This year's Ballet Teachers' Workshop attracted 660 entrants, with 120 making it through to compete at the finals at the Darebin Arts and Entertainment Centre in Melbourne on August 16.
The competition offers a handsome total of $17,450 of prizemoney, with the two major senior prizes worth $2,500 each. One of these, the Paul Hammond Foundation Award, has the rare status of being open to males only (aged 16+). The placings this year went to pupils from the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School with first going to Luke Dimattina, 2nd ($550.00) to Charles Herkes and 3rd ($300.00) to Edward Pope.
Luke also won the Frances Naylor Award of $2,500 and the Travel and Coaching Scholarship of $2,500, making his total prize tally $7500.
The Mabel Pryde Memorial Scholarship, for females aged 16+, was won by Rio Morisawa, from the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet. Second ($550) went to Rebecca Blenkinsop (VCASS) and third ($300) to Haruna Katsumata, also from the Australian Conservatoire Ballet.
Placings in other sections are listed below, with the teacher's or school's name in brackets.
SECTION A: Ages 8-9
1st: Lily-Sophia Dashwood (Jane Moore Academy of Ballet)
2nd Emma Mills (En Pointe Ballet School)
3rd: Cara Tarrant (Contemporary Independence Dance)
4th: Hannah Phung (Expressions Ballet Academy).
SECTION B: ages 10-11
1st: Sophie Beaty (Backstage Dance Academy)
2nd: Milei Lee (Brian Nolan Academy of Dance)
3rd: Charlie Dashwood (Jane Moore Academy of Ballet)
4th: Emmanuelle Fairweather (Jane Moore Academy of Ballet).
SECTION C: ages 12-13
1st: Matisse Lewis (V.C.A.S.S)
2nd: Maidie Widmer (Anita Coutts School of Dance)
3rd: Emma Dowling (Jane Moore Academy of Ballet)
4th: Jade Mitchell $150.00 (V.C.A.S.S).
SECTION D: ages 14-15
1st: Emily Bray (Jane Moore Academy of Ballet)
2nd: Heidi Freeman (KC's School of Dance)
3rd: Freya Wilkinson (Australian Conservatoire of Ballet)
Above: Luke Dimittina. Below: Rio Morisawa. Photos: National Photography
