Telstra and The Australian Ballet Takes Dance to the Really Small Stage

Telstra and The Australian Ballet have launched their latest social media campaign with six micro-ballets created by R/GA, crafted, choreographed, and performed specifically for the mobile screen.

The campaign showcases the talents of the 2020 Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards nominees and calls the public to vote for their favorite to win the People’s Choice Award.

The clever little campaign was conceived following last year’s lockdowns in which dancers were confined to 4 x 2-meter dance floors. Why not take it a step further and implement that tiny stage on our tiny screens?

“We’re excited with the very different approach we took this year with The Australian Ballet and R/GA, building ballet’s smallest stage for the biggest audience,” said Genelle Sharples, Head of Media, Sponsorship and Awards, Telstra.

“It feels very apt for the year that’s been. And we’re delighted to bring joy to our viewers – the joy of dance goes to the heart of what the Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards are about, but even more so in the current climate.”

“Every element of the campaign was crafted for social, from the bespoke dancefloor and the elaborate vertical set builds framed for 9:16 mobile screens,” said Kieran Antill, National Executive Creative Director, R/GA.

“Backstage content was created for each dancer’s own social media channels – using the raw nature of social to give viewers a peek at what goes into a performance, showcasing dancers preparing for and explaining the significance of their routines.”

“Each performance was meticulously crafted, with each dancer challenged to choreograph a unique routine set to a bespoke melody across each micro-ballet – the instrumentation and the performance was based on each dancer’s own inspiration,” added Antill.

The campaign is led by a connected network of digital media channels – owned, shared and paid, and a main stage website. Voting closes on 21st March 2021, with the winners of the Rising Star and People’s Choice Awards announced at The Sydney Opera House at the world premiere of “New York Dialects” on April 6th.

Telstra has been the Principal Partner of The Australian Ballet for more than three decades, with the Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards introduced in 2003 to shine a spotlight on up-and-coming dancers and help them thrive in their careers.

The nominees this year are Cameron Holmes, Corey Herbert, Imogen Chapman, Jasmin Durham, Nathan Brook, and Serena Graham.

“At a time when the entertainment industry has been so severely impacted and even visiting a theatre comes laden with restrictions, we set out to create an experience that gives anyone a front-row seat in the palm of their hand,” said Victoria Curro, Managing Director, R/GA Australia.

Vote for your favorite at telstra.com/ballet.

Credits

Telstra

Group Manager – Nicola Reeves
Senior Brand Specialist – Krista Stringer

The Australian Ballet

Director of External Relations – Penny Waitsman
Sponsorship Manager – Sarah Vick
External Relations EA – Hannah Fulker

R/GA Australia

Senior Copywriter – Jonathon Shannon
Senior Art Director – Bede Gannon
Copywriter – Kate Ross
Art Director – Courtney Fay
Senior Visual Designer – Katarzyna Komenda
Senior Content Producer – Kyle Belcher
Executive Producer – Chris Smyth
Regional Group Director APAC – Millie Menage
Strategy Director – Mitch Incoll
Executive Creative Director – Kieran Antill
Chief Creative Officer APAC – Seamus Higgins
Managing Director – Victoria Curro

Production

Production House – Pixel Melbourne
Director – Guy Franklin
Producer – Saskia Vaneveld
Film Editor – Maria Papoutsis
Film Colourist – CJ Dobson
Music – Electric Sheep: Kate Stenhouse, Joe Mount, Glenn Sarangapany, Declan Harsent

Stills

Photographer – Taylor-Ferne Morris
Retoucher – Pocket Rocket: Sarah Barker