Australia's fever for ballet begins in the early 20th century with the arrival of Anna Pavlova and, later, the Ballet Russes, who enraptured audiences and galvanised Australia's first ballet company, the Borovansky Ballet.

Come the 1980s, the Australian economy is booming. It is a time of excess and consumption, and The Australian Ballet's audience is broader than ever before.

The Australian Ballet enters the new millennium with a bold creative appointment. Fresh from the dancers' ranks and with no leadership experience, David McAllister takes over from Ross Stretton as artistic director in 2001.