Leanne Benjamin, the Royal Ballet’s longest-serving principal dancer will return to Australia to be appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the performing arts. More than three decades after she left Queensland, in order to pursue her dreams on stage, Benjamin will be honoured with the prestige she deserves, cited as one of Australia’s most accomplished dancers. Over 10 years ago Benjamin was honoured with an OBE, so it is only fitting that now she is honoured by her homeland.
Benjamin retired from the stage over two years ago, but has remained in London; only recently she was a guest speaker at the London Ballet Circle. After her retirement as a dancer, Leanne graduated from the Chelsea College of Art and Design with a degree in Architectural Design. She now mentors and coaches students and professional dancers, and is a patron of the Tait Memorial Trust that gives an Australian student financial aid towards training in London. She is also developing a book but ultimately delights in finding new ways to contribute to the ballet world, passing on her knowledge.
Rewinding to her training, Benjamin left Australia to join the Royal Ballet School in London at the age of 16. Within a year she had won two of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world, the Adeline Genée Gold Medal and Prix de Lausanne. After graduating into Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet in 1983, where she became a principal, and moving to London Festival Ballet in 1988, she joined Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin in 1990. During her time there Leanne worked with choreographer Kenneth MacMillan who convinced her to join The Royal Ballet in 1992.
Amongst many prestigious choreographers, Bemjamin has worked with Frederick Ashton and Ninette De Valois, one of the last dancers to have first hand experience of working with the founders of The Royal Ballet.