dancePEOPLE Frankenhaeuser, who wrote her thesis on Keith: “He grew up in a Strictly small country town in New South Wales and adored watching his parents dancing together at local inspirational events.” In his book, Keith recalls seeing his “grounded” barber father lead his mother onto the Marianka Swain reflects on the life of floor: “Somehow, as if on a breath, Keith Bain, Strictly Ballroom muse and their two bodies connected into an extraordinary influence on dance one new unity as they moved into the figures of the dance and drama in Australia and beyond in a way that was no longer walking, no longer ordinary.” “My starting point is she wrote: “There is no doubt Although Keith’s first career the human condition, Keith was and is the biggest choice was schoolteacher, the wonder and single influence on my work as “he instilled in all his pupils an potential of the an actor. His teachings are the appreciation of the arts,” notes body, our motivations foundation of my technique.” Anca, “and his style of teaching and behaviour, the Keith’s diverse career included was a performance in itself!” comedy and tragedy of competitive ballroom success, Aged 27, Keith was struck by faults and feelings, revolutionary movement teaching the work of the Bodenwieser the tangle of our at Australia’s National Institute Dance Group, led by modern emotional inner life, of Dramatic Arts (NIDA), dance pioneer Gertrud the contradictions performances and choreographic Bodenwieser, who invited Keith to of potential and work on stage and screen, and join her classes after seeing him realisation, and an extraordinary contribution perform. He became a leading the life force that to the arts through establishing member of her Sydney-based propels us.” organisations such as the company, dancing with them •Keith Bain Australia Council, Ausdance and until her death in 1959, and the International Theatre Institute carried on her work by setting ioneering performer, and uniting talented individuals up the Bodenwieser Studio. teacher and choreographer across different disciplines. PKeith Bain passed However, his love of movement n order to fund the project, Keith Bain (studio shot 1974). All photographs are taken away on July 4, 2012. The came from a rather more Ihe trained as a teacher from Keith Bain on Movement, edited by Michael Campbell, influence of this exceptionally humble source, explains Anca at the Arthur Murray Studio, ➤ foreword by Cate Blanchett, published by Currency House charismatic man was apparent in the outpouring of tributes Keith on ballroom from leading industry figures “Competition so easily leads to mere show-anything to and former colleagues and catch the judge’s eye. But when I see this style danced with students, including stars like beautifully concealed technique, with restrained and sensitive Baz Luhrmann and Cate styling, in empathy with the music, making a new unity of Blanchett. “I am a student of the bodies of the two dancers [and creating] movement that Keith,” the latter proclaimed at only true partnership can produce, I know why it was worth his memorial service. “Keith’s the time and effort to master its difficult techniques and lessons were life lessons.” how much pride and pleasure it has always given me.” In the foreword to his 2010 From Keith Bain on Movement book Keith Bain on Movement 42 / WWW.DANCE-TODAY.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2012 \ DANCETODAY \ 43 dancePEOPLE dancePEOPLE “We couldn’t help but move differently from the standardised international style… Our work became contentious and notorious. It threatened the beliefs and techniques of those who had devoted their whole lives to their traditional style” Photograph by Max Dupain •Keith Bain Above, from left to right: Keith Bain with dance partner, Joyce Lofts, Above, from left to right: Catherine McClements and Baz Luhrmann in Strictly Ballroom (first incarnation) at NIDA, in the1950s; in the studio in 1974; teaching at NIDA in 1986 1984; Keith Bain and Coralie Hinkley in Central Australian Suite, A Child is Born (ABC TV 1957), choreographed (Photograph by Stuart Campbell, from the NIDA Archive) by Gertrud Bodenwieser; the International Theatre Institute Dance Committee, with Keith second left, on and thus began his love affair stage at the Bolshoi Theatre after the gala performance in honour of Yuri Grigorovich , January 11, 1987 with ballroom. By the early and competitions. Our work [Luhrmann], who thought he that movement that doesn’t arise Julia Cotton, who assisted Keith new forms of movement and 1960s he and partner Joyce became contentious and could, and some others decided “from one’s own impulses, needs and succeeded him as head of celebrating collaboration.” Lofts had become Australian notorious. It threatened the they would like to do something and states of