Get crackin’ to win a ballet role
WHEN six-year-old ballet dancer Olivia Nason won the first Suncorp Wish upon a Ballet Star competition, it was the first step in realising a dream.
The competition has been rebranded as the Suncorp Dream Big Challenge for 2020 and entries open today.
The winning prize includes a walk-on role in The Nutcracker at QPAC in December. Winning in 2014 inspired little Olivia Nason to strive to new heights and she has now been accepted into the Queensland Ballet Academy for 2020.
Olivia, 11, is encouraging other young dancers to give it a go.
“The competition was amazing,” she said. “It definitely shaped the direction of my life. I can’t believe I’ll be training at Queensland Ballet next year.”
The Nasons are farmers from the drought-stricken Darling Downs hamlet of Bringalily. The family is renting a house in Toowoomba to be closer to ballet tuition, while dad Patrick works on the farm.
Her mum Sarah said dancing in
The Nutcracker was great for Olivia.
“From then on, she knew what she wanted to do,” Mrs Nason said.
Designed to highlight the stunning range of landmarks and regions across Queensland, applicants are asked to perform an arabesque (ballet pose) in a place they love, preferably in a location that represents their town or district.
To enter the competition, budding dancers, with the help of a parent or guardian, need to upload their photo to the campaign website and write 50 words on what makes their location special to them.
Six finalists will be chosen across the state, with one lucky winner securing the major prize of flights and accommodation; participation in an official dress rehearsal of The
Nutcracker, a meet and greet with Queensland Ballet dancers
Entries open from 9am today and close on November 3.