In an evening that celebrated the best in Australian dance, the Australian Dance Awards 2015 brought together some of Australia’s best dancers, dance companies, and dance elders to present 13 Awards and welcome two new members to the Hall of Fame.
Big winners on the night were Queensland Ballet, winning Outstanding Performance by a Company for Romeo and Juliet and South Australia’s Michelle Ryan with Torque Show, winning Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance for Intimacy.
The Australian Ballet’s Lucinda Dunn OAM was awarded Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer for her stunning farewell performances in Manon, and Waangenga Blanco of Bangarra Dance Theatre was awarded Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer for Patyegarang.
Marilyn Jones OBE and Dr Elizabeth Cameron Dalman OAM were formally inducted into the Hall of Fame for their distinguished contributions to dance, to loud and long applause, in front of representatives from Australia’s professional dance companies. The Lifetime Achievement Award was made to Marilyn Rowe, who was unable to attend due to an illness. The Award was received on her behalf by Leigh Rowles of The Australian Ballet School.
The Ausdance Peggy van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship, a bequest from the founder of The Australian Ballet Dame Peggy van Praagh, was made to delighted South Australian Lina Limosani, who promised to put it to very good use.
Performances included Dancenorth, who flew in direct from Townsville on Saturday to perform, with two former ADT stars Kyle Page and Amber Haines performing a section of their new work Syncing Feeling; Melbourne City Ballet came off tour from Sydney with the pas de deux from Helena & Demetrius; and the doyen of ADT Dr Elizabeth Cameron Dalman OAM delayed a trip to Taiwan so she could restage early ADT work Creation with the current company.
The Australian Dance Awards were presented at Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday 12 September 2015. For more information and complete list of Winners, visit: www.australiandanceawards.net.au for details.
Image: Dr Elizabeth Cameron Dalman OAM – photo by Shane Reid