By Rebecca Martin.

From a small town eisteddfod to the international Prix de Lausanne, there is a ballet competition for every age and every level of dancer. Whether you’re a young ballet student, in full-time training, or are a seasoned professional, the benefits of ballet competitions are numerous. However, there are some drawbacks, and the ongoing question of whether ballet should even be competitive. If you’re weighing whether or not to enter the world of ballet competitions, or are already a regular on the competition scene, Dance Informa has put together a guide to ballet competitions to help you navigate the tutus, tights, tears and trophies.

For younger dancers, competitions expose them to the fun of stage lights, costumes, make-up and prizes. For parents, it can mean long car rides, tantrums and endless sewing of sequins. Yet the pros far outweigh the cons, and the skills and discipline learned through competing can be carried on to other aspects of the dancer’s life, making them a more focussed and mature adult. Personally, some of the fondest memories of my childhood involve ballet competitions. I formed great friendships, developed an affinity for the smell of backstage, learned to be organised and to perform even when nervous. Importantly, I learned the spirit of sportsmanship. It wasn’t about winning, it was about performing on stage in front of an audience, having fun and being friendly with fellow competitors.

If you’ve ever seen an episode of the television show Dance Moms, you will be forgiven for thinking that competitions are cut throat events that involve screaming teachers and complaining mothers. While that may happen from time to time, it’s important to find a ballet teacher who is encouraging and selects students for competition who are able to handle the pressure and are up to standard. Competitions are not the be all and end all of ballet training. If a teacher is putting too much emphasis on competition and neglecting the technique and enjoyment aspects, then consider trying other ballet schools.

For older dance students, ballet competitions can mean scholarships to prestigious schools, prize money or even job prospects. While bringing home a medal or wad of cash is fantastic, the greatest benefit of competing can be the connections dancers make to ballet companies and their peers. Competitions are reshaping the way dancers audition for companies. Rather than attending multiple auditions at what is often a great financial expense, major ballet competitions are used by ballet company directors to source new recruits. Directors can see the dancers both in class and on stage, something they cannot do in a regular studio audition. USA’s International Ballet Competition (IBC) is basically an audition for attending company and school directors. According to Australia’s Stanton Welch, who is currently Houston Ballet’s Artistic Director, competitions augment the audition process and are a great way for directors to shop for talent.

Aaron Kok and Kelsey Stokes, winners of the 2012 Sydney Eisteddfod McDonald’s Ballet Scholarships.

The Prix de Lausanne, one of the world’s greatest ballet competitions for pre-professional dancers now schedules networking into the program. An afternoon is set aside for schools to set up booths to talk with potential new students, so dancers don’t have to be a prize winner to be awarded a scholarship or offered a place in a training programme.

For dance students of any age, it is important to keep expectations realistic. Judging is subjective, and things can go wrong on stage. No matter how much dancers rehearse, they still may fall out of a pirouette or fluff their balance in arabesque, and no matter how well they perform, they still may be beaten at judging time. It is important to value the quality of the learning experience and the performance itself over the number of medals or prizes won. Students can return to class after competitions with inflated egos after winning or become overanxious about their dancing if they aren’t as successful as they hoped. Some dancers receive scholarships and job offers after being eliminated from competitions, which is far more beneficial in the long run than a medallion or prize money. Both dance students and parents, as well as teachers, need to keep things in perspective and not focus on a gold medal.

For dancers in a ballet company, their career is going to consist of constant auditions, so the practise early on is extremely beneficial. Every time a visiting choreographer comes in to watch company class and cast for their next work, they will be auditioning for them. The competition doesn’t end once a dancer gets a contract with a company.

Most local competitions allow entry through an application form. Some may request a photo or video. The bigger competitions will require dancers to attend an audition class or series of elimination rounds, and international competitions will first need to see an audition video.

DO:

• Speak to your ballet teacher about local competitions and check Dance Informa’s listings for upcoming opportunities.
• Do your research. Visit the website of the competition and carefully read the entry form and guidelines.
• Make sure you are eligible. There are often age restrictions and sometimes even syllabus restrictions.
• Pick a routine or variation that compliments your abilities. Don’t do something that is too difficult for you.  It’s better to do a simple routine well than fumble through a tricky number.
• Make the most of every experience. Listen to the judges and teachers and apply their feedback.
• Enjoy the experience! You’re on stage in front of a supportive audience.
• Talk to as many people as possible.
• Have a make-up kit that you take with you to every competition. Include needle and thread, resin, hairspray, hair pins and spare tights.
• Be prepared! Rehearse, practise in your costume, test out the stage before you go on, get plenty of rest, and fuel your body.
• Have a back up copy of your music.
• Remember that people are not only watching your dancing, but the way you behave. Be professional, attentive and courteous.

DON’T

• Give up!  The more competitions you do, the more confident you will become.
• Let your nerves get the better of you. What is the worst that can happen?
• Be negative or critical of others.
• Put anything extra on your application form or audition DVD. Follow the guidelines.

Remember that the process is the prize. Here is a listing of various ballet competitions around the world:

-  www.sydneyeisteddfod.com.au

-  www.rad.org.uk

-  www.prixdelausanne.org

-   www.ballet.org.au

-   www.jjgp.jp

-   www.yagp.org

-   www.usaibc.com

-   http://moscowballetcompetition.com

-   www.bda.edu.cn

-   www.theamericandancecompetition.com

-   www.concorsointernazionaledanza.it

-   www.wbcorlando.com

-   www.danceuponadream.com

Photo (top): Under 12 dancers from The Dance Spot perform Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings at McDonald’s Sydney Eisteddfod. Photo courtesy of Sydney Eisteddfod.

Former Australian Ballet principal Robert Curran has moved from centre stage to the wings; but don’t for a moment think he doesn’t mean it anymore.

By Paul Ransom.

When you have dedicated the best part of your adolescence and adult life to dance what do you do when you slide off the tights for the final time and vanish into retirement? Former Australian Ballet principal Robert Curran didn’t have to wait long to find out.

Following his 2011 swansong, Curran was looking forward to a sabbatical. “I made the decision last year that I would take twelve months off just to get some distance between myself and performing, but I only really lasted about two months before I was desperate to get back in the studio and be part of the creative process again.”

Fast forward a few months and Curran found himself joining forces with one of Australia’s most recognised choreographers, Stephen Page, and taking on the role of Rehearsal Director with the country’s peak indigenous arts company Bangarra Dance Theatre.

It may sound less glamorous than dancing Siegfried or being an artistic director, but for Curran his new side-stage career represents a gilt edge opportunity to get to grips with the inner workings of a major, touring company. “My take on this whole situation is that I’m being given an opportunity to learn and observe,” he says, “and if I’m lucky transfer some of those learnings across to my own creative ambitions.”