feeling is not easy movement when he retired after “Above all, Keith was a truly Ballroom Exhibition and Latin- beliefs and techniques of those about my ballroom dancing.” to make one’s own, nor give off a 40 years of teaching at NIDA, great teacher – that’s rare,” says American champions – but not who had devoted their whole Keith shared his experiences sense of spontaneity in doing it”. adds: “He had a remarkable Baz. “He not only taught you and without drama along the way. lives to their traditional style.” and the result was a short play ability to make students feel they you learned, he taught you how to “We couldn’t help but move He says their titles were that became the toast of a eith developed an entirely could do anything and that their learn and to never stop learning. differently from the standardised extremely hard won, as they Czechoslovakian drama festival – Knew way of working, individual qualities were precious. Keith has left an indelible mark international style,” explains Keith, competed not just against “the audiences went wild, seeing drawing movement out of his So many have gone on to grace and he’s with me every day in my noting that his exposure to the other dancers, but against the it as a call to action against Soviet students rather than imposing world stages and screens, their creative journey. His story lives raw Bodenwieser aesthetic gave establishment. “I don’t regret and communist authorities”. it on them: “The basis of my unique talents readily observed on through his students, and their him a very different approach. He the battle and I can understand Baz then staged a longer teaching was helping an actor through a physical language students, and people they tell stresses that he wasn’t critical how, in 1984, a clever group of version before developing the become the best version of they learned from Keith.” stories to, forever and ever.” ● of other dancers, but of “the NIDA students saw the thematic film. The project has come full himself first, then developing Keith’s own work extended body stylings and conventions of potential for theatre and film.” circle, with the new musical stage the capacity to represent every to dance groups, television, Keith Bain on Movement, dressing, musical interpretation Strictly Ballroom was born production of Strictly Ballroom other kind of human being.” He musicals, theatre and opera. At edited by Michael Campbell, and dance figures promoted out of a class project in which premiering in Sydney next year. didn’t scare actors by throwing his book launch, critic Katharine is published by Currency by the rival associations who “Glenn Keenan, the boy who In 1959, Keith was invited by technique at them, notes Anca: Brisbane apologised for not House, hardback £43 organised the medal systems could really dance, and Baz Doris Fitton to teach actors at “His skill was in leading them to crediting him in productions she’d (www.currencyhouse.org.au). the Independent Theatre. Unsure places they never thought they reviewed; it was only when she Keith’s teaching tips how to go about it, he grilled his could go, all by engaging with read his book that she realised •Don’t over-explain. Guide students to their actor brother and his friends, something inside themselves.” the extent of his contribution. own realisations and solutions noting their reliance on theories She loved Keith’s creative Keith also brought practitioners •Balance technical work with creative and structure with exploration and discussion rather than “the instructions, “like ‘Turn on your of diverse styles together for the •Maintain a sense of humour and even some wildness, physical revelation of an inner life”. headlights’, meaning be open Dancers’ Picnic, a day of food, allowing students to feel physically free Director John Alden offered more to receiving and giving energy, drink, performance and informal •Encourage students’ self-image and belief in blunt advice: “If you can teach any or ‘Find your best height’, rather prize-giving; the event grew into their own potential as creative artists actor in this country to take three than ‘Stand up straight’. Richard the Australian Dance Awards. •Appreciate the diversity of physical expression, but also how steps and stop, I’ll be delighted.” Roxburgh says that every time “He felt dancers weren’t properly similar we are in so many of the ways we express ourselves Keith experimented by asking he glimpses his reflection in a acknowledged for their work,” Keith Bain as the Physician in Gertrud Bodenwieser’s Julia Cotton untrained friends to follow simple shop window, he’ll think of Keith explains Anca. “But more than that, instructions and quickly learned and stand at his best height.” he genuinely loved discovering The Imaginary Invalid, 1950 44 / WWW.DANCE-TODAY.CO.UK SEPTEMBER 2012 \ DANCETODAY \ 45.