Dana Stephensen (born 21 July 1985) is an Australian

ballet dancer A ballet dancer is a person who practices the Art (skill), art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet. They rely on years of extensive training and proper technique to become a part of a professional ballet company. B ...

. She is a soloist of

The Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet (TAB) is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur a ...

Dance career

Stephensen started her dance training at the age of three in Brisbane. In 2001 she joined the Queensland Dance School of Excellence and obtained the

Royal Academy of Dance The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is a UK-based examination board specialising in dance education and training, with an emphasis on classical ballet. The RAD was founded in London, England in 1920 as the Association of Teachers of Operatic Danci ...

Solo Seal. After becoming an Interstate Associate of The Australian Ballet School, she joined the senior school in 2002. She performed several seasons seconded to The Australian Ballet and joined full-time in 2005. She was promoted to coryphée in 2010 and soloist in 2013. Stephensen won the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award for 2010, jointly with Ty King-Wall.

Selected repertoire

* Lead Cupid in ''Molto Vivace'', 2010 * Guardian Swan in

Graeme Murphy Graeme Lloyd Murphy AO (born 2 November 1950) is an Australian dancer and choreographer. With his fellow dancer (and wife since 2004) Janet Vernon, he guided Sydney Dance Company to become one of Australia's most successful and best-known d ...

's ''Swan Lake'', 2008–2010 * Kitri in ''Don Quixote'', 2010 (as Guest Artist with Australian touring company The Dancers Company)

Other activities

Stephensen played an Australian Ballet dancer in the 2009 film '' Mao's Last Dancer''.

Personal life

Stephensen has a son, Jasper, born on 23 September 2015 with her former husband Michael Kai. As of early 2020, Stephensen was engaged to

Lachlan Gillespie Lachlan Gillespie (born 23 October 1985) is an Australian children's entertainer, singer, musician, and actor. He is a member of the Wiggles and wears the purple skivvy. Early life Gillespie began playing the piano at the age of four, and start ...

of the Wiggles, whom she met while filming a Wiggles DVD special in December 2018. They wed in late November 2022. On 11 September 2020, Stephensen and Gillespie announced via Instagram the arrival of their newborn twin daughters, Lulu and Lottie.

Awards

* Telstra Ballet Dancer Award 2010 * Khitercs Scholarship, 2008 * James and Pamela Mills Scholarship, 2004 * Graeme Murphy Award for Excellence in Contemporary Dance, 2003

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stephensen, Dana Australian ballerinas Dancers of the Australian Ballet Living people Entertainers from Brisbane Telstra Ballet Dancer Award winners Telstra People's Choice Award winners 1980s births Year of birth missing (living people)