​Brian Nolan Academy of Dance

Brian Nolan      CID – UNESCO           

Grad Dip - Education

Grad Cert - Visual and Performing Arts

Diploma Dance - Australian Ballet School

Cert - Teaching Royal Academy of Dancing 

Cert IV - Training and Assessment

Cert IV - Small Business

RAD - Mentor

RAD - TC

Human Movement - Study

 

Brian commenced training in Melbourne at 14 years of age under Patricia Little studying Cecchetti and then with Paul Hammond training in RAD.

He was accepted into the Australian Ballet School at 15 years of age and was awarded a Scholarship in his first year and an Australian Arts Council Grant in his second year. In 1976 he performed in the Australian Ballet School's production of Don Quixote where he danced the lead role of Basilio partnering Australian Ballet Principal - Joanne Michelle as Kitri. He was also the lead in Robert Rays Rialto Ripples.

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In 1976 he was selected and performed with the famous Russian Company - the Bolshoi Ballet, performing in Melbourne with their International tour in the production of Bolero staring Principal dancer Maya Plisetskaya. In 1976 he also danced in the first Live Australian telecast direct to Greece at the Glendi Festival performing in the Trojan Horse.

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In 1977 he was selected by the Bolshoi Ballet’s ballet master Asaf Messerer to perform the Pas de Trios from Swan Lake in the Australian Ballet Schools Graduation. Brian was accepted into the Australian Ballet Company at 17 years of age and remains today as one of the youngest Australian male graduates to do so.

 

In 1977 Brian toured with the Australian Ballet Company throughout Australia performing with Dame Margot Fonteyn in the Merry Widow. Brian has also performed with the Australian Ballet Company on many International tours including:                                                                                                                                    1978 – Jakarta & Bali,                                                                                                                                                1979 - Greece, Israel & Turkey,                                                                                                                                  1980 China & Japan,                                                                                                                                                   1981 -USA & Mexico.

 

In 1979, as a member of the Australian Ballet he became one of the first Western Delegations to enter China, where he performed in Rudolf Nureyev’s - Don Quixote in both Beijing and Shanghai.

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In 1979 Brian was awarded the Australian Ballet’s International Training Scholarship to the Royal Ballet.

His teachers include:                                                                                                                                                 Dame Margaret Scott, Dame Peggy Van Praagh, Leon Kellaway, Asaf Messerer, Ivan Nagy, Molly Lake,   Marike Besobrasova, Heinz Mannigal, Eileen Ward, Terry Westmoreland, John O'Brien, Alice Elliott, Colin Peasley, Kathleen Gorham, Paul Hammond, Bruce Morrow, Robert Ray and Patricia Little.

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His Roles throughout his career include:

Basilio & Gamache - Don Quixote, Albrecht – Giselle, Carnival King - Romeo and Juliet, Moorish – Raymonda, Prince - Nutcracker, Pas de Deux - Flower Festival of Genzano, Shar's Brother - Scheherazade, Pas de Trios - Symphony in D, Pas de Trios – Swan Lake, Mazurka - Les Sylphides, Pas de Deux (Le Corsair), Bell Boy's – Spartacus, Torturers & Humorous Guard - Three Musketeers, Drummer Boy – Graduation Ball. 

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After leaving the Australian Ballet Brian joined Channel 9 and the Toni Bartuccio Dancers performing on the Don lane Show, Darryl Sommers Show, Bert Newton, Mike Walsh, Ernie Sigley Show, Jimmy Hannon Show  and many more. He also joined the ABC Channel 2 Ballet performing for the John Farnham and Debra Byrne Show, Rolf Harris Show, Simon Gallaher Show and a performance on Countdown supporting “Divine”. Brian has appeared in several Musicals including Mame, West Side Story and Oklahoma. He has Choreographed for several Variety Shows including Full Frontal, Fast Forward and for Channel 7 - Bert Newton Show and the Good Friday Appeal. He has also Choreographed 42 Street for the Melbourne Palladium staring Rhonda Birchmore & Glenda Walsh as well as choreographing the Rhonda Birchmore Spectacular at the Crown Casino in Melbourne. Brian also Choreographed the Opening of the Grand Hyatt in Jakarta Indonesia.

