The final nominees for this year’s Australian Dance Awards were announced today. Sydney Dance Company, Australian Dance Theatre and Expressions Dance Company stand shoulder to shoulder with multiple nominees.
Presented by Ausdance in association with Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), the dance industry’s premier national award event will be held in Queensland for the first time in its 14 year history in QPAC’s Playhouse on Sunday 24 July 2011.
The Awards cover nine categories as well as a Lifetime Achievement award and an induction into the Australian Dance Awards Hall of Fame.
Both Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) from Adelaide and Brisbane-based Expressions Dance Company (EDC) have been nominated for four major awards: Outstanding Achievement in Choreography by Garry Stewart (ADT) for Be Your Self and Natalie Weir (EDC) for Where the Heart Is; Outstanding Performance by a Company for ADT’s Be Your Self and EDC’s Where the Heart Is; Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer for EDC’s Elise May and ADT’s Larissa McGowan and Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer for EDC’s Richard Causer and ADT’s Kimball Wong.
Sydney Dance Company has been nominated for three awards, Outstanding Achievement in Choreography by Rafael Bonachela for 6 Breaths, Outstanding Performance by a Company for We Unfold, and Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer for Amy Hollingsworth in Irony of Fate. Bangarra Dance Theatre was also nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Company for of earth & sky. Shaun Parker of Shaun Parker and Company was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography for Happy as Larry.
The Awards nominees’ list for 2011 also features a significant contingent of independent dancers including Kristina Chan for Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer, Paul White for Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer and Narelle Benjamin for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance for In Glass.
Last year’s winner for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance, Sue Peacock has been nominated again for the same category for Sprung. Sue shares this category with Tony Yap and Katrina Lazaroff.
In a wide-reaching group, Darwin’s Tracks, Perth-based Steps Youth Dance Company, Canberra’s QL2 Dance, and Mornington Island’s Mirndiyan Gununa are the nominees for Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance.
The Cast of Hairspray, Matt Lee and Verity Hunt-Ballard both for Mary Poppins and Alinta Chidzey for West Side Story are the nominees for Outstanding Performance in a Stage Musical.
National President of Ausdance, Professor Susan Street said that the usual high calibre of nominees will be vying for the main awards again this year.
“We are delighted that the 2011 Australian Dance Awards are being presented in Queensland for the first time with generous support from Arts Queensland and QPAC. This will be a fabulous evening showcasing and honouring the nation’s best dancers and companies. I urge dance lovers Australia-wide not to miss this dancers’ night of nights,” said Professor Street.
The 2011 Australian Dance Awards will feature performances by some Australia’s and Queensland’s best dance companies, including Queensland Ballet and Expressions Dance Company.
Initiated in 1986 by Keith Bain as a Dancers’ Picnic, the Awards have grown to become the major event in the national dance calendar bringing prestige to nominees and winners alike.
Visit: www.australiandanceawards.net.au
Australian Dance Awards 2011
Shortlisted nominees (in alphabetical order)
Services to Dance
Gideon Obarzanek
Ruth Osborne
Lucinda Sharp
Carl Vine
Services to Dance Education
Valda Craig
Marilyn Rowe (OBE)
Paul Saliba
Tasdance
Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance
Mirndiyan Gununa Aboriginal Corporation for Mornington Island Gulf Festival
QL2 Dance for Hard Yards
Steps Youth Dance Company for Phoenix
Tracks for The Cook, The Queen & the Kelly
Outstanding Achievement in Choreography
Rafael Bonachela for 6 Breaths (Sydney Dance Company)
Shaun Parker for Happy As Larry (Shaun Parker & Company)
Garry Stewart for Be Your Self (Australian Dance Theatre)
Natalie Weir for Where the Heart Is (Expressions Dance Company)
Outstanding Performance by a Company
Australian Dance Theatre for Be Your Self
Bangarra Dance Theatre for of earth & sky
Expressions Dance Company for Where the Heart Is
Sydney Dance Company for We Unfold
Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance
Narelle Benjamin for In Glass
Katrina Lazaroff for Pomona Road
Sue Peacock for Sprung
Tony Yap with Madeleine Flynn, Tim Humphrey, Naomi Ota and Ben Rogan for Rasa Sayang
Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer
Kristina Chan for In Glass (Narelle Benjamin)
Amy Hollingsworth for Irony of Fate (Sydney Dance Company)
Elise May for Where the Heart Is (Expressions Dance Company)
Larissa McGowan for Be Your Self (Australian Dance Theatre)
Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer
Richard Causer for Where the Heart Is (Expressions Dance Company)
Daniel Gaudiello for Coppelia (The Australian Ballet)
Paul White for In Glass (Narelle Benjamin)
Kimball Wong for Be Yourself (Australian Dance Theatre)
Outstanding Performance in a Stage Musical
The Cast of Hairspray
Alinta Chidzey for West Side Story
Verity Hunt-Ballard for Mary Poppins
Matt Lee for Mary Poppins