One of Tasmania’s best known and loved ballet masters received a high international honour early this year. In June, Kenneth Gillespie of Launceston was dubbed a knight of the order of St John of Malta and Rhodes
A fifth-generation Tasmanian, Sir Kenneth has done more than any other person to create a State professional ballet company, and to foster a love and appreciation of ballet among Tasmanians of all ages.
The knighthood was conferred on Sir Kenneth by by the present Grand Master of the chivalric order (which dates back 900 years), Prince Robert Kimchaivili, prince of Roumania, at a ceremony in New York.
The official scroll declares that Sir Kenneth is enrolled as “a knight of honour and merit in our most ancient and illustrious order of chivalry for distinguished achievements and noble deeds.”
Sir Kenneth received the honour for his contributions to the international world of ballet.
Earlier this month, in a quiet ceremony at the Launceston Town Hall, surrounded by family and close friends, Sir Kenneth was handed his scroll by the Deputy Mayor, Ald. Graeme Beams.
Most Tasmanians remember Ken Gillespie as the man who single-handedly attempted to build up a professional ballet company at a time when “ballet classes” were mainly concerned with deportment.
Some might also remember him as the ballet master who trained an inspired Graeme Murphy (who still refers to him as “my mentor”), and other well-known Australian dancers, many of them from Launceston.
Star pupils include Michelle Hawkins (now with the Stuttgart Ballet), Natasha Middleton (formerly of the London City Ballet, now with the Ballet Co of WA), Claire McHugh (principal dancer with the Milwaukee Dance Co), and Glenn Murray (Sydney Dance Co).
Many fondly remember him as the man who travelled to their town to teach school children ballet.
Sir Kenneth started the Tasmanian Ballet Co in 1961 with seven students. He had not intended to stay long in Launceston, yet when he retired earlier this year, he had spent 29 years teaching three generations of Tasmanians.
An old coach house behind his Georgian house was converted into a studio, using second-hand doors and windows to save costs. It was a gruelling routine for him, travelling to 14 schools in the north and north-west each week.
Mondays and Fridays he taught in Launceston; Tuesday, Beaconsfield, Exeter and George Town; Wednesday, Scotsdale and Bridport; Thursday, Devonport and Ulverstone.
At the end of each day, it was back to his studio to take his senior pupils. And each year there was a major production to plan and produce, playing first in Launceston, then touring the State.
Sir Kenneth opened Tasmanians’ eyes not only to the familiar classical ballets - Nutcracker, Coppelia, Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty - but also to new and challenging works. Among his productions were Stravinski’s Baisée de la Fée, Bachianos Brassilieros by Villa-Lobos, contemporary works by Rafaelo de Banfield, and poetry readings interpreted in dance.
The ballets played for a week in Launceston at the old National Theatre and later the Princess, then went on tour. The company spent a night at each town, dancing at the Devonport Town Hall, the Burnie Theatre, the old Lyric at Scotsdale, and the Theatre Royal in Hobart.
Every detail of each production was overseen by Sir Kenneth, from painting the sets, designing and making the costumes, makeup, publicity and choreography. “I needed to know the job from top to bottom to be sure it would all be right on the night,” he said.
Members of the community were involved as much as possible. Mothers held sewing bees to make the costumes, others helped build the sets, and local painters were used to paint the scenery.
A professional dancer from the age of 15, dancing lead roles with the Borovanski Ballet in Melbourne at 16, Gillespie was at the peak of a prestigious international career when he returned to Launceston for family reasons in 1960.
He had starred with the leading ballet companies of England and America - the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, the Opera, Monte Carlo, and the New York City Ballet (then considered the finest in the US).
Just before returning to Australia, South American critics had hailed him as “the best dancer to visit South America this century.”
His knighthood shows he is still greatly admired in the international dancing world.
Sir Kenneth’s Tasmanian Ballet Co was recognised by the Australia Council in 1975, after 14 years of dedicated hard work.