Tom Gannon knew at the age of three that he was born to dance. His story is one of a lifetime of dedication, training, passion and commitment. He has just been nominated for the Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards at a very young  age. His career is about to take off.

At 14 he moved to Melbourne with his mother to attend the Australian Ballet School, an institution dedicated to aspiring ballet professionals. After five years he graduated and was accepted into the Corps de Ballet at the Australian Ballet, the beginning of his professional career. Two weeks later Covid hit and classes went online.

Finally he could attend rehearsals in person after two years of training in the kitchen of a small apartment. He landed a solo role in Watermark, a new work by New York choreographer Pam Tanowitz, again remarkable for one so young.

The winners of the $40,000 Ballet Dancer Awards will be announced at the Sydney Opera House on 5 April after the opening night of Anna Karenina, in which he will be dancing.

Arts Wednesday 23 March 2022

Eastside Radio 89.7 fm

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