The Royal Gala production of the ballet Corroboree in 1954 became a landmark in Australian stage design and a turnaround in public attitude towards Indigenous culture. As a collaboration of music, dance and design, it was the most successful production in the history of the Arts Council of Australia.

In 1953 Bill Constable was asked to design a set of costumes when the American ballerina Beth Dean was commissioned to choreograph Corroboree for the Royal Gala Performance and her husband Victor Carell introduced a new story line.