25 July 2022 17:02

South Australian dancers add to 50 years of history

The RAD community in South Australia came together on Sunday 24 July to mark the 50th Anniversary of the RAD Awards South Australia - the longest-running RAD Awards programme in Australia.

Performing for special guest adjudicator, Lisa Pavane Director of The Australian Ballet School, students from schools across the state competed for a range of prestigious trophies. The event also saw group performances by different schools participating in the awards to mark the very special occasion.

Remi Wortmeyer Sir Robert Helpmann Award Winner 1996 and Principal with Dutch National Ballet

Over the years the event has spotlighted a number of professional dancers and choreographers. Remi Wortmeyer (pictured in the event publicity) won the Sir Robert Helpmann Award in 1996 and is now a Choreographer and recently retired Principal with Dutch National Ballet. Remi sent a video message to the students competing, recalling his RAD teachers, Terry Simpson and Susan Taylor and his enjoyment at coming together with fellow SA dancers for the event.

Choreographer Danielle Rowe, who has recently choreographed for San Francisco Ballet, and was a Principal with The Australian Ballet, Houston Ballet and Nederlands Dance Theatre, is the SA Awards most prolific winner - taking home the Floyd & B’Nay Winner 1993, Eileen Hogarth Most Potential Award 1993, Floyd & B’Nay Winner 1994, Sir Robert Helpmann Award 1995, Eileen Hogarth Most Potential Award 1995, Kathleen Short Award 1996 and Eileen Hogarth Most Potential Award 1996. Her husband Luke Ingham, now a Principal with San Francisco Ballet, also secured the Eileen Hogarth Most Potential Award in 1999. Jill Ogai is currently a Senior Artist with The Australian Ballet and won the Sir Robert Helpmann Award 2005, Eileen Hogarth Award Most Potential 2005 and Eileen Hogarth Award Most Potential 2007, whilst Alec Roberts, an Artist with Boston Ballet and formerly with National Ballet of Canada and Queensland Ballet, recently recalled his experience of winning the Eileen Hogarth Most Potential Award in 2008…

“I remember making finals and eventually winning a big trophy. It had previous winners’ names engraved on it, some that I had looked up to. Like Danielle Rowe, Luke Ingham and Jill Ogai. I remember being exceedingly happy and proud to be on a trophy with such names. What the RAD enabled me to have; to make great friends, have fun, love dance, do exams, work hard, get rewarded and grow. It was a part of my youth which I'll always treasure.”

We are grateful to our sponsors for their assistance in helping us to continue to reward excellence in our dancers and to the staff, volunteers, and community who gave their time in support to help us mark such an important moment in our Australian history.

Congratulations to each and every one of the dancers who took part on the day and thank you to their teachers for all their hard work in preparation for the event.

Grades Candidates photo by Belinda Strodder

The winners were

Badenoch Iversen Award for Grades 2-3
Winner: Emika Ichinoche from the Vivienne Winter School of Ballet
Runner up: Alice Ramos from Terry Simpson Studios

Gwen Mackey Award for Grades 4-5
Winner: Sofia Lydyard from GWB Studios
Runner up: Trinity Star Roach from GWB Studios

Jacqueline Tucker Award for Grades 6,7 and 8
Winner: Ruby Gool from Terry Simpson Studios
Runner up: Leila Morales from GWB Studios

Sheila Laing Training Enhancement Award
Winner: Ruby Gool from Terry Simpson Studios

Joyce Clothier OAM Scholarship 
Winner: Sofia Lydyard from GWB Studios

Terry Simpson Encouragement Award 
Winner: Gideon Millar from Terry Simpson Studios

Vocational Candidates SA Awards 2022. Photo by Belinda Strodder

Floyd & B'Nay Award for Intermediate Foundation
Winner: Ruby Gool from Terry Simpson Studios
Runner up: Bundjalung Coker from Hills Ballet School

Sir Robert Helpmann  Award for Intermediate and Advanced Foundation
Winner: Alannah Hefford from Turning Point Dance
Runner up: Sophie Haas from Turning Point Dance

Kathleen Short Award for Advanced 1, 2 and Solo Seal
Winner: Mietta Brookman from GWB Studios
Runner up: Noah Wheatley from Terry Simpson Studios

Eileen Hogarth Most Potential Award
Winner: Alannah Hefford from Turning Point Dance

Lorraine Irving OAM Scholarship 
Winner: Mietta Brookman from GWB Studios

Susan Taylor Encouragement Award 
Winner: Bundjalung Coker from Hills Ballet School

RAD Australia is grateful to the following Sponsors for their support with our National Student Activities Programme 2022

We are also grateful to the following SA RAD Awards 2022 Sponsors including Jacqueline Tucker