The Australian Ballet: Olivia Bell

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Olivia Bell

"An intoxicating lead."

Sunday Herald Sun

Newcastle-born Olivia Bell competed in the Prix de Lausanne competition and won a scholarship to the Paris Opéra Ballet School, where she graduated in 1995. Joining The Australian Ballet the same year, Olivia would go on to dance some of The Australian Ballet's most coveted lead roles, hailed variously as 'imperious and sinuous', 'truly exquisite', and for her 'cool, sensitive precision'. In 1996 she was awarded a Khitercs Foundation scholarship, enabling her to study abroad. Olivia's acclaimed performances in everything from the most classical of ballets to contemporary pieces have shown her great versatility. A career highlight was her debut in the title role of Manon in 2008. Olivia was promoted to principal artist in 2007.

Repertoire highlights

Hanna in Ronald Hynd's The Merry Widow 2011
Graeme Murphy's Swan Lake 2000-10
Manon in Sir Kenneth Macmillan's Manon 2008
Jerome Robbins' Afternoon of a Faun 2008
Grande Pas Classique 2008
Sugar Plum Fairy in Peter Wright's The Nutcracker 2007, 2010
Terpsichore in George Balanchine's Apollo 2007
Zobeide in Schéhérazade 2006
Jiří Kylián's Petite Mort and Stepping Stones 2005
Flavia in Spartacus 2003
William Forsythe's In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated 1996 and Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude 2000
George Balanchine's Agon, Serenade, Symphony in C 2004 and Ballet Imperial 2008

Guest appearances

Swan Lake with The Dancers Company 2001

You may not know ...

Olivia took time out to travel and see the world in 1997, rejoining the company in 1999.