But of course, Bangarra is not just any company, as Curran is quick to acknowledge. As a ‘white’ Australian, he is all too aware of the company’s pivotal role both as a creator of contemporary indigenous stories and as a guardian of first nation culture. “I’m facilitating something that is not my place culturally to interfere with,” he concedes, “and I definitely don’t think these things are over-played. There are cultural sensitivities. There are language barriers too. There are an enormous amount of aboriginal tribes and dialects and Bangarra can’t represent every single one of them – but they need to be sensitive. They need to do things correctly. They need to ensure that what’s put out there isn’t just thrown together.”

However, as Rehearsal Director, Curran’s role is more practical and personal than political. His dailies include scheduling, fitness training, working on technical strength and providing overall pastoral care for the company’s 14 dancers. It’s hands-on and can be quite intense.

“When you’re talking to a dancer about what they perceive are their weaknesses and what they need to work on, there’s really an enormous amount of trust that comes from that level of personal disclosure,” he explains.

Robert Curran with Lucinda Dunn, when dancing with The Australian Ballet. Photo by Georges Antoni.

In the physically strenuous world of professional dance the ‘welfare’ issues are mainly corporeal. “As the abilities of the dancers increase so do the risks to their physical well-being and health,” he notes. “Because we keep putting greater demands on dancers – everything has to be more exciting and interesting – that really takes it out of them.”

Now that he finds himself in the role of care giver, rather than receiver, Curran is able to reflect on his own career through a new prism. Looking back over his years with the nation’s flagship ballet company, he now recognises how well The Australian Ballet’s backroom staff looked after him as a dancer. As he recalls it, “They definitely got me into performances and into rehearsals that otherwise I would not have been able to do.”

Having once flirted with the idea of becoming a doctor, Curran is perhaps a natural caregiver. However, he is also a creative being with ambitions to front a company one day. For him, Bangarra is a port of the way to that destination. In the meantime, he admits, there is plenty for him to learn; not the least with regard to the company’s cultural mission.

Whereas some might consider Bangarra’s aboriginality a convenient marketing device, Curran argues strongly that the company is anything but token. “Bangarra is sooo not commercial and mass produced. This is a company that is so closely linked to their forty thousand year old culture; it’s just that they’re telling their stories today.”

Indeed, the struggle to keep history alive and relevant is not a new thing for Curran. “For me personally that’s a very valuable lesson because ballet has the same issues. For Bangarra the challenge is to overcome that touristy plastic token thing, whilst ballet is fighting the pointe shoe, tutu, Sleeping Beauty phenomena.”

On a recent trip to remote communities in Arnhem Land, Curran was able to witness first-hand the life of a traditional society. “I would daresay that most of the Australian community will never have the kind of experience I had up there,” he suggests. “It was incredibly special to be able to go out into the communities and witness ceremonies that no other white Australian would be able to see. It was incredibly nerve wracking for me.”

Meanwhile, back in the rehearsal studio in Sydney, Curran has his hands full with getting the company’s new show Blak ready for its world premiere season. In a sign of just how ground level his new role is, Curran reveals that his main job right now is working with Blak’s co-choreographer and dancer Daniel Riley McKinley. “Actually, that’s been my real focus; to make sure that he’s fit, that he does enough rehearsals and makes sure his body is ready.”

Whatever the cultural context, it seems, the dance must go on.

Photo (top): Robert Curran. Photo by Greg Barrett.

Interview with Alexandra Knox and her mother Jennifer Barry Knox.

By Jo McDonald.

It was 1964 on a Sunday afternoon. Fifteen-year-old Jennifer Barry was at a ballet rehearsal when a tall woman with a ponytail came into the studio. She was introduced to the group, and then asked them to take their shoes off and sit on the floor. Some of the dancers were horrified, but for Jennifer, this was a life changing moment that set her on a path to become a pioneer of modern dance in Australia. The woman with the ponytail was Elizabeth Dalman, and Jennifer was one of a group of young dancers who began taking class with Elizabeth. On 10 June 1965, this group of young dancers lead by Dalman became officially known as Australian Dance Theatre (ADT).

Back in the early sixties, there was no contemporary dance in Australia – or modern as it was known then. This changed when Elizabeth Dalman returned to Australia after working in Europe with choreographers like Eleo Pomare, a Columbian-American choreographer. The experiences Dalman brought home with her were to ignite a passion for modern dance in the hearts of young ballet students like Jennifer, who now had the opportunity to learn the techniques of the modern dance greats, such as Martha Graham, Jose Limon and Lester Horton.

Now, almost 50 years later, Jennifer’s daughter, Alexandra, is also immersed in the world of professional dance. But she finds herself in a very different world than that of 15-year-old Jennifer.

Based in Adelaide, after moving from Melbourne a couple of years ago, Alexandra is fresh from the premiere season of her first full-length work Cor during the Adelaide Fringe Festival. Cor was made possible thanks to a $15,000 Choreolab residency, an incubator program for emerging choreographers run by Ausdance SA. The Choreolab Residency program was funded through a grant from the Australia Council for the Arts.

Photo by Chris Herzfeld.

Alexandra is one of many young, passionate independent dance artists based in Adelaide, who aren’t just looking for work, but are creating their own work. The environment in Adelaide is conducive to the rise of the independent artist, with the Arts SA Independent Makers & Presenters grant programs and Ausdance SA’s strong focus on supporting independent artists through Choreolab, which provides freelance class programs, cheap rehearsal space, grant auspicing and advice. SA independent choreographers can also benefit from the Managing and Producing Services (MAPS) program of the Australia Council, which sees Insite Arts appointed to produce and manage new dance works so they can create, present and tour their work. Other Australian high-profile choreographers that call Adelaide home are Leigh Warren, Larissa McGowan, Katrina Lazaroff and Gabrielle Nankivell.

Back in the days of Jennifer’s early dance career, there were no arts grants. In fact, ADT didn’t receive its first grant (for $5,000) until 1971. The company had been surviving until then on fundraising, donations and Elizabeth’s private funds, yet had managed to tour extensively, including international tours to Europe, New Guinea, India and Thailand.

These days, dance artists looking to fund their own work need to be savvy grant writers. Alexandra has found the process of applying for grants to be quite useful, in helping her distil her ideas and find her own voice, although she is aware that for many dancers, writing grants is neither a pleasant or easy process, although some are quite good at it. This is perhaps due, in part, to their tertiary training. Jennifer notes that dancers these days are well educated, and this is something else that differs from her early experience, when there were no tertiary dance programs. Whereas now, there are tertiary dance programs at numerous institutions, such as AC Arts in Adelaide, the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), Queensland University of Technology (QUT), NAISDA[1] College, Deakin University, Macquarie University … the list goes on.

