Presented by Ausdance and Harlequin Floors, the 2018 Australian Dance Awards were held at Brisbane Powerhouse on Saturday 8 September alongside an exciting display of Australian dance.
The annual Awards celebrate the talent, vibrancy and innovation of our dancers, choreographers and participants across the country. The awards specifically recognise the vast diversity of the dance profession, acknowledging and rewarding those whose achievements help to shape the future of dance in Australia.
“As non-voting chairperson, I am amazed by the dedication, expertise and knowledge this selection panel has given to the nominations for the 2018 Dance Awards,” said Chair of the Australian Dance Awards (ADA) committee Robina Beard OAM. “The result of these hours of commitment are before us and I congratulate all our winners!”
Winners were acknowledged across the dance spectrum including Darwin-based Tracks Dance Company for Man Made (Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance), Perth-based Co3 for Project NEXT 2017 (Outstanding Achievement in Youth Dance), and Gravity & Other Myths for Backbone (Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Dance, Musicals or Physical Theatre).
“Receiving this award is a great acknowledgement for GOM and for the whole contemporary circus sector, willing us to push the form even further,” said Gravity & Other Myths’, Craig Harrison. “Somewhere in the middle of Physical Theatre, Circus & Contemporary Dance is an exciting place to be!”
Individual awards were presented to Stephanie Lake for Pile of Bones (Outstanding Achievement in Choreography), Jana Castillo from Australian Dance Theatre for construct (Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer), Bangarra’s Beau Dean Riley Smith for Bennelong (Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer), and the previously announced Lifetime Achievement Award to Athol Willoughby OAM. The full list of Winners are listed below.
Attendees were treated to performances by Aboriginal Centre of Performing Arts (ACPA), Elements Collective, Expressions Dance Company, Phluxus2 Dance Collective, Sprung! Integrated Dance Theatre (Northern Rivers NSW) and Queensland Ballet.
For more information, visit: www.australiandanceawards.net.au for details.
Image: Gravity & Other Myths – BACKBONE (supplied)
The 2018 Australian Dance Awards Winners are:
Lifetime Achievement
Athol Willoughby OAM
Services to Dance
Hilary Trotter
Services to Dance Education
Katrina Rank
Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance
Tracks Dance Company – Man Made
Outstanding Achievement in Youth Dance
Co3 – Project NEXT 2017
Outstanding Achievement in Choreography
Stephanie Lake – Pile of Bones (Stephanie Lake Company)
Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance
Martin del Amo – CHAMPIONS
Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer
Jana Castillo – construct (Australian Dance Theatre)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer
Beau Dean Riley Smith – Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre)
Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Dance, Musicals or Physical Theatre
Gravity & Other Myths – Backbone
Outstanding Achievement in Dance on Film or New Media
Sue Healey – Eileen
Outstanding Performance by a Company
Dancenorth – Attractor