Recently in Sydney, while speaking to a cohort of future-focused creatives, The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Hallberg, examined the continuous pursuit for brilliance alongside RATIONALE Founder, Richard Parker.
Best-selling author, Malcom Gladwell, wrote that it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to master any craft. According to this theory, The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Hallberg, and RATIONALE Founder, Richard Parker, are not just masters, but illuminations of unequivocal brilliance.
Between them, the pair share 57 years of devotion to their respective disciplines. That’s 118,560 hours—and counting—based on a conservative 38-hour working week. Over this time, these two revolutionaries have learnt a thing or two about practice, patience, and fostering a healthy relationship with perfection.
“You know, we have to hone our craft,” said Parker. He was sitting in room of inspiring, new-generational talent gathered at Beta, Sydney—all of whom gathered to celebrate the on-going partnership between RATIONALE and The Australian Ballet.
“We talk a lot at RATIONALE about the ‘Brilliance of Technique’ … It's not enough for us to make Formulations that are effective. They have to be beautiful. They have to be so beautiful that people love to use them. As when people love to use them, they use them consistently, and then they see the results,” he explained, before turning to Hallberg, prompting his response.
“What I think sets you free as a dancer or as a classical artist is that daily grind or that pursuit of honing a technique,” said Hallberg. "Not the idea or perception of perfection—there's a difference. I see dancers take classes every day, so when they go on stage, they are as prepared as possible to perform in a way that moves people.” Parker was, of course, in emphatical agreement. “Don't focus on perfection. Just that point of beauty and expression.”
Like most art forms, ballet and skincare continue to evolve with time and technology. So, whilst technical mastery had been achieved long ago, what continues to delineate these two from their contemporaries is a willingness to adapt, change, and grow. “We're not a trend-based company. We have worked very hard to develop an understanding of human skin based in medical sciences and particularly dermatology. And that's the ongoing research base that RATIONALE embraces,” said Parker.
“It's not just about choosing beautiful ballets and having them danced well … it's also about opening our doors to this artform and inviting people in,” added Hallberg.