Italian prima ballerina Mara Galeazzi helped judge the Australasian Ballet Challenge in Wodonga on the weekend and will also teach at a residential dance summer school at Falls Creek this week.

On Saturday the former Royal Ballet principal artist will feature in Stars under the Stars, an outdoor gala in the high country that will be repeated in Melbourne on Sunday.

Galeazzi became involved in these projects through her previous work with Wodonga choreographer Tim Podesta, of Regional Academy of Performing Arts.

As well as a long career with the Royal Ballet, she has appeared as a guest artist around the world and is known for her performances of contemporary pieces.

Galeazzi said after she retired in 2013, she found she missed being on stage and returned to performing a year later.

“And that made me sort of believe that it was not the end and I could just go and explore a different way of how to use my knowledge from my 21 years dancing with the Royal Ballet as a classical dancer,” she said.

“You kind of find a way to deal with your body, with your mind and obviously as a freelance you can choose what sort of rep you do.”

Podesta said Galeazzi’s presence was a great boost for dance in this area.

“So much of our country is regional or rural, in terms of the arts it's not easily accessible,” he said.

“Hopefully by bringing Mara here it will just expand everybody's opportunities and understanding of my industry.

“I think the biggest issue that we have is still culturally we're so sport-driven and I'm not saying that's a bad thing.

“But as great as it is having somebody like Mara here, so few people understand what it is that she's done and how difficult it is to achieve what she's done.”

The ballerina’s longevity also provided a link to some legendary choreographers.

“So the experience that she then passes on to us and just again through stories, it really is such a privilege,” Podesta said.

Galeazzi said she still liked travelling and working with different choreographers and dancers.

“Sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn't but I think all my career I've been quite versatile with people,” she said.

“You always find something different about yourself when you work with someone new, so you discover other things. Every day I see how it goes. 

“Every day I take a moment to enjoy and something will lead me to somewhere and something will come up.”