The Royal Academy of Dance has had a busy couple of weeks students from Victoria and Tasmania performing in Melbourne’s RAD Showcase in late March, while in Queensland the annual Jacqueline Morland Awards were held in early April.
RAD Showcase - Victoria
On Saturday 25 March nearly 300 RAD students from Victoria and Tasmania came together to celebrate dance in the region at the RAD Showcase performance which is now a key feature in the RAD dance calendar for the year. Held at the National Theatre in St. Kilda the event was generously sponsored by the RAD VIC TAS Panel, Energetiks and Capezio.
Nineteen schools performed varied pieces from classical to contemporary and beyond. One of the featured items was the Tasmanian Youth Classical Ballet Company who made the journey to Melbourne to perform. 26 students from six Tasmanian schools performed “Didn’t Leave Nobody” by Shayne Davies.
One the many highlights of the evening was the Victorian RAD scholarship winners from the Audrey Nicholls Grade Awards and the Kathleen Gorham Awards Grace Campbell, Emmanuelle Fairweather and Emma Dowling (all from Jane Moore Academy of Ballet) each performed a classical solo.
An added bonus was the performances of Milei Lee (VCASS), LilySophia Dashwood and Charlie Dashwood (Jane Moore and Andie Dashwood) the Victorian winners of the Australia wide Genee Dance Challenge from 2016 who performed their winning solos.
- Jane Hollier
RAD Regional Manager
Picture top: Milei Lee. Photo: WinkiPoP Media.
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Jacqueline Morland Awards - Queensland
The Royal Academy of Dance’s Jacqueline Morland Awards were held in Brisbane on 1 and 2 April, adjudicated by Dana Stephenson and Kevin Jackson.
The results were as follows:
New Zealand School of Dance Award: Jonathon Carmichael, Premier Dance Academy
Elsie Seguss Award 2017: Sebastian Harper, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Elsie Seguss Award 2017: Lily Carbone, Classical Coaching Australia
Elsie Seguss Award 2017: Abby Morgan, Classical Coaching Australia
Jacqueline Morland Male Dancer Award 2017: Matthew Maxwell, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Queensland Ballet Awards
Queensland Ballet Summer School Award: Taron Geyl, 5th Element Dance
Queensland Ballet Summer School Award: Amy Ronnfeldt, Kimberley Woodger Dance Academy
Queensland Ballet Training Award: Sebastian Harper,Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Queensland Ballet Training Award: Matthew Maxwell, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Level Six
Winner: Matthew Maxwell, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Runner-up: Abby Morgan, Classical Coaching Australia
Encouragement Award: My Le, Classical Coaching Australia
Audience Vote: My Le, Classical Coaching Australia
Level Five
Winner: Amy Ronnfeldt, Kimberley Woodger Dance Academy
Runner-up: Zoe Brady, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Encouragement Award: Alfie Shacklock, Dance Centre Peregian
Audience Vote: Amy Ronnfeldt, Kimberley Woodger Dance Academy
Level Four
Winner: Sebastian Harper, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Runner-up: Sotique Macuga, Classical Coaching Australia
Encouragement Award: Taron Geyl, 5th Element Dance
Audience Vote: Sebastian Harper, Annette Roselli Dance Academy
Level Three
Winner: Eliza Hickey, Atelier Australia
Runner-up: Summer Duyvestyn, Classical Coaching Australia
Encouragement Award: Amelia Kratz, The Dance Company
Audience Vote: Amelia Kratz, The Dance Company
Level Two
Winner: Martika McGown, Danzart Studio
Runner-up: Isabel Skarrott, Brisbane Dance Centre
Encouragement Award: Brooke Tarry, Danielle’s Studio of Dance
Audience Vote: Tara-Lee Clark, Promenade Dance Studio
Level One
Winner: Emily Sprout, The Dance Company
Runner-up: Xavier Xue Barriga, Atelier Australia
Encouragement Award: Zoey Rigby, 5th Element Dance
Audience Vote: Kate Muller, Promenade Dance Studio