Colouring the Dance Floor
Ruby Lucia Ballantyne: Colouring the Dance Floor
Exhibition
Exhibition Showing: 20 January – 24 March 2023
Official Opening: Friday 3 February 6pm.
Workshop: Saturday 25 March, 10:30am-12:30pm
Exhibition Statement:
Colouring the Dance Floor is Ruby Ballantyne’s first exhibition after graduating from Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance). Ruby’s background in contemporary dance and choreography has highly influenced her body of tufted rugs through both process and outcome. The exhibition explores colour, shape and texture as a form of exaggeration and characterisation. Ruby’s interest in comical illustration and theatrical expression is brought to life through her rugs as the space is covered in fluffy, inviting configurations. The process of creating Murder on the Dance Floor was inspired by Ruby’s personal practice of constructing choreography through improvisation.
The process can lead to a dance based on colour and texture, a more refined piece of choreography based on line and structure, or a cultivation of influences to creative narrative, story and character. With the approach of producing the rugs as pieces of movement, they come to life displaying a dynamic sense of energy and character.
About Ruby Lucia Ballantyne:
Ruby Lucia Ballantyne is a contemporary dancer, painter, rug maker, and starry-eyed dreamer. Originally growing up in Awabakal/Newcastle, Ruby moved to Ngunnawal/Canberra in 2014 where she discovered her undying passion for contemporary dance. Under the guidance of Ruth Osbourne, Ruby began performing with the Quantum Leap Youth Ensemble. Ruby’s accumulated knowledge and experience choreographing short works for Quantum Leap’s Hot to Trot program led her to debut her first professional solo work at the Canberra Art not Apart festival. Performing her work four times over the festival with accumulative audiences, The End of the World, achieved wide recognition and praise from the community.
After five years of performing in Canberra, Ruby ventured to Boorloo/Perth in 2019 to complete her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at the Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts. During her time, she’s been fortunate enough to collaborate with artists in all different disciplines including music, acting, and musical theatre. She has taken part in choreographic processes with Meryl Tankard, Laura Boynes, Kynan Hughes, Adelina Larsson Mendoza, and Justin Rutzou. Continuing her interest in choreography, Ruby produced a piece for her third year choreographic season, Unleashed, where she utilised her visual arts skills to hand make all props including large mountainesque sculptures which would glide around the space manipulating the environment. Ruby’s interest in colour and abstraction is clear in her work and translates into her theatrical, exaggerated choreography. After pursuing painting and ceramics for many years, Ruby began creating textile art and rug tufting in 2021.
After graduating at the end of 2022, Ruby made her way back over East to work as a dancer, pilates instructor, and visual artist. Now based in Naarm/Melbourne, with intentions of traveling the world to dance professionally, recreationally, and passionately, Ruby will always hold a special place in her heart for Canberra. Debuting her first body of tufted rugs in her hometown is an honour and pleasure.
Workshop: Colouring the Dance Floor with Ruby
WHEN: Saturday 25 March, 10:30am-12:30pm
Join Artist and dancer Ruby Lucia Ballantyne, recent graduate of the Western Australian Performing Arts Academy for an improvised dance workshop in Gallery 2. Surrounded by her vibrantly coloured tufted rugs, learn how she constructs original choreography through improvisation in response to visual stimuli such as colour and texture. Try out her process by responding to works in Colouring the Dance Floor. Places are limited so book early.
Places are limited. Bookings essential.