Alexandra herself is a graduate of the VCA. Fortunately, in the sixties, there was Elizabeth who brought her knowledge back from Europe. Ultimately, this meant that when Jennifer travelled to New York in 1968, she was able to walk into any class and hold her own. In one class, she recalls another dancer being mistaken for the ‘Australian girl’ because Jennifer was so well-versed in modern dance that she didn’t stand out from the American students as any less experienced.

So why is Alexandra following in her mother’s footsteps? Is it simply because she was exposed to so much dance, or is it in her genes?

‘Cor’ being performed at Adelaide Fringe Festival. Photo by Chris Herzfeld.

Jennifer recalls being 4 years old when she made the decision to become a dancer. In those days, choosing to be a professional dancer was very unusual, and she found herself ridiculed at school for her choice. But at home, her mother was very supportive and encouraged her to fulfil her dreams. She was adopted, so she doesn’t know if her biological parents were artistic, but she does know she was the first person in her adopted family who had any interest in the arts. So it seems that for Jennifer at least, dancing is in her blood.

Jennifer also recalls Alexandra as a one-year old child sitting in her chair, wiggling her bottom in time to the music, and thinking to herself, “Aha, I have a dancer.” It’s harder to tell if Alexandra’s passion is nature or nurture – probably both. Apparently she was always dancing as a child, improvising mostly, and Jennifer and Alexandra would dance and improvise together every night. The first work that Alexandra presented in Adelaide was a fully improvised work, Wyrd With Grace, which she first presented at the 2011 Melbourne Fringe Festival, then the October 2011 Choreolab, and again at the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2012.

Alexandra had her first professional gig at the age of 6, dancing with her mother in Meryl Tankard’s Corte a Flora, presented for Floriade in Canberra. Jennifer had never imagined that she would be dancing at age 43 with her daughter in the same production. Alexandra was a pincushion and Jennifer a flower. This experience exposed Alexandra to the world of professional dance and one of Australia’s great choreographers, but also gave her the chance to work with some of Australia’s best contemporary dancers, including Tuula Roppola, Paige Gordon and Michelle Ryan. Alexandra describes the experience as “overwhelming, like an oversize dream coming to life”, but she was inspired by these amazing women who had a great acting ability and dance training.

Both Jennifer and Alexandra have returned to Adelaide to be with their mother.  Jennifer has been a gypsy most of her life, and she wants to spend time with her mother, who is now 95.  After her adopted father passed away when she was ten, it was just Jennifer and her mother, so they are very close. Alexandra is also an only child, and has come to Adelaide to be close to her mother. Their close bond is obvious, and there is a great warmth and gentleness between them. They both share the same eyes – a clear and beautiful green – and an absolute necessity to dance.

Alexandra, on the brink of an exciting dance and choreographic career, is now in the midst of writing a grant application for a new work for Next Wave in Melbourne with AC Arts recent graduate Alicia Min Harvie, and she is working in June and July with Adelaide choreographer Katrina Lazaroff on her new work Wasted.

Jennifer is currently writing a book on her experience during her time with ADT, which also includes content based on interviews from other ADT dancers at the time.  It will be titled Dirty Feet, inspired by a comment Sir Robert Helpmann made to Jennifer at a party – he said that modern dancers were fat, they can’t do classical ballet, and they have dirty feet. Since then, Jennifer has always been careful to wash her feet before a performance. It is perhaps ironic that Alexandra worked with Sydney-based contemporary dance organisation DirtyFeet, which supports independent dance artists and promotes community engagement in the arts.

It will be ADT’s 50th anniversary in 2015, so it is timely that Jennifer is writing a book about the dancers’ perspective. Various events are in the pipeline for the anniversary celebration. Wouldn’t it be amazing to see Alexandra dance in the 50th anniversary in a role created for her mother?

[1] NAISDA is the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association

Photo (top): Alexandra Knox and her mother Jennifer Barry Knox. Photo by Jo McDonald.

By Kristy Johnson.

With over 15 years of international industry experience, The Squared Division is a force to be reckoned with. Two singular talents, Antony Ginandjar and Ashley Evans, join to equal a powerhouse team in high demand in Hollywood and on our Aussie shores.

Collaborating with some of the hottest names in the industry such as Ke$ha and Taylor Swift, Antony and Ashley fuse their love of fashion, recording, styling and choreography to produce one-of-a-kind events.

Dance Informa caught up with the boys to chat about their start in the industry, and continued success here and abroad.

Can you tell us how The Squared Division came about?

Antony
We were professional dancers before we met. We actually met back in 2005. We both dabbled in choreography, but on the side Ashley was always working in fashion styling and I had an interest in song writing and recording. So it wasn’t until 2007 that we officially joined forces and decided to put everything we loved doing under one umbrella: styling, recording and choreography. From there, The Squared Division was born.

The Squared Division. Photo by Marvin Joseph

How well do you think you complement each other?

Ashley
We really complement each other. For the most part as creative directors, we deal with the lighting, designing, set prop design and camera shots; then choreography is the next step. We have such a large scope of duties and we really know how to delegate according to each other’s strengths. I guess that shows the 100 percent trust we have in each other. We’re able to stand back and critique each other’s work objectively and come up with something we both love.

Ashley, would you say fashion is what inspires you with your choreography?

Ashley
Art and fashion really inspire us. Alexander McQueen and Givenchy; I think clothing can change a performance. That piece of clothing also allows us to transport to another time and place. That’s where we get our direction from, and then the choreography as well.

Taylor Swift with Antony Ginandjar of The Squared Division

When you’re working with stars such as Ke$ha or Taylor Swift, do you have an input as to what they wear?

Antony
Definitely. I guess that’s where the creative direction side comes into it. We put together what we call ‘creative treatments’ that involves not just the stage, lighting and choreography, but also the costumes for the dancers and performers. From there, we direct the artist’s personal stylist with what vision we’re seeing. They will then come back with their thoughts and it becomes kind of like a collaboration.

What is it like working with Ke$ha?

Antony
What we love about her is that she’s crazy in a really good way (laughs). She allows us to push boundaries and she pushes us quite far out of the box. We really love that. She’s a pop star but at heart she’s a rock god fusing her crazy rock and roll with her pop songs.

Ashley
We’ve been working with her for three or four years now, so we know exactly what she’s thinking.

Which choreographers inspired you when you were first starting out in the business?

