Dance Australia warmly congratulates dance and choreographer Eileen Kramer, aged 101, who has been announced as a winner in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac’s 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2016. Kramer has been recognised in the arts/culture/sport category for her body of work and her contribution as an ambassador for the Arts Health Institute, using her own crowd-funding projects to help fund and train artists to work in aged care.
Kramer’s dance career began at the age of 22. She studied with Gertrud Bodenwieser, a German dancer and choreographer who brought German expressionist dance to Australia. Bodenwieser arrived in Australia in 1939 and founded a school and a company in Sydney. Kramer toured with the Bodenwieser company for ten years.
"Eileen's long creative career is continuing, with multiple projects underway,” says Arts Health Institute CEO Maggie Haertsch. “Eileen challenges ageing stereotypes. She is savvy, smart and a woman of style, continuing to inspire people worldwide.”
To celebrate Kramer and all the women who have been recognised as Women of Influence, a gala awards evening will be held Thursday 26 October at Sydney Town Hall. Ten category winners and an overall winner will be announced.