Queensland Ballet's 2025 Season Launch

Queensland Ballet Acting Artistic Director, Mr Greg Horsman; Executive Director, Ms Dilshani Weerasinghe; supporters; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen.

I’d like to being by acknowledging the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging and all First Nations people with us this afternoon.

As the very proud Patron — and avid devotee — of Queensland Ballet, I’m thrilled to be here for what is, essentially, a peek behind the curtain of your 2025 season.

With the benefit of a long and close association with this remarkable company of dancers, I am confident your offering will meet the world-class standards audiences have come to expect.

Many – and me included – anticipate making our own regular appearances at Queensland Ballet performances throughout the year, be they deftly choreographed and delightfully nuanced retellings of some of ballet's most acclaimed classics, or bold, new contemporary works.

We come for the stories, but we also come to marvel at the artistic skill, grace, passion and flair employed in the telling of them.

I am also grateful for this opportunity to thank all the people in the room who have been so instrumental to your success to date, and many of whom will join me in supporting you in 2025 and beyond.

Only with the help of its many community and corporate supporters can Queensland Ballet continue to reach the heights of artistic achievement. Today’s big reveal and so much more is made possible by your efforts, and there’s no telling how much more we can achieve together.

Of course, there is much more work being done behind the scenes, in areas such as pathways and participation, and by this I am referring to Queensland Ballet’s educational and community outreach efforts.

The Queensland Ballet Academy continues to develop and provide opportunities for our artists of the future, providing students with professional training while ensuring they do not miss out on a top-flight high school education at Kelvin Grove State College.

Alongside this are the regional, community and professional development programs that provide life-long learning experiences and access to ballet for everyone.

Additionally, the Van Norton Li Community Health Institute, launched with a visionary donation from Kay Van Norton Poche AO, strengthens Queensland Ballet's commitment to improving health and wellbeing through innovative Dance for Health programs that reach over 35,000 people annually across our state.

All of which is to say that I am so very proud of my association with Queensland Ballet and immensely excited to see what the future holds.

So, without further ado, I’ll hand over to those who are about to give us a glimpse into what that future looks like and conclude by wishing all involved a very successful 2025 Season ahead.