Antony
I think for both Ashley and myself, the big one would have to be Bob Fosse. Then growing up in the pop era, Wade Robson is someone we have always looked up to. And then locally, Kelley Abbey is a major inspiration for us as well.

Ke$ha and Antony Ginandjar

Aussies are known to be hard workers. Do you think that’s part of the reason why you have had so much success in the States?

Antony
Definitely (laughs). I think we’re both workaholics. All our friends know that we just don’t stop. So I guess we consider ourselves hard workers. The reward at the end far outweighs all the hard work that you put in to get to that point.

Ashley
We’re definitely passionate. We do this for the love, and we do it for what we get out of it more than anything else.

When was the last time you had a ‘pinch yourself’ moment?

Antony
I guess the last time would probably be late last year. It was when Ash was back in Australia and he was working on the finale for the X Factor Australia, and at the same time I was in LA working on the American Music Awards with Ke$ha. It’s not often that we have to split up but we had two massive jobs on, so we had no choice. And then on top of all that, we got a call from our US agent telling us we just booked Taylor Swift! That was a spin out! After the meeting I called Ash on opposite sides of the world and we couldn’t stop laughing with amazement. We were literally pinching ourselves, thinking this was crazy, really stressful, and yet wonderful all at the same time!

Kylie Minoque with Antony Ginandjar and Ashley Evans

Do you ever feel pressure living in LA?

Ashley
Not really. Every time we’re in LA we’re working. I guess we’ve been really lucky that as soon as we’re here in LA we’re working on big jobs. We haven’t experienced too much pressure yet (laughs). We’re very much day-by-day people and look forward to what the future may hold.

How important is teaching to you?

Antony
We always say we wish we could do it more often. Master classes are definitely our way of getting back out there and seeing how the younger dancers are coming along. Hopefully we inspire them as much as they inspire us.

Ashley
At the end of the day, we’re only as good as our dancers. We really pride ourselves in working with amazing talent.

Where do you hope to see The Squared Division in the next five or so years?

Antony
I guess our goal is to continue to build our business in the US and all over the world, as well as continue to be strong in Australia. It’s always been a goal of ours to direct or choreograph an arena or stadium show for a music artist. That would be in five years or even less! And we’re both really passionate about the film industry, so all those things are on our cards.

To find out more about The Squared Division and keep up with all the news, visit www.thesquareddivision.com and www.facebook.com/THESQUAREDDIVISION.

Photo (top): Ashley and Antony of The Squared Division. Photo by Marvin Joseph.

Nutcracker returns to Oz this month for another season of emperor mice, hand-made toys and little girl dreams.

By Paul Ransom.

NOTE: Please read the following with a heavy Russian accent. After all, it is ballet we’re talking about here.

Elik Melikov is still bubbling with energy, despite the fact he is on a late night shuttle bus somewhere in England returning to his hotel after another packed out performance. The company he founded in 1990, The Moscow Ballet of Classical Choreography (La Classique), are not only one of the flag bearers of Russia’s favourite artform but a phenomenally busy company, consistently racking up two hundred plus shows a year. Gruelling schedule notwithstanding, the first thing Melikov says is, “Yes, we are very much looking forward to Australia.”

The Moscow Ballet’s upcoming six-week tour of Nutcracker will feature an ensemble of 40 dancers, suitably lavish costumes and the grand staging of late-Romanov pomp. It’s all part of Melikov’s mission to keep classical ballet front and centre.

“The classical dance?” he begins. “For me every time is number one.” Not an unexpected declaration; but for Melikov and company the commitment is clearly everything. “We make other kinds of performances, we make neo-classical, modern things, but for me it’s like training, like another rehearsal for the dancer. Of course, it’s very interesting because it’s different but every time we are coming back to the classical ballet.”

Russia may well be in the news for Pussy Riot and fallen oligarchs but on the ground and in the dance schools the ballet is still supreme. Melikov contends that this is because ballet is anti-elitist. “Classical ballet is for all the people. You don’t have to have a special knowledge. Everyone can enjoy. This is why it must be saved.”

Melikov would doubtless suggest Nutcracker as a prime example of universal appeal and abiding simplicity. First performed at Moscow’s Mariinsky Theatre in 1892, it has become one of the definitive ballets. Driven by Tchaikovsky’s dramatic score it is ostensibly a G-rated Christmas fairy tale. Featuring the famous Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and The Waltz of the Flowers, it is almost defiantly old world, recalling a time of empire and gaslight.

How this all fits into the touchscreen universe of 2013 doesn’t overly worry the Moscow Ballet. “Nutcracker is a performance for all time,” Melikov states with undiminished pride. “Some people tell me, ‘Sorry, but it’s only for Christmas time,’ but no. Tchaikovsky didn’t just write music for Christmas, he wrote music for all the time, for all the people. For young people, for children, for even the grandmothers.”

As far as Melikov is concerned, tradition is strength not anachronism. “This is a classical performance and the history is important. History is necessary for us,” he argues. “Now we have many shows – modern, neo-classical, everything – and we have many companies coming to Russia and to Australia and we have many, many beautiful shows; but I think it is completely necessary that the old shows keep going. The classical dance is forever, not just for this year.”

However, there is another strain to the narrative, one that might raise eyebrows in some quarters. Melikov openly declares La Classique’s wholly Russian philosophy. “Now in Russia there are many companies with great names like National Ballet and Admiral Ballet but these companies maybe last for one day only,” he scoffs. “Or they are from other countries; not even Russian.”

The Russian-ness of the company and the artform are very much part of Melikov’s modus operandi. “Other countries do classical ballet performance, and they are very good sometimes,” he concedes, before concluding that, “Russia is the mother of classical dance, is the home of the ballet.”

And it couldn’t get much more Russian than Nutcracker (even if the characters have German sounding names).

Photos: Moscow Ballet La Classique performing Nutcracker. Photos by Nadya Pyastolova. Photos courtesy of Lionel Midford Publicity.

Dance is all about movement. Or is it more like memory? Perth-based choreographer Sue Peacock takes time to reflect on this in her latest work, which has its world premiere in May.

By Paul Ransom.

When a choreographer declares that they are “returning to a primary focus on movement” you could be forgiven for wondering whether you missed something along the way. However, dance being the complex and abstract form that it is, you may well be asking exactly what a “primary focus on movement” is. A statement of the obvious? A post-modern ironic pose? Well no, not quite.

Speaking from her office at WAAPA in Perth, acclaimed choreographer and dance teacher Sue Peacock drills into the reasons behind her beguiling declaration. While conceiving her latest work Reflect she decided to strip back. “I wanted to focus much more specifically on the choreography,” she begins. “I mean, not that you don’t ever but really, this time, I tried to concentrate on the movement and the whole choreographic form.”

