Originally from New Zealand, but coming to us via the Australian Ballet, Gaylene Cummerfield joined the Company, along with her husband Matt Lawrence, as a Senior Soloist. She very quickly found herself dancing the lead in Swan Lake and Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis in Giselle in two powerful interpretations that immediately established her classical credentials. Since then, Gaylene has swiftly adapted to the Company's style and has proved herself invaluable in a variety of roles from the classicism of Raymonda, the smouldering sultriness of the Gypsy Girl in The Two Pigeons and the restraint of Lady Elgar in Enigma Variations to the vampish female dancer of the 'Bethena Waltz' in Elite Syncopations - another great addition to our Principal roster.

REPERTORY INCLUDES
Frederick AshtonDante Sonata (lead Child of Light), The Two Pigeons (Gypsy Girl),Enigma Variations (Lady Elgar)
David BintleyThe Shakespeare Suite (Juliet), Sylvia (Diana), Galanteries, Beauty and the Beast (Vanité) and David Bintley and Galina Samsova's production of Giselle(Myrtha)
Kenneth MacMillanElite Syncopations ('Bethena Concert Waltz'), Romeo and Juliet (Rosalie)
Peter Wright's production of The Sleeping Beauty (Princess Aurora) and The Nutcracker (Sugar Plum Fairy) and Peter Wright and Galina Samsova's production of Swan Lake (Odette/Odile, Polish Princess)
George BalanchineSlaughter on Tenth Avenue (Striptease Girl)
Michael CorderLe Baiserde la fée (Fairy)
Rudolf NureyevRaymonda Act III (Lead role)
Mikhail FokineThe Firebird (Beautiful Tsarevna)
Stanton WelchPowder
Kit HolderSmall Worlds

With Australian Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty (Aurora), Giselle (Queen of the Wilis), Don Quixote (Kitri), La Sylphide (Sylph), La Fille mal gardée (Lise), Suite en blanc (Cigarette), the Black Swan pas de deux and roles in Por vos muero, In the Upper Room and La Bayadère.

AWARDS INCLUDES
In 1996 she won a bronze medal at the Adeline Genée awards and first place at the New Zealand National Awards. She joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet in 1997, and was awarded first place and the Grand Prix Award for outstanding achievement at the sixth Asian Pacific Ballet Competition the same year.