Nanette Hassall

Nanette Hassall (born 1947) is an Australian dancer, choreographer and dance teacher.

Life and career Nanette Hassall was born in Sydney, Australia, and studied dance at venues including Australian schools. She taught physical education at a girls' high school while pursuing her love of dance. There, she attended the Juilliard School, New York, on scholarship, Ballet Rambert, the Strider Dance Company (Richard Alston) and Dance Company NSW (Jaap Flier). Hassall taught at schools and colleges including Dartington College of Arts, Opleiding Moderne Dans School in Amsterdam, Deakin University, Rusden State College, the Victorian College of the Arts, and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (department head, 1995).

While working at the Dartingon College of the Arts, she met American composer Bill Fontana, marrying him in London in 1975. Fontana joined her in working at Dance Company NSW. She co-founded Dance Exchange with Russell Dumas, and founded Dance Works in Melbourne (director, 1983–89). She left Dance Works in 1989 to ensure that the company continued to nurture developing choreographers rather than focusing too extensively on her own work. Hassall choreographed prolifically for Dance Exchange. She regularly commissions works from Australian composers for her choreography. Hassall is active on boards and panels as an advocate for dance and dance education, and is the author of papers and articles including: "Phillip Adams" (2004).

Honors and awards Ballet Australia Award (1969) for Solus (music by Peter Sculthorpe) "Outstanding Achievement in Dance Education", Australian Dance Awards (2002) Member of the Order of Australia (AM) "for significant service to the performing arts, particularly through dance education"

Works Selected works (in alphabetical order) include: As the Crow Flies Faster Than Photos Forcefield Or Is It? Pyralis Rainbow Bandit Silken Tent Trespassing on Borrowed Time