9 April 2024 08:33

Announcing the Winners of the Joan & Monica Halliday and Isobel Anderson Awards 2024

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 Joan & Monica Halliday Awards and Isobel Anderson Awards, celebrated on the 6th and 7th of April respectively at the esteemed Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre. This year’s competition showcased an extraordinary display of talent, featuring 35 finalists in the Joan & Monica Halliday Awards (Grades 3, 4, & 5) and 48 finalists in the Isobel Anderson Awards (Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced Foundation, and Advanced 1 Vocational levels), marking a weekend of remarkable success and artistic excellence.

The Joan & Monica Halliday Awards on Saturday were adjudicated by Julie Fleming, while Sunday's Isobel Anderson Awards were judged by Amy Harris, a former Principal Artist with the Australian Ballet. The Royal Academy of Dance is proud to announce Lucy Miller as the winner of the Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer Award. Lucy, who is trained by Kristyn Caley at L'Academie, displayed an exceptional level of skill and artistry. The Isobel Anderson Most Outstanding Dancer Award was awarded to Charlie Duwner, who trains under the guidance of Tracey Caldwell at Newcastle Dance Academy. Charlie’s performance captivated the judges and audience alike, showcasing remarkable technique and expressiveness.

We extend our gratitude to Paul Knobloch, former soloist with the Australian Ballet, who graced us this year as the Commissioned Choreographer for the Joan & Monica Halliday and Isobel Anderson Awards. Paul’s remarkable talent and creativity were vividly showcased through the three unique pieces he crafted for our students. His choreography not only challenged our finalists but also provided them with an invaluable opportunity to grow artistically and technically. It was widely noted and admired how the students executed their performances with an exceptional combination of style, energy, and grace

Shelley Yacopetti, National Director of RAD Australia, attended the event through the preliminaries, semi-finals, and the finals this weekend, praised the event, stating, The talent on display at both awards over the weekend was truly outstanding. It is always so thrilling to watch young dancers shine on the stage and this year’s finals showcased dedication, skill and passion in abundance. We congratulate and celebrate all the participants of this year’s awards and their dedicated RAD teachers and thank our sponsors and all those who made this wonderful event possible.”

The Winners are:  

Joan & Monica Halliday Awards: 

Grade 3:

Winner: Cleo Bell Dance North Academy 

Runner Up: Portia Russo Joanne Williams Dance Academy 

Encouragement Award: Gabby Cheng Shishkova Ballet Studio 

 

Grade 4: 

Winner: Lucy Miller L’Academie 

Runner Up: Annalyse Macgonigal Joanne Williams Dance Academy 

Encouragement Award:  Liam Forsyth Sonja Dene Dance Studios 

 

Grade 5: 

Winner: Jada Mostyn Studi-O 

Runner Up: Matthew Mortimer Studi-O 

Encouragement Award: Tae’ejah Skye Dorward Andrea Rowsell Academy of Dance 

 

JMH Commissioned Choreography Winner: 

 Annalyse Macgonigal Joanne Williams Dance Academy 

Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer:  

Lucy Miller L’Academie 

Isobel Anderson Awards: 

Intermediate Foundation 

Winner: Florence Hanks-Ruttyn NSW International Ballet Academy 

Runner Up: Anneke Soulis The McDonald College 

Encouragement Award: Brent Helm Vanessa Lee Dance Academy 

 

Intermediate 

Winner: Elih Egan     Stockton’s Bella Ballerinas  

Runner Up: Holly Robinson Dance North Academy  

Encouragement Award: Scarlett Weaver Dance North Academy  

 

Advanced Foundation 

Winner: Ava Micallef The McDonald College 

Runner Up: Oscar Taggart Alegria Dance Studios 

Encouragement Award:  India-Rose Mace Dance North Academy 

 

Advanced 1 

Winner: Freya Wild L’Academie 

Runner Up: Keira Rowe Dance North Academy  

Encouragement Award: Charlize Portes-Green The McDonald College 

 

Isobel Anderson Commissioned Choreography winner: 

Ava Radojevic Dance North Academy 

Isobel Anderson Award for Most Outstanding Dancer: 

Charlie Duwner Newcastle Dance Academy  

 

 

RAD Australia extends its heartfelt gratitude to all participants, including the finalists, their teachers, and supporters, for their hard work and perseverance. A special thank you goes to Bloch Australia, the exclusive sponsor of these events, whose continued support plays a crucial role in the success and recognition of the dance community in Australia. Further thanks to the NSW Regional Advisory Panel for their assistance in presenting these events. 

The Royal Academy of Dance is committed to promoting and enhancing the understanding, appreciation, and practice of dance and dance teaching globally. We look forward to fostering the next generation of dancers and celebrating their achievements in the years to come. 

Pictured: Award Winners of the Isobel Anderson Awards

For further enquiries please contact:

Laura Pike – Regional Manager
e: lpike@rad.org.au
t: (02) 9380 1906

Olivia Weeks – Marketing Manager
e: oweeks@rad.org.au
t: (02) 9380 1907