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The dancers who came to Australia with visiting companies were painted, sketched, filmed and photographed wherever they went. Fans bought souvenir photographs and publishers produced books and commissioned articles celebrating the dancers and their repertoire.

The Russian Ballet companies brought with them costumes, backcloths and program designs in a panorama of European art that had not previously been accessible to Australians. Later the Ballet Rambert tour introduced the creative ideas of English stage designers.

The work of touring companies was a wellspring of source material, not just for dancers and choreographers, but also for young Australian visual artists and photographers.

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