Queensland Ballet’s new artistic director has some mighty shoes to fill, taking over from the much loved and lauded Mao’s Last Dancer Li Cunxin.
But Leanne Benjamin has returned to her Queensland roots, making the world-famous dancer turned coach the first woman to take the job.
Three months into her new role, she said she was finding the business side of being artistic director the hardest so far.
“As a dancer, my body used to hurt in the evening and now it’s my brain. It thumps,” she said.
Benjamin grew up in Rockhampton in central Queensland, but left when she was 16 to dance with the Royal Ballet. She went on to dance as a principal with the company for more than 20 years.
“In my early days dancers had to be seen and not heard and that really has changed around the world,” she said.
“I love listening to dancers and hearing what they have to say and really collaborating with the team.”
Her predecessor Li was credited with transforming the Queensland Ballet company over his 11 years as artistic director.
He stepped down from the role at the end of last year for health reasons, but Benjamin said he convinced her to take over before his exit.
“I had a lot of support from Li, he was encouraging me to lead the company after his time and that was very flattering,” she said.
“I hadn’t thought about it before because I was busy coaching around the world and spending a lot of time with The Royal Ballet Company.
“But Queensland has always meant so much to me.”
She said Li has been having a well-earned break overseas, but she’ll be reaching out for advice when he’s ready.
“He has a lot of the answers because he’s so experienced and he’s so loved here in Brisbane,” she said.
Asking big artistic questions
Benjamin said she was thrilled to be the first woman at the helm.
And, as she starts planning her first program for 2025, she’s looking for answers to some big artistic questions.
“What is it that Brisbane audiences want to see?
“Because in the past I’ve heard that you know maybe the audiences here are more conservative and want to see more story ballets.
“So I’m slightly pushing my elbows out. You know, there’s so much else out there in the world of dance that I really feel our audiences in Brisbane need to see,” she said.
The new artistic director has been rehearsing the principal dancers for the company’s next ballet, an Australian twist on the traditional favourite Coppelia, choreographed by the company’s chief ballet master Greg Horsman.
He said it was rejuvenating and refreshing to have a new artistic direction.
“It takes time to find the balance, for us to understand Leanne and her vision,” he said.
“But that’s all very exciting and change is good and we need change because that’s what keeps us fresh and live particularly within the arts.”
Principal dancers Lucy Green and Joel Woellner have also welcomed the change.
“I think we knew that the expectations would be high but also that she would bring some really exciting and interesting perspectives,” Green said.
“I personally love her style in the studio, it’s super direct, it’s super positive and you come out of the studio feeling like you’re really achieved something,” Woellner said.
Benjamin has also vowed to take up the fight for more federal government funding for the company, particularly for their ballet school The Queensland Ballet Academy.
She said the company missed out again in the recent federal budget.
“Queensland Ballet started small but now it stands very well on the world stage and it’s one of Australia’s best companies,” she said.
“And although we’re proud to be Queensland’s company, it’s federal support we very much need and we will strive for.
“Li was tirelessly trying to support the company more through federal funding, so let’s watch this space and see if we can turn this around.”