5 October 2022 08:53

Annette Dirickx awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance

Retired Examiner, former Registered Teacher and Life Member of RAD Australia, Annette Dirickx was recently awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance in an intimate presentation surrounded by her closest Examiner friends and her family.

The Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance is awarded to Members in recognition of a long period of outstanding service to the RAD and to the art of ballet.

About Annette

Setting her sights on a career in dance teaching, Annette trained as a teacher at the College of the Royal Academy of Dance in London and attained her Diploma and Licentiate qualifications.

In 1999 she became a RAD Examiner, again training at the RAD Headquarters in London. Annette then spent the next 21 years dedicating herself in service to this position before retiring in 2020. Annette travelled the world on behalf of the Academy examining students with a calm professionalism and grace. Ever the Ambassador for the RAD, she ensured the examinations experience for thousands of dancers was a positive and uplifting one. In later years, Annette aided in new examiner training and mentored many new examiners along the way. With a genuine passion for her work, she is highly respected amongst her peers on the examining panel.

Examinations Manager Kathryn Hughes said

"I am so thrilled Annette has been recognised with this Award. Annette has given many years of loyal and dedicated service to the examinations department. Always humble and kind-natured, Annette was the first to offer assistance if an Examiner fell ill or we needed a last-minute replacement, and this was on top of her own tours. She immediately put students and teachers at ease during exams and was a wonderful exemplar of the RAD Examiner. Annette is greatly respected and admired by her peers, I congratulate her wholeheartedly on her much-deserved Fellowship."

Fellow Examiners also enjoyed working with Annette

"Training with Annette and then doing subsequent tours together, she was fun to work with but also showed great diplomacy and humility. She always treated everyone with kindness and respect. A very valued colleague"
Lindsay Ellman-Brown RAD Examiner, MCI (Dance Teaching) LRAD ARAD, Diploma in Dance Teaching RAD

"Ever reliable, Annette has always gone above and beyond the call of duty, exemplifying her genuine passion for her work and for the Royal Academy of Dance, and she is much respected for this amongst her peers and the dance community. I can think of no person more deserving of this award"
Robyn Hick RAD Examiner, ARAD, Solo Seal, Adv. Teachers Diploma