Australian Ballet, national ballet company of Australia, founded in Melbourne in 1962; its school was established in 1964. The company drew on the tradition established (1940) by Edouard Borovansky of the Ballets Russes (see Diaghilev, Sergei Pavlovich). The Australian Ballet is linked to Britain's Royal Ballet in style and repertoire largely through the efforts of its first director (1962–74), the dancer and choreographer Dame Peggy van Praagh (1910–90). Touring regularly throughout Australia as well as in Europe and North America, the group has a repertoire that ranges from classical to contemporary and also encourages the production of works by Australian choreographers. The troupe's best-known performance is probably the film version (1973) of Rudolf Nureyev's Don Quixote.
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