Dance Australia would like to congratulate the winners of the 2024 Joan & Monica Halliday Awards and Isobel Anderson Awards. This year’s Finals event took place on the 6th and 7th April at the esteemed Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre in Sydney. This year’s competition showcased many talented young dancers, featuring 35 finalists in the Joan & Monica Halliday Awards (Grades 3, 4, & 5) and 48 finalists in the Isobel Anderson Awards (Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate, Advanced Foundation, and Advanced 1 Vocational levels), marking a weekend of remarkable success and artistic excellence.
The Joan & Monica Halliday Awards on Saturday were adjudicated by Julie Fleming, while Sunday's Isobel Anderson Awards were judged by Amy Harris, a former Principal Artist with the Australian Ballet.
Lucy Miller is this year’s winner of the Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer Award. She is trained by Kristyn Caley at L'Academie.
The Isobel Anderson Most Outstanding Dancer Award was awarded to Charlie Duwner who trains under the guidance of Tracey Caldwell at Newcastle Dance Academy.
Joan & Monica Halliday Awards
Grade 3:
Winner: Cleo Bell - Dance North Academy
Runner Up: Portia Russo - Joanne Williams Dance Academy
Encouragement Award: Gabby Cheng - Shishkova Ballet Studio
Grade 4:
Winner: Lucy Miller - L’Academie
Runner Up: Annalyse Macgonigal - Joanne Williams Dance Academy
Encouragement Award: Liam Forsyth - Sonja Dene Dance Studios
Grade 5:
Winner: Jada Mostyn - Studio-O
Runner Up: Matthew Mortimer - Studio-O
Encouragement Award: Tae’ejah Skye Dorward - Andrea Rowsell Academy of Dance
JMH Commissioned Choreography Winner:
Annalyse Macgonigal - Joanne Williams Dance Academy
Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer:
Lucy Miller - L’Academie
Isobel Anderson Awards
Intermediate Foundation
Winner: Florence Hanks-Ruttyn - NSW International Ballet Academy
Runner Up: Anneke Soulis - The McDonald College
Encouragement Award: Brent Helm - Vanessa Lee Dance Academy
Intermediate
Winner: Elih Egan - Stockton’s Bella Ballerinas
Runner Up: Scarlette Weaver - Dance North Academy
Encouragement Award: Holly Robinson - Dance North Academy
Advanced Foundation
Winner: Ava Micallef - The McDonald College
Runner Up: Oscar Taggart - Alegria Dance Studios
Encouragement Award: India-Rose Mace - Dance North Academy
Advanced 1
Winner: Freya Wild - L’Academie
Runner Up: Keira Rowe - Dance North Academy
Encouragement Award: Charlize Portes-Green - The McDonald College
Isobel Anderson Commissioned Choreography winner:
Ava Radojevic - Dance North Academy
Isobel Anderson Award for Most Outstanding Dancer:
Charlie Duwner - Newcastle Dance Academy