For Peacock this represents a response to her past use of text and video. “There is video in Reflect and we did try talking but I decided against it,” she explains. “I did think that maybe the piece was bit too esoteric and that the text might help people; and I did like it but when I watched it back on the video I realised that I had stopped watching. Because of the talking I didn’t need to pay attention to the movement.”

Sue Peacock’s ‘Reflect’. Photo by Christophe Canato.

In a career that has spanned eight years dancing for ADT, amongst others, and making work for companies as diverse as Chrissie Parrott, 2 Dance Plus and Expressions, Sue Peacock has been at the core of the Australian contemporary dance scene. Therefore, she has naturally been apart of its embrace of multimedia and the use of text. “This time I made a rule for myself that there wouldn’t be any props or talking. There would only be dancing.”

By employing a stark, white box stage and a small ensemble of five, Peacock’s Reflect puts the focus squarely on the physical. However, this is not to suggest that it is a themeless work. Reflect is about memory; the very act of reflection. “It’s also about the process of memory and how you remember, and how that’s important in terms of how you make a decision to do something different,” she adds.

Given the limits she has set for herself, Peacock’s challenge was to draw out the work’s central idea without the trigger of language or reference to prop devices. As she explains it, “Elements of the work are repeated throughout. So, there’s one section near the beginning which is then repeated with a different person. The video might focus on a particular movement but that is then repeated in a grainy way, or with time slowed down.”

Just as we repeat patterns in our lives, so too does the work. “In a sense the whole thing is a bit circular; but more like a loop that continues rather than a fixed circle.”

That all of this happens in a bold white space is no mere trick of aesthetics. “There’s comfort in blackout because everything goes quiet but white is very exposing,” Peacock argues. “The performers are very vulnerable. It’s my thinking that you’re focusing only on the dancers, so for me there’s a kind of truth you can get at through that.”

Dancers perform Sue Peacock’s new work, ‘Reflect’. Photo by Christophe Canato.

Returning to the theme of the work, she wonders, “Those things in your head that you can’t quite remember, do they slide off into black or slide off into white?”

With its use of minimalism and abstraction, Reflect could easily have become a dry, programmatic work. However, it took some unexpected turns in rehearsal, as Peacock recalls. “I did start out thinking that it was going to be abstract and quite heady in that sense but in actual fact it’s quite emotional in a funny way. That wasn’t my intention but that’s where it’s gone; and that because of the contributions of the artists.”

The five dancers, including West Australians Kynan Hughes and Tyrone Robinson, all brought “personal/specific” ideas to the palette and the result, according to Peacock, is a work brimming with very human subtext. “It’s like when you walk into a room and there’s tension. You know something’s happened but you don’t know exactly what.”

Minus the clue giving add-ons of text and objects, dance works risk befuddling their audiences, and while most artists are more than willing to take this risk, Sue Peacock admits to a more nuanced view. “I do think about how it will appear to an audience,” she says. “I suppose I just have this hope that there is something beyond language that translates. If we just watch and stop thinking we actually can understand it physically. There’s a kind of empathy that we have because everybody moves and breathes and feels things.”

And yet, like memory, dance is an elusive and shape shifting experience. “I like the mystery of dance,” Sue Peacock concludes simply. Oh yes, and the movement too.

Reflect
3 – 11 May
Studio Underground State Theatre Centre of Western Australia
Tickets on sale in January  through www.ticketek.com.au

Photo (top): Sue Peacock’s Relect. Photos by Christophe Canato.

The Tap Pack, an infectious, swinging, tap-dancing comedy, is set to take the Parramatta Riverside Theatre in Sydney by storm this March with its unique mix of cheek, charm and sophistication.

Inspired by the highly entertaining performances of the original 1960s’ “Rat Pack”, which formed around the great Humphrey Bogart and featured the undeniably cool Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr., The Tap Pack offers old classics with a fresh new twist in a tightly packed one hour show.

Written and choreographed by tap talent Thomas J. Egan, Jordan Pollard and Jesse Rasmussen, the show features five of Australia’s own triple threats, a swingin’ six piece live band and irresistible songs both old and new.

“People tend to forget how amazing live performance is,” says choreographer and performer Thomas J. Egan. “The Tap Pack picks up where the Rat Pack left off, putting high-energy tap dancing alongside witty banter, slick humour, sharp suits and, above all, a great night out. We feel it can reach the young and young-at-heart because it has a timeless charm, yet we bring a fresh, invigorating energy.”

A show inspired by the legends of yesteryear, the idea for the show came about through a casual chat over drinks. “It all started with a conversation at our bar. We started talking and all of us felt passionate towards creating something that inspires us so much. It just so happens that all of us love jazz music, can tap dance and wanted to bring back this style,” shares Jesse Rasmussen.

“From a young age, all of us have had a unique connection to jazz music and we were lucky enough to learn about Frank, Dean and Sammy growing up,” adds Egan. “If anybody has seen or heard the Rat Pack, they were just entertainers. Just like the Rat Pack, we Tap Pack guys have camaraderie from our close friendships through the industry. We wish to harness this into something reminiscent of the legends of the 1960s. We are just totally inspired to pay homage to the classics but overall bring laughter and joy to audiences.”

And now this dream has become a reality. “It’s not easy taking an idea, a dream, from nothing and getting it moving, but we’ve all had great belief in this project and all put such positive energy towards The Tap Pack that it doesn’t really feel like work,” explains Rasmussen. “Working together has been extremely rewarding, we have such respect for each other and we are motivated to making it succeed.”

From classic Rat Pack numbers “Lady is a Tramp” and “Straighten Up and Fly Right”, to Beyonce and Cee Lo Green “swingified”, The Tap Pack promises great music and impressive dancing from some of Australia’s most talented tappers. The five young men behind the show, alongside Director Nigel Turner-Carroll, share international dance and choreographic credits in over 20 live musical theatre productions, motion picture blockbusters, television series and more.

“Having all done a variety of shows, some coming from a similar era as the Rat Pack, we have come to thrive in this style. Working professionally in musical theatre, commercial dance and choreographing for artists gives you great experience to draw from and we will be bringing our unique flavour to it,” Rasmussen elaborates.

To get your tickets visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au. The show runs for three nights only from Thursday, March 21st to Saturday, March 23rd. For more information visit www.form.org.au.

With its pop objects, x-ray screens and technical precision, Larissa McGowan’s full-length debut Skeleton stands poised to flesh out a very promising career.

By Paul Ransom.

