The late Joy Enid Ransley-Smith has been posthumously awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division in the Australia Day 2026 Honours List, for service to ballet and the performing arts.
The honour formally recognises a lifetime of contribution that spanned performance, education and examination, and acknowledges Joy Ransley’s exceptional influence on ballet training in Australia and internationally.
Trained in Australia before receiving a scholarship to The Royal Ballet School in London, Ransley was part of the school’s formative years under Royal patronage. She later performed professionally with The Royal Ballet and Dutch National Ballet before returning to Australia, where teaching became the central focus of her career. Across decades, she worked with many of the world’s leading training institutions, including The Royal Ballet School, English National Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School, and was a sought-after guest teacher in studios throughout Australia.
In Queensland, she co-founded and co-directed Ransley Ballet and Performing Arts Centre, shaping the school over more than 30 years and mentoring generations of young dancers across ballet and allied styles. Her students went on to careers in major ballet companies, musical theatre and the broader performing arts sector, reflecting both the rigour and breadth of her teaching.
The OAM also recognises Ransley’s extraordinary service to the Royal Academy of Dance. A registered teacher and examiner for more than 50 years, she examined internationally at both graded and vocational levels and played a significant role in teacher education and professional development. She taught RAD courses and regional programs in the United Kingdom for over three decades, contributed to the Professional Dance Teacher’s Course, and co-founded the Regional Advisory Panel in New South Wales.
Her contribution to the RAD was acknowledged during her lifetime through multiple honours, including the President’s Award, Honorary Fellowship in 2020, and Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance (FRAD), awarded in recognition of her sustained and distinguished service.
Joy Ransley passed away in March 2025. Her posthumous inclusion in the Australia Day Honours List offers national recognition of a legacy built on dedication, consistency and care. It is a recognition shared by the many dancers, teachers and artists whose careers were shaped by her knowledge, standards and belief in the power of strong training.
The Australia Day 2026 Honours List recognises 949 Australians for outstanding service, with more than 200 additional awards compared to the previous year. Joy Ransley’s OAM stands as a fitting acknowledgement of a life devoted to the careful stewardship of ballet and the people within it.
Her acknowledgement is on page 400 of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division list.
You can read more about Joy's remarkable life in our article last year.