The Australian Ballet is taking a respectful approach to its history as part of its 50th anniversary celebrations, with Icons, a triple bill of works representing three decades. The three – The Display, Gemini and Beyond Twelve – are very different, but this is surely the only program ever to feature Aussie Rules football in two of three ballets. Representing the Sixties was The Display, Sir Robert Helpmann’s first work for the Australian Ballet and said to be inspired by a dream of a naked Katharine Hepburn surrounded by lyrebirds. Thankfully, only the bird survived this dream, moving quietly behind a gauze curtain to the evocative music of Malcolm Williamson. Helpmann’s observation of the birds in Victoria’s Sherbrooke Forest was put to good use throughout the ballet, in the stance and head and foot movements of the ‘bird’, an enigmatic figure throughout. Against a background of a bush picnic (hence the footy and cans of beer) the eternal triangle was played out, with the three fine main dancers – Madeleine Eastoe, Rohan Furnell and Kevin Jackson – convincing actors as well. With their friends flirting and having fun, it seemed at first like an Australian version of the first act of Giselle. But the larking about took a darker edge as The Outsider (Jackson) presumed to attract the interest of The Female (Eastoe, in a superb performance), and The Male (Furnell) led the rest in a vicious and vigorous dance that could only have one ending. As the violence reached a peak, the bird reappeared – but the closing moments of the ballet were ambiguous, and not a little disquieting. Glen Tetley’s Gemini (1973) brought the focus back to the dancers themselves in a dance that most would describe as still contemporary. Hans Werner Henze’s score was well-matched to choreography that saw the four dancers – Lucinda Dunn, Ty King-Wall, Robyn Hendricks and Andrew Killian – demonstrating their flexibility, stamina and brilliance as the idea of Gemini, the twins, was explored in Tetley’s imaginative vision. Finally, it was back to another ‘story’ dance, Graeme Murphy’s Beyond Twelve, from 1980. It is described as a moving look at a dancer’s life, from larky, football-mad boyhood to young love and early success through to a hard-earned, lonely maturity. No surprises then. But there were plenty of twists, and unexpected humour – for example, in the boy’s family, who could easily have been the Everages in ballet shoes. There was fine dancing from the ensemble, but great credit must go to Charles Thompson, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson and Adam Bull who almost seamlessly took the main character ‘beyond 12’ to beyond 18, and beyond 30. As ‘First Love’, Lana Jones contributed much to the romantic intensity of the ballet, but the whole work had an emotional truth that all the principals conveyed. I have one tiny quibble: far from ‘lonely maturity’ ending the ballet, there was instead some insight into the work that happens behind the scenes – appropriate, as this was a night to celebrate the achievements of so many. With that in mind, glowing mention should be made of Orchestra Victoria under conductor Nicolette Fraillon, and solo pianist Stuart Macklin in a lyrical accompaniment for the Beyond Twelve pas de deux. Rating: 5 stars out of 5 Icons The Australian Ballet with Opera Victoria The Display (1964) Choreography: Robert Helpmann Music: Malcolm Williamson Production design: Sidney Nolan Original lighting design: William Akers Gemini (1973) Choreography: Glen Tetley Music: Hans Werner Henze ‘Symphony No. 3’ Costume and set design: Nadine Baylis Original lighting design: William Akers Beyond Twelve (1980) Choreography: Graeme Murphy Music: Maurice Ravel ‘Piano Concerto in G Major’ Costume and set design: Alan Oldfield Original lighting design: Christopher Maver Lighting reproduced by Francis Croese Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre August 30 – September 8 Sydney season (with Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra) Opera Theatre, Sydney Opera House November 8 – 26