Take 206 bones and make them dance. This is the challenge currently consuming one of Australia’s brightest young choreographers, Larissa McGowan, as she puts the finishing touches on her first full-length work, Skeleton.

Brisbane-born McGowan has been on an upward trajectory ever since she graduated from the VCA as the “Most Outstanding Talent” and moved to Adelaide to join the internationally renowned Australian Dance Theatre. Green Room gongs, Helpmann Awards and SYTYCD guest spots ensured her star kept rising. When Garry Stewart made her Assistant Choreographer at ADT in 2008, McGowan’s elevation was all but sealed.

Choreographer Larissa McGowan. Photo courtesy of Malthouse Theatre

Five years down the line and Skeleton is set for twin seasons at both the Adelaide Festival and Melbourne’s Dance Massive event. It’s a key moment in her career. “Yeah, I’ve been trying not to think about that too much,” she admits. “But I guess I’ve always been someone who has put herself out on a limb, both in my dancing and the work I’ve made; and this definitely is.”

Although Skeleton is not her first foray into choreography, Larissa McGowan is fully aware of its significance. “This is my first full-length work, but in saying that, I’m wondering what full-length actually means. I know I get impatient after about an hour.”

As the title suggests, the work seeks to peel away the skin and get down to the bones. “I think with all of my work I’ve been interested in one body system or another,” McGowan explains. “I like how that informs the kind of movement you can make; but also not make … As part of our research we looked into what happens when certain bones break or age. What happens to the body and our capacity for movement? How would this then influence a dance piece?”

While admitting that this might sound “a bit morbid” McGowan insists that the work is actually a high velocity piece with incredibly intricate staging involving the use of “x-ray screens.” To help her keep such a technically precise work coherent she engaged theatre director Sam Haren. “There’s no narrative with this, it’s just reflections, memories and ideas, so it’s been really great to work with him because he’s been able to help us with flow, with how things lock together.”

‘Skeleton’. Photos by Chris Herzfeld.

In addition to staging and choreographic challenges, McGowan is also one of the five dancers in Skeleton. “When I’m on stage I just have to think about myself and be focused,” she says. “I really don’t have a choice in that. In the studio it’s been really interesting. That’s where it’s been really good having Sam on board, because it’s really hard to step outside yourself and see yourself on stage.”

However, amidst the precision and the bones McGowan still manages to insert her love of pop culture. By utilising objects like BMX bikes, skateboards and high heels she juxtaposes the transitory and disposable nature of pop with the near permanence of the skeleton. “That’s just it,” she enthuses. “These objects, they were just things I grew up with. They’re part of memory really. It’s really interesting how kind of skeletal memory is too, and how it gets sketchier as you get older.”

Perhaps paralleling her penchant for pop culture is McGowan’s commitment to the ‘e’ word – entertainment. “I’ve always wanted to make work that was fun,” she declares. “I’ve never really been into what you might call self-indulgence. It’s good if an audience can feel that they get something. I think they get more involved that way rather than just staring at beautiful movement all night.”

Entertainment notwithstanding, Skeleton will not be heavy with puppet on a string, dancing bones-style choreography. But it will be fast and exacting. As McGowan states, “It’s very much pushing the dancers to the limits of what their bodies can do. This is different for each dancer and that’s exciting. Each body has its peculiar traits, its own history and moulding them into something coherent is one of the real challenges of making a work like this.”

Featured alongside McGowan onstage will be her friend Lisa Griffiths and three young male dancers from Adelaide. Describing the boys as “really good movers,” she can’t help but allow herself a joke at their expense. “Yes, it’s three young boys working with two experienced women; and we’ve definitely been moulding them.”

Luckily for the lads they are in very good hands.

Larissa McGowan’s Skeleton
February 28 – March 9
AC Arts Main Theatre, Adelaide
March 14-23
Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne

By Grace Edwards.

Drawing on the cumulative life experiences of the company’s fourteen members, Bangarra Dance Theatre’s forthcoming production Blak explores rites of passage – the rituals that mark the transition between childhood and adulthood.

Commissioning emerging choreographer and dancer Daniel Riley McKinley to work alongside him, Director Stephen Page continues his commitment to developing the next generation of Indigenous storytellers.

Both McKinley and Page take their initial inspiration for the work from past fascinations.  “For me, the initial idea came from Djakapurra Munyarryran, and the scarring he has on his chest,” says McKinley, “I have danced and shared a stage with him many times since I joined Bangarra and I was always intrigued by what they represented.” Page cites the influence of the earlier Bangarra production Skin (2000) which explored men’s and women’s ‘business’, customs and social issues from both the past and present and considered their status in modern society.

Daniel Riley McKinley. Photo by Jeff Busby

Both choreographers conceive of Blak as less anthropological essay and more personal inquiry. “As a young Indigenous male, I’ve started to question what my rite of passage is, or was, or is going to be,” says McKinley, for whom the broader themes of Blak resonate on a deeply personal level. “In traditional communities, the line between boy and man is so clear. Their level of responsibility changes, as does the way they are treated and looked upon within that community. I don’t feel it’s so black and white for us, as Indigenous males living in urban centres.”

Throwing these contrasts into greater relief, no doubt, was Bangarra’s recent weeklong fieldtrip to North East Arnhem Land. During their stay, men and women were given space to focus entirely on each other and ‘country’. Blak will consequently feature a distinct men’s section choreographed by McKinley and a women’s section under the direction of Page. “Our trip has definitely refuelled and reinvigorated us all,” says dancer Waangenga Blanco, a descendant of the Meriam Island people and of the Pajinka Wik, Cape York.

“After last year’s production of Terrain, which was primarily based on land and spirit of land, the edginess of Blak will stem from the land’s people…our experiences as Indigenous people in this day and age,” adds fellow dancer, Jasmin Sheppard, herself an Aboriginal woman with a mixed heritage of Irish, Chinese, Jewish and Russian descent.

Connecting old and contemporary generations within the Indigenous community is a responsibility the company takes seriously, and balancing this with the competing demands of mainstream audiences is no easy task. “We are the care-takers,” says Page. “Our challenge is keeping a respected relationship with traditional clans and maintaining the integrity from living stories, song and dance, generously passed down to the company as inspiration for our contemporary expression.”

Jasmin Sheppard performs in ‘Riley’. Photo by Andy Solo.

“The spirit of traditional rites of passage is passed down from generation to generation,” Page informs us. “Time and evolution have influenced the spirit of that passage. Blak will explore the spirit reaction those influences have had on us and we hope the audience can connect to that spirit.”