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While studying Human Movement, his studies were delayed as he competed in Competition Aerobics where he became a dual State Champion (Victoria & Western Australia) and a National Finalist and Medalist. In 1990 he was invited to be an Australian Judge and in 1991 he had his first International Judging Engagement in Toronto Canada.

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In 1992 Brian was appointed as the Artistic Director for the very successful Dance Studio Dance World 301 studio in South Melbourne.

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In 1992 Brian was appointed to the Dance Panel for the Victorian Ministry of the Arts.

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In 1999 his Classical Choreography "Orange Opus" and "Clowning around with Haydn" were  Choreographed for the 'Stars of Tomorrow” ensemble with the Regional Dance Companies of America, which was performed at the Tanzsommer Festival  throughout Austria and Germany.                                                                                                                                                  

He has also reproduced several Full-Length Ballets including:                                                                            “Nutcracker”, “Swan Lake”, “Don Quixote”, Paquitta and “Raymonda”.

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In 2000 sponsored by the Australian Embassy (Canberra) he was invited to the Jury of the 10th International Ballet Competition and guest teacher for the International Dance Seminar held in Brasilia Brazil. 

                                                                                                                                                                   

In 2000 he was invited to the International Jury for the First International Ballet Competition held in Tallinn Estonia and chaired by Nikita Dulguishin

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In 2001 sponsored by Department of Education in Brazil he was invited back to the                                         11th International Ballet Competition and Dance Seminar where he Choreographed “White Opus” for the 2001 Gala Performance with the Brazil 2000 Ballet Company.

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In 2003 he was invited back to Brazil to Choreograph for the Brazil 2000 Ballet Company and Premiered the Ballet "And by Albinoni"                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

In 2003 Brian became the Director of the Australian International School of Coaching (AISC)                          

In 2006 Brian became the Director of the Australian Vaganova Academy.

 

In 2006 he was again invited to Brazil where he Choreographed “Colours of Dance” for the

Ballet 2000 Company.

 

In 2008 Brian was appointed as assistant Children’s Choreographer for the Act 1 Garland Waltz for the Kiev Ballets Australian tour of Sleeping Beauty.

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In 2012 Brian was presented with the Phoenix Artistic Award - for services to the Arts.

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In 2013 he was appointed Vice Chair for the RAD Victorian & Tasmanian Regional Panel

 

In 2014 - 2017 he was appointed as Chairperson for the RAD Victorian & Tasmanian Regional Panel

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In 2019 -2021 Brian was re-elected as Chairperson for the RAD Victorian & Tasmanian Regional Panel

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Brian’s students have competed all over the world including:                                                                     throughout - Australia, Auckland & Wellington - New Zealand, Tirol - Luxembourg,                                         South East Asian Pacific – Japan, Paris International – France, New York City and the                                     USA International Mississippi – USA, Brasilia – Brazil, Genee - England & Prix de Lausanne – Switzerland.  

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His students have won numerous Medals, Awards, Scholarships and Apprenticeships at these and many other Competitions including 2 City of Sydney Scholarship winners and 2 SODA winners.

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As of 2022 Brian has had 45 students accepted into the Australian Ballet School, which is one of the largest from a Private Teacher in Australia.

 

In 2001 Brian had his first student accepted directly into the Australian Ballet Company.                                                         

At present Brian, has had seven former students accepted into the Australian Ballet Company including student of 11 years Australian Ballet Principal Dancer Adam Bull as well as Senior Artist and the 2017 Telstra Performer of the year - Valerie Tereschenko plus Soloist Laura Tong and Rani Luther and other Artists of the  Australian Ballet Company.