Professional Year student Tim Terton is hitting the road for his very first Queensland Ballet Regional Tour…we caught up with Tim after the Company’s second performance at the Empire Theatre in Toowoomba. 
On the road we go!
How long have you been dancing?
This is my third year of studying ballet, but I have been doing jazz and hip hop for six years. This is my first year as a Professional Year student with Queensland Ballet – last year I was training with the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and had the opportunity to perform in Francois Klaus’s King Arthur & the Tales of Camelot, which was fantastic.
Are you excited about the tour?
Of course! Definitely. Super excited!
Have you been to regional QLD before?
I’ve been to Mackay once for State Titles for Surf Life Saving in 2005, but that’s about it! And I’ve been to Toowoomba once before for an Eisteddfod.
Have you been on tour before?
No, this is my first tour…
Packing…
What’s in your suitcase?
Lots of dance rehearsal gear, ballet flats, jazz shoes, clothes, make-up. Oh and a tennis ball for trigger pointing, which is self-massage to release the muscles.
How have you been preparing for the tour?
I was quite nervous about going on tour – I wasn’t sure if I’d forgotten to pack something, but mainly I have been really excited.
How have you prepared physically?
I’ve had a higher protein diet and have been eating lots of fruit and vegetables so I don’t get the Winter cold…and of course looking after my body as usual. I’ve been doing lots of stretching and extra pilates and other exercises to build up my core strength.
Tim Terton performing in Act 2 along with Company Dancer Gareth Belling…the news is delivered that Cloudland is to be destroyed.
What role are you performing?
I’m dancing several roles in Cloudland –the most prominent role for me is dancing the role of an American Soldier in Act 2 of the ballet. In Act 1 I’m a policeman and the man that delivers the telegraph to Christina that Peter has died at war.
What do you think you’ll gain from this tour?
My performance technique will improve and will be a great experience being around the Company dancers– watching the dancers an dancing myself. The opportunity to see regional Queensland is wonderful as well.
What do you think regional audiences will think of Cloudland?
I think they’ll love it! The Cloudland ballroom is such a rich piece of Queensland’s history – it’s a story everyone can relate to as well as the different dancing styles throughout the eras.
What’s your favourite dance style?
I love the Jive – it’s really fun to dance. I also love the disco…who doesn’t?
One of the many beautiful buildings in Toowoomba
What did you think of Toowoomba?
I loved it – it’s such a beautiful city. It’s got such beautiful old buildings, and everyone is really friendly.
What was the highlight?
After the performance at the Empire Theatre on Tuesday, we met a lady who’d been to see the performance and she was over the moon. She said the performance had given her goose bumps. The lady volunteers to look after kindergarten children and they bought her the voucher to see whatever show she wanted at the Empire Theatre, and she chose to see Cloudland because she had such happy memories of it.
What’s the funniest thing that happened on tour in Toowoomba?
The bus trip from Brisbane was pretty funny…we joked around and had a good time. I can’t remember any of the jokes though!
