Remi Wortmeyer to join ABT in 7/06

[Dale]

I received this today:

AUSTRALIAN BALLET SOLOIST REMI WÖRTMEYER

T0 J0IN AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE THROUGH JULY 2006

Remi Wörtmeyer, a Soloist with The Australian Ballet, will join American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet for the remainder of the 2005-2006 season, it was announced today by ABT Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.

Wörtmeyer joins ABT as the inaugural recipient of The Australian Ballet’s Walter Bourke Award, which recognizes a dancer who displays extraordinary talent, as well as a commitment to continual improvement of their art, their company, and their performances. The grant can be used for an extended overseas placement with another company, to enable two dancers to enter a ballet competition, or to have new choreography placed on two dancers for an international competition.

The Walter Bourke Award recognizes the life of Walter Bourke, a former dancer, choreographer and Board member of

The Australian Ballet who passed away in 2003. Given at the discretion of Australian Ballet Artistic Director David McAllister, in consultation with Bourke’s wife, Maria, a former Principal Dancer with The Australian Ballet, the award is designed to provide a promising dancer with experiences not readily available in Australia.

“We are pleased to have Remi as part of the corps de ballet,” McKenzie said. “He has a reputation as an enthusiastic and professional member of The Australian Ballet, and his talent will be a welcome addition to the Company this season.”

Wörtmeyer was born in Glenelg, Adelaide, Australia and trained as a member of the South Australian Children’s Ballet Company and the South Australian Classical Youth Ballet Company. He also attended The Australian Ballet School, where he won a silver medal at the Asian Pacific International Competition in Japan in his graduating year. He joined The Australian Ballet in 2002 and was promoted to Soloist in 2005. Wörtmeyer’s repertoire with The Australian Ballet includes Benvolio in Romeo and Juliet and the Earl in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake, as well as featured roles in Stanton Welch’s Velocity and Walter Bourke’s Grand Tarantella.

Wörtmeyer is scheduled to perform with ABT on tour and during the Company’s 2006 Spring Season at the Metropolitan Opera House. He will return to The Australian Ballet in July 2006.