Ella Havelka facts for kids

Ella Havelka, born in 1989, is a talented Australian ballet dancer. She made history as the first Indigenous Australian to join The Australian Ballet company.

Early Life

Ella Havelka was born in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. She is a descendant of the Wiradjuri people, an Indigenous Australian group. Ella was raised by her mother.

She began learning ballet at a local dance studio. This happened after she watched a video of the famous ballet Swan Lake. When Ella was 15, she and her mother moved to Melbourne. There, she trained at the Australian Ballet School. She successfully graduated from the school in 2007.

Dance Career

After finishing her training, Ella was not immediately offered a place with The Australian Ballet. So, in 2009, she joined the Bangarra Dance Theatre. This is an Indigenous Australian contemporary dance company.

First Performances

Ella made her first performance with Bangarra in a show called Fire – A Retrospective. She continued to perform in many other productions with the company.

In 2012, Ella danced in a special show called Warumuk – in the dark night. This was a joint project between Bangarra and The Australian Ballet. It celebrated The Australian Ballet's 50th anniversary.

Joining The Australian Ballet

The following year, in 2013, Ella joined The Australian Ballet. She was invited by the artistic director, David McAllister. This was a very important moment. It made her the first Indigenous person to become a dancer with the company.

In 2019, Ella returned to Bangarra Dance Theatre as a guest dancer. This was for their 30th anniversary celebration.

Other Activities

Ella Havelka was the main subject of a documentary film called Ella. The film first showed at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2016.

In 2018, Ella visited Nouméa, New Caledonia. This trip was arranged by the Australian Consulate-General. She was there for NAIDOC Week. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. It celebrates the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Besides dancing, Ella also learned the skill of weaving. She started weaving when a dance production needed her to make her own mat. Later, she began making and selling Aboriginal woven baskets. She used the money to help raise funds for Oxfam Australia. Ella also creates jewellery and linocuts, which are a type of printmaking.

Awards and Recognition

Ella Havelka has received several awards for her talent. In 2013, she won the Deadly Award for dancer of the year. She also received the Women of Style Award in 2017.