complete Bell Telephone Hour Performances: Erik Bruhn 1961-1967.-FAO Ambassador:...
, Valentina Koslova and Galina Samsova
Galina Samsova
Galina Samsova is a retired Russian ballerina. She studied at the Kiev Ballet School and in 1956 graduated into the Kiev Ballet where she became a soloist. In 1960 she married the Canadian Alexander Ursuliak and moved to Canada where she joined the National Ballet of Canada in 1961...
, Maina Gielgud
Maina Gielgud
Maina Gielgud is a former British ballet dancer and a veteran ballet administrator. She was artistic director of the Australian Ballet from 1983 to 1996 and is that company's longest serving director to date. She had a twenty year career as a dancer in Europe and the United Kingdom. Gielgud...
, Eva Evdokimova
Eva Evdokimova
Eva Evdokimova-Gregori was a prima ballerina with the Royal Danish and Berlin Opera Ballets.Born in Geneva, Switzerland to a Bulgarian father and an American mother, Evdokimova, an American citizen, began her ballet studies as a child in Munich, before attending the Royal Ballet School in London,...
, Elisabetta Terabust and 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...
. He partnered with Australians Elaine Fifield, 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"...
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:...
.
Coe and fellow Australian Marilyn Rowe formed a partnership which won them a silver medal at the 1973 Moscow International Ballet Competition
International Ballet Competition
International Ballet Competition could refer to:*Genée International Ballet Competition, promoted by the Royal Academy of Dance, first held in 1931*Helsinki International Ballet Competition, first held in 1989...
. In 1978, the pair became the first Australian artists to appear as guests of the Bolshoi Ballet
Bolshoi Ballet
The Bolshoi Ballet is an internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. Founded in 1776, the Bolshoi is among the world's oldest ballet companies, however it only achieved worldwide acclaim by the early 20th century, when Moscow became the...
when they perform the leading roles of Don Quixote.
In 1974, Coe danced with the London Festival Ballet where he performed Les Sylphides
Les Sylphides
Les Sylphides is a short, non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original choreography was by Michel Fokine, with music by Frédéric Chopin orchestrated by Alexander Glazunov. Glazunov had already set some of the music in 1892 as a purely orchestral suite, under the title Chopiniana, Op. 46...
and The Prodigal Son. In that year, he also danced with several American dance companies. He later returned to Australia to dance under ballet director Maina Gielgud in the 1980s.
Coe joined 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....
at 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 1982. In 1985, he returned to the faculty of 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...
and taught there until 1991.
The Australian Ballet now award the annual Kelvin Coe Memorial Scholarship to promising young ballet artists.
Honours
To mark his contribution to ballet in Australia, Coe was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1980.By the Gay Community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...
, he is remembered in a panel in the Australian Aids Quilt
NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, often abbreviated to AIDS Memorial Quilt, is an enormous quilt made as a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes...
.