18 October 2023 15:36

Winners of the 40th Anniversary Kathleen Gorham Awards 2023

RAD Australia is delighted to announce the winners of the highly-anticipated 2023 Kathleen Gorham Awards. The awards, held on Sunday 15 October at VCASS with the support of the Victorian & Tasmanian Regional Advisory Panel, were a tremendous success, showcasing the exceptional talent of young dancers and the dedication of their teachers and mentors. Adjudicated by renowned dance experts Olivia Bell (former Principal Artist, the Australian Ballet) and Cristiano Martino (former Soloist, the Australian Ballet), the event was a true celebration of excellence in dance. Olivia Bell commented:

"It is always a pleasure witnessing the flow of talent coming through the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus. It is with such positive competitions and awards that younger dancers are able to gain experience and exposure in a safe, nurturing environment. Yesterday's Kathleen Gorham Awards were particularly special as we celebrated the 40th anniversary of these awards. I am honoured to have been involved in this year's celebrations. Thank you to everyone at the RAD for the warmest of welcomes."

This year was a particularly special year for these awards, as it marked their 40th anniversary. Kathleen Gorham was, and remains, a legendary figure in the history of Australian dance, and these awards strive to honour her legacy. Her friend and peer Audrey Nicholls OAM FRAD ARAD shared her memories of Kathleen for inclusion in the programme, which can be read here. In a touching moment, the finalists turned to face the back screen to view a commemorative slide show of images of Kathleen throughout her career.

In additional to our principal adjudicating faculty, the event was attended by Audrey Nicholls OAM FRAD ARAD, Dianne Hammond, and Kevin Jackson, who joined as guest adjudicators to award the Martin Rubinstein Award, the Paul Hammond Award, and The Australian Ballet School Scholarship Week, respectively. Interim National Director Shelley Yacopetti also a much welcomed attendee.

Under the guidance of class teacher, RAD Examiner Rachael McGowan and accompanied by pianist Akiko Loong, the candidates displayed an outstanding level of performance and enthusiasm, impressing the adjudicators with their exceptional skills and artistic expression in a combination of syllabus and open work.

The prestigious awards recognize the outstanding achievements of dancers in vocational levels, and the results are as follows:

Intermediate Foundation

Prize #	First Name	Last Name	Teacher	Dance School
1st	Yuri	Ko	Genevieve Nash	Projkoska Point Cook Performing Arts
Runner Up	Stella	Bateman	Jane Moore	Jane Moore Academy of Ballet
Artistry Award	Mini	Cook	Kellie Roscoe	Torquay Dance Academy
Encouragement	Miriam	Cuncliffe	Beverly Jane Fry	The Classical Studio
Honourable Mention	Milla	Hajinkak	Alanna Partridge	Dance Desires

Intermediate

Prize	First Name	Last Name	Teacher	Dance School
1st Place	Aspen	Edwards	Emma Madden	Expressions Ballet Academy
Runner Up	Ella	Eastoe	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College Of the Arts Secondary School
Artistry Award	Charlotte	Trapani	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College Of the Arts Secondary School
Encouragement	Ebony	Veich	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School

Advanced Foundation

Prize	First Name	Last Name	Teacher	Dance School
1st Place	Samantha	McDonald	Jane Inglis-Keen	National Theatre Ballet School
Runner Up	Thomas	Smithers	Jane Moore	Jane Moore Academy of Ballet
Artistry Award	Lalu	Germaine	Jane Inglis-Keen	National Theatre Ballet School
Encouragement	Olive	Forbes	Emma Madden	Expressions Ballet Academy

Advanced 1

Prize	First Name	Last Name	Teacher	Dance School
1st Place	Darcy	Donohue	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School
Runner Up	Chloe	Dan	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School
Artistry Award	Connor	Bevis	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School
Encouragement	Ella	Tan	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School

Advanced 2

Prize	First Name	Last Name	Teacher	Dance School
1st Place	Ruby	Munroe	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School
Runner Up	Alicia	Wong	Julie Fleming & Kynan Jones	Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School
Artistry Award	Mia	Atacador	Jane Inglis-Keen	National Theatre Ballet School
Encouragement	Mia	Hayward	Jane Inglis-Keen	National Theatre Ballet School

Overall Awards

Prize	First Name	Last Name	Teacher	Dance School
Kathleen Gorham Overall Winner	Darcy	Donohue	Kynan Jones & Julie Fleming	Victorian College of Arts Secondary School
Martin Rubinstein Award	Connor	Bevis	Kynan Jones & Julie Fleming	Victorian College of Arts Secondary School
Paul Hammond Award	Charlotte	Trapani	Kynan Jones & Julie Fleming	Victorian College of Arts Secondary School
Australian Ballet Scholarship Week	Thomas	Smithers	Jane Moore	Jane Moore School of Dance

The Royal Academy of Dance congratulates all the winners and expresses gratitude to the adjudicators and teachers for their invaluable support and contributions to the event. These awards demonstrate the Academy's commitment to nurturing and recognizing excellence in dance education. We are grateful for the ongoing support of our local and national Sponsors, whose generous support allows us to host these events. The 2023 local sponsors of this event were The Ballet Society and The Australian Ballet School

Our thanks also to the regional staff who facilitate these events, in this case Regional Manager Vic/Tas Catherine Fennell, and Regional Coordinator Alexandra Finnigan

Photos by Ron Foong

With massive thanks to the National Sponsors of our Student Events Programme