McKinley is excited to be working with his mentor to make that happen. “Whenever Stephen and I have been in the studio together, mainly him choreographing on me, we always seem to connect so easily,” he says. “The process has never seemed forced, and we seem to connect on the same movement and choreographic level.”

He added, “I have always felt that there is an unspoken connection between our creative minds. I am greatly looking forward to being in the studio together and seeing what we can collaboratively create on the fantastic dancers.”

Though Blak is only McKinley’s second work as a choreographer — his first was Riley for Bangarra in 2010 — he has been with the company as a dancer since 2007. He has toured and performed both nationally in the company’s productions Clan, True Stories, Mathinna, Fire – A Retrospective, of earth & sky and Spirit, and internationally in True Stories, Awakening and Spirit, as well as Stephen Page’s Warumuk — in the dark night as part of The Australian Ballet’s 50^th Anniversary celebrations.

Stephen Page and dancers in a rehearsal for ‘Blak’.

Helping bring to life the inspirations and shared vision of the company is composer David Page. Page created the musical soundscape for Bangarra’s of earth and sky in 2010, and also composed for the company’s productions Belong, Terrain, choreographed by Frances Rings, as well as Stephen Page’s Warumuk — in the dark night.

Together with Paul Mac, he has already begun working to bring Blak’s soundscape to life. Of his creative process, he says, “The spirit of the work comes initially from the story tellers, who in this production are Stephen and Dan. As soon as I have that, I start to create sounds and compose music that supports the movement.”

“Apart from being inspired by the story, I begin resourcing and listening to a vast library of instruments, sounds and other recordings. I then slowly create the music for each dance section, keeping close communication with the choreographer. The music must resonate with Bangarra’s unique way of showcasing contemporary Indigenous dance, but also embrace the present, creating a new work that can inspire and last always.”

Together, the artists and indigenous consultants will continue their cultural journey over the next few months as they work to make Blak an innovative and poignant contribution to Bangarra’s already highly-acclaimed repertoire. Though still in the early stages of its creation, Blak promises to carry on Bangarra’s tradition of marrying the urban and contemporary with the traditional, speaking to a variety of audiences whilst remaining deeply personal and spiritual, and helping us see with new eyes the relevance of the lessons of old in our own lives.

Tickets for the world premiere season at Arts Centre, Melbourne, 3 to 11 May and the Sydney Opera House, 7 to 22 June are now on sale. Tickets are also on sale for limited seasons of the Blak national tour at Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in Wollongong, Canberra Theatre Centre and Queensland Performing Arts Centre. To book tickets visit www.bangarra.com.au.

Top photo: Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Daniel Riley McKinley and Waangenga Blanco. Photo by Greg Barrett.

By Chelsea Thomas.

Kati Smasne, 16, never dreamed she would win the first global competition of Dance Upon A Dream, a new online dance competition founded by international performer and judge Joshua Horner.

Horner, a judge for Dancing with the Stars Australia and a choreographic consultant for Disney, launched the competition alongside co-host Emily Loftiss, professional dancer, singer and choreographer, to offer competitive dancers a place to compete on an international scale without ever leaving the comfort of their homes.

Smasne was just one of hundreds of dancers to apply under the ‘senior’ division (16 years old or older), with the other divisions being ‘mini’ (7-10 years old), ‘junior’ (11-12 years old) and ‘teen’ (13-15 years old). She said she was “amazed” and “overwhelmed” when she found out she was awarded the Solo Ultimate Overall Winner. Her submission, titled “White Blank Page”, was a video of her dancing a contemporary solo choreographed by her friend Rile Reavis at the competition Dance Magic in Oregon in August 2012.

“I honestly couldn’t even believe I won and that now I’m going to study in New York at Broadway Dance Center. I come from a small town so it’s just amazing. I feel so lucky,” Smasne said.

Smasne was a standout to judge Elizabeth Parkinson who remarked, “Kati represents my favorite kind of dancer! She has a strong technical foundation with a dynamic plié and beautiful line. On top of that she is a performer and fantastic mover so rather than focusing on her technique we get to enjoy the pure joy of her personality!” Judge Peter Gregus of Jersey Boys on Broadway said, “Kati has unerring technique, which she doesn’t let overshadow her presence in her performance. She manages a beautiful marriage of both.”

Young Kati even caught the eye of judge Christopher Gattelli, Tony Award winning choreographer of Disney’s Newsies, who expressed, “Kati is a beautiful dancer with incredible facility and her own unique quality, that shows fantastic potential.  She was the perfect choice to represent Dance Upon A Dream’s premiere overall winner.”

Smasne, who has been awarded a three-month scholarship to attend Broadway Dance Center, has big dreams that come from humble origins. She was raised for most of her life in Spokane, Washington, a medium-sized city of about 200,000 residents. At age seven, she began dancing with her older sister, which spurred her on because of their “sisterly competitiveness.” While her sister eventually stopped dancing, Kati kept going, taking jazz and later ballet.

“When I was young I discovered I really loved dancing. I loved being on stage. My dance teacher told me that if I wanted to get better I should take ballet. Soon after, I started,” Smasne said.

Kati Smasne. Photos by Scott Martinez Photography

Kati began her ballet training at the Ballet School of Coeur d’Alene under owner and instructor Ceci Klein, who danced with American Ballet Theatre in the 1950s and 60s. For almost a decade, Klein has been guiding and teaching Smasne, providing her foundational technique and poise. Klein, who also instructed Andrea Cooper, who went on to be a dancer at Oregon Ballet Theatre, also encouraged Smasne to pursue additional summer training and intensives.

For two summers Smasne participated in Pacific Northwest Ballet’s student intensives. She said, “I really loved that and I knew from that I wanted to be a dancer.” Another experience that inspired her and stayed with her for years was her young participation in the musical CATs. Now, Smasne says her attention is on getting to Broadway and finding her niche in jazz or theatre.

“In the last two years my focus has been on jazz and theatre because I really enjoy it,” Smasne said. “I’ve come to realise my personality is geared toward jazz – being sassy and expressive. I like the freedom of being able to make a piece my own.”

In her Dance Upon A Dream submission, Smasne’s passion for jazz and theatre is evident in her obvious, theatrical expressions and her exposed, vulnerable emotions. The work, originally a duet restaged to be a solo, shows off her excellent technique, undeniable vision, charismatic energy and balanced self-confidence.

And her self-confidence is merited. It seems everything Smasne does she does well. A high school junior with a 4.0 GPA, Kati juggles her dance schedule with attending college classes. She is on track to finish her associate’s degree at the same time she graduates from high school. She plans to pursue nursing when she can no longer dance or perform.

Smasne’s jazz instructor, Judy Reavis of the studio Dance Unlimited, said she is proud of Kati’s award.

