The Ballet Teachers Workshop Vic held its annual Scholarship Finals on August 20. A total of 633 young dancers from 59 ballet schools auditioned to take part in the event, which was held at the Darebin Arts Centre in Preston.
The Finals were divided into five age groups ranging from seven to 15+, and a total of $26,700 in prize money was awarded.
The difficult task of choosing the prizewinners was undertaken by four adjudicators, all Australian Ballet alumni: Kevin Jackson and Megan Connelly for age groups up to 12, and Steven Heathcote and Lisa Bolte for the more senior levels, including the prestigious Paul Hammond and Mabel Pryde awards, named after two of BTW’s original organisers when it was founded in 1964. David McAllister, former Australian Ballet artistic director and principal dancer, is the BTW patron.
The winners were:
Section A (7-8 years old)
1st: Ava Wang Kai - Brian Nolan Academy of Dance
2nd: Mia Yu - Versatility Dance College
3rd: Lillian Kinter - Michelle Slater Performing Arts Studio
4th: Jared Bickerton - Dance Stream Victoria
HMs:
William Du - Melbourne Academy of the Arts
Audrina Kow - Academy of Dance Victoria
Unathi Omaru - The Academy of Classical Ballet
Artistry Award: Lillian Kinter - Michelle Slater Performing Arts Studio
Section B (9-10 years old)
1st: Swiss Strickland - Expressions Ballet Academy
2nd: Celeste Robinson - En Pointe School of Ballet
3rd: Milla Calyk - Expressions Ballet Academy
4th: Ohara Taylor - Glen Iris School of Dance
HMs:
Peyton Yan - Independent Dance Studios
Cindy Jiang - Brian Nolan Academy of Dance
Tim Xianzhou Cheng - Jiayin Master Class
Artistry Award: Sarah Evans - Versatility Dance College
Section C (11-12)
1st: Jurie Jung - En Pointe School of Ballet
2nd: Aspen Edwards - Expressions Ballet Academy
3rd: Zoe Wijemanne - Classical Coaching with Claire Campbell-Mahon
4th: Kira Kam - Academy of Dance Victoria
HMs:
Lukas Elliott - Glen Iris School of Dance
James Hann - Melbourne Institute of Dance
Nina Zhu - En Pointe School of Ballet
Artistry Award: Lucy Paxman - Kerry Moore School of Ballet
Section D (13-14)
1st: Sam McSweeney - Joanne O’Kelly School of Dance
2nd: Emmalea Cass - En Pointe School of Ballet
3rd: Heidi Probert - En Pointe School of Ballet
4th: Yulia Nagashima - En Pointe School of Ballet
HMs:
Lily Schlakht - The Academy of Classical Ballet
Elodie Lamont - Pirouette Ballet School Melbourne
Malik Chong - Melbourne Institute of Dance
Artistry Award: Heidi Probert - En Pointe School of Ballet
Mabel Pryde/Paul Hammond Shield: Joanne O’Kelly School of Dance
PAUL HAMMOND (15+)
1st: Darcy Donoghue - VCASS (Prize $2500)
2nd: Ryan Black - VCASS (Prize $1500)
HMs:
Takdanai McLeod-Smith - Maggie Lorraine Private Coaching
Martin Cohen - VCASS
Artistry Award: Darcy Donoghue - VCASS
MABEL PRYDE (15+)
1st: Molly Hughes - VCASS (Prize: $2500 + $500 Capezio Voucher + Capezio Sponsored athlete for 2024 + Capezio Tutu bag)
2nd: Shaylan Cole - En Pointe School of Ballet (Prize: $1500 + $400 + Capezio Tutu bag)
3rd: Delaney Jarvis - Ballet Theatre Australia (Prize: $1000 + $300 Capezio voucher + Capezio Tutu bag)
4th: Giselle Surace - Ballet Theatre Australia (Prize: $500 + $200 Capezio Voucher + Capezio Tutu bag)
HMs:
Ella Tan – VCASS
Esther Feng – The National Ballet School
Artistry Award – Shaylan Cole – En Pointe School of Ballet
Molly Hughes was also the recipient of the $2500 Frances Naylor award, and the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS) took home the Frances Naylor Shield.
Congratulations to all!