Australian Dance Awards nominees announced

The professional dance industry’s pre-eminent annual awards program, the Australian Dance Awards, recognise and honour dance artists, educators and administrators.

The Awards are judged by a panel of dance professionals representing many different sectors of the industry from all over Australia, following an open public nominations process.

Waangenga Blanco Photo:  Jeff Busby
Waangenga Blanco
Photo: Jeff Busby

Chair of the Judging Panel, leading performer and industry icon Robina Beard OAM said the quality of entrants in this year’s awards was inspirational.

“Australian dance is in a fine place. The talent—both new and established—in our industry is truly outstanding and very encouraging for the future of dance in this country.”

Check out the list of nominees below!

SERVICES TO DANCE
Catherine Baldwin [CEO & Consultant]
Jeff Busby [Photographer]
Nicolette Fraillon [Music Director & Chief Conductor, The Australian Ballet]
Annie Greig [Artistic Director, Tasdance]

SERVICES TO DANCE EDUCATION
Janet Karin OAM [Kinetic Educator, The Australian Ballet School; President, IADMS]
Tanya Pearson OAM [Founder, Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Academy]
Katrina Rank [Dance researcher, education specialist & community dance leader]
Diana Reyes [Spanish dance teacher and educator]

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUTH OR COMMUNITY DANCE
Buzz Dance Theatre for Look the Other Way WA
QL2 Dance for Hit the Floor Together ACT
STEPS Youth Dance Company & STRUT Dance for Trois Generations WA
Tracks Dance Company for Zombies in the Banyan Tree NT

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN CHOREOGRAPHY
Rafael Bonachela for Emergence [Sydney Dance Company] NSW
Stephanie Lake for Aorta [Chunky Move] VIC
Leigh Warren for Not According to Plan [Leigh Warren Dance] SA
Natalie Weir for When Time Stops [Expressions Dance Company] QLD

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A COMPANY
The Australian Ballet, for Cinderella VIC
Chunky Move for Aorta VIC
Dancenorth & Opera Queensland for Abandon QLD
Sydney Dance Company for De Novo NSW

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN INDEPENDENT DANCE
Nat Cursio for Blizzard VIC
Larissa McGowan for Skeleton SA
Dalisa Pigram for Gudirr Gudirr WA
Aimee Smith for Wintering WA

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE DANCER
Deborah Brown for Brolga [Bangarra Dance Theatre] NSW
Kate Denborough for Flesh & Bone [KAGE] VIC
Leanne Stojmenov for Cinderella [The Australian Ballet] VIC
Rachael Walsh for Giselle [Queensland Ballet] QLD

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY A MALE DANCER
Waangenga Blanco for Blak [Bangarra Dance Theatre] NSW
Daniel Gaudiello for Cinderella [The Australian Ballet] VIC
James Pham for Aorta [Chunky Move] VIC
Jack Ziesing for When Time Stops [Expressions Dance Company] QLD

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMMERCIAL DANCE OR MUSICAL THEATRE
David Atkins Enterprises for Hot Shoe Shuffle
Timothy Brown for Salon
Rohan Browne for Singin’ in the Rain
Red Hot Rhythm for Rhythm Junkies

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE ON FILM/NEW MEDIA
The Australian Ballet for Behind Ballet VIC
Rochelle Carmichael for Plucked VIC
Sue Healey for On View NSW
Karen Pearlman & Richard James Allen for ‘…the dancer from the dance’ [Physical TV Company] NSW

The 2014 Australian Dance Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday 9 November. Tickets will be on sale 18 August. Check out more information at www.australiandanceawards.net.au.

Cassie Tongue

Cassie is a theatre critic and arts writer in Sydney, and was the deputy editor of AussieTheatre. She has written for The Guardian, Time Out Sydney, Daily Review, and BroadwayWorld Australia. She is a voter for the Sydney Theatre Awards.

Cassie Tongue

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