“We are thrilled at the opportunities Kati will receive as the winner of Dance Upon a Dream. Ceci Klein and I are very proud of Kati. We celebrate her commitment and dedication to the art of dance. It has been a blessing to witness her passion for movement and to nurture her gift,” Reavis said.

After recently competing at New York City Dance Alliance in Portland, Oregon, Smasne now looks forward to preparing for her summer at Broadway Dance Center.

For other dancers looking to compete for this chance with Dance Upon a Dream, the process has been created to be as easy as possible. It’s as simple as uploading a video of a solo, partner or group piece from a dance competition to youTube, selecting an age division and performance category on the Dance Upon a Dream website, and copying and pasting the video link from YouTube to the competition website. For more information, visit www.danceuponadream.com.

Whereas other dance competitions provide dancers with a sense of where they place in their state, their region or their country, Dance Upon a Dream allows participants to see where they rank throughout the whole world. Smasne said she is so thankful for a competition like Dance Upon a Dream.

“Thanks so much to Dance Upon a Dream for the amazing opportunity they have given me. I am so excited to train in New York at Broadway Dance Center. Wow, a dream come true,” Smasne gushed.

Dance Upon a Dream and its array of world-class industry judges, offers various awards for all solo, duo/trio and group winners, including partial scholarships to the Hollywood Summer Tour, a Just Dance 4 game from UBISOFT or a Dance Upon a Dream One’Z to wear. Group winners will also receive a personal invite to the Dance The Magic showcase on Broadway this summer, as well as Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris and Disneyland Hong Kong.

Smasne said dancers should not underestimate the importance of competition in challenging and inspiring themselves.

“It pushes you to be better,” she summarized. “When you compete, you have to be much more refined. Everything has to be disciplined and perfect, so you work harder. You never know where that extra effort or exposure will take you.”

To see Kati’s winning entry visit www.danceuponadream.com/entry/10129.

Entries opened for the next round of Dance Upon A Dream on January 31st. Get your entry in now!

Dance Upon A Dream Season 1 Winners:

Ultimate Winner: Kati Smasne, USA

People’s Choice: Kloe Burke, Australia

Judges Choice: Rhiannon Tringas, Australia
Judges Choice: Harrison Lee, Australia
Judges Choice: Michael Dameski, Australia
Judges Choice: Michelle Quiner, USA
Judges Choice: Maddison Weiley, Australia
Judges Choice: Cassandra Clarke, Australia
Judges Choice: Kelly Webster, New Zealand
Judges Choice: Kayla-Maree Tarantolo, Australia

Mini – Solo – Musical Theatre: Isabel Lacon , USA
Mini – Solo – Lyrical/ Contemporary: Shontaya Smedley, Australia
Mini – Solo- Ballet: Ashleigh Brant, Australia
Mini – Solo – Hip Hop: Manaia Davies, Australia
Mini – Solo – Jazz: Tia Buell, USA
Mini – Solo – Acro/ specialty: Lexie Brown, Canada
Mini – Solo – Tap: Grace Gellie, Australia
Mini – Boys Award: Ashton Schier-Mason, Australia
Mini – Duo/ Trio – Jazz: Alex Burghardt, Meredith Page, Skylar Podziewski, USA
Mini – Duo /Trio – Acro / Specialty: Kailin and Lexie Brown, Canada
Mini - Duo Trio - Lyrical/ Cont: Grace Gellie and Brooke Ainsworth, Australia
Mini – Duo/ Trio – Tap: Grace Gellie and Shanae Holland, Australia
Mini – Duo/ Trio – Musical Th: Cody Ettingshausen & Sophie Piggott, Australia
Mini -Small Group- Hip hop: Zyannna, Xeryus, Justine, Amik,
Alexias, Kaylinda, Dominique, Canada

Junior –  Solo – Jazz: Clare Billson, Australia
Junior – solo – Lyrical/ Cont: Sophia Kaloudis, Australia
Junior – Solo- Ballet: Madison Ayton, Australia
Junior – Solo – Tap: Rudi Palmela, Australia
Junior -Hip Hop – Solo: Chantelle Redzeposki, Australia
Junior – Solo -Musical Th: Hamish Briggs, Australia
Junior – Solo – Acro/ Specialty: Kailin Brown, Canada
Junior – Large Group – Lyrical: Sans Souci Public School, Australia
Junior – Duo/ Trio – Hip Hop: Chantelle Redzeposki, Claudia and Chelsea Robertson, Australia
Junior – Duo/ Trio – Lyrical/ cont: Harley Rodrigue, Mackenzie Van Natta, Darian Callais, USA
Junior – Duo /Trio – Jazz: Jemima Smith and Laurence Neuhaus, Australia
Junior – Boys award: Hamish Briggs, Australia

Teen – Solo – Jazz: Marie Spieldenner, USA
Teen – Solo – Lyrical/Contemporary: Kloe Burke, USA
Teen – Solo – Tap: Zoe Barbera, Australia
Teen – Solo – Musical Theatre: Rachel Moore, Australia
Teen – Solo – Hip Hop: Carla Celesti, Australia
Teen – Solo – Acro/ Specialty: Megha Budhrani, FL
Teen – Duo/ Trio – Musical Theatre: Jason Kidd and Kiarra Vacek, USA
Teen – Duo/ Trio – Lyrical /Cont: Briana Collova & Nicholas Cruse, Australia
Teen – Duo/ Trio – Tap: Matiu and Marie Samuel, New Zealand
Teen Boys Award: Thomas Dilley, Australia
Teen – Small Group -Hip Hop: Madison, Rachelle, Jordan, Migo, Jasmine, Paige, Cassandra, Canada
Teen – Small Group – Lyrical/ Cont: The McDonald College, Australia
Teen-  Large Group –Jazz: RG DANCE, Australia
Teen – Large Group – Ballet: The McDonald College, Australia

Senior – Solo- Acro/ Specialty: Samantha Rybka, Australia
Senior – Solo – Hip Hop: Axel-Roman Allioux, Canada
Senior – Solo- Lyrical/ Cont: Kati Smasne, USA
Senior – Solo- Jazz: Emma Swannie, Australia
Senior – Solo – Tap: Kiana Smith, Canada
Senior – Solo – Musical Theatre: Kiana Smith, Canada
Senior – Large Group – Acro/ Specialty: Lee Academy, Australia
Senior Boys Award: Matt Antonucci, Australia
Senior – Duo/ Trio -Jazz: Tasmin & Eliza Cummins, Australia
Senior Duo/ Trio – Lyrical / Cont: Meg Scheffers and Tiffany Browne, Australia