While most of us were putting our feet up over the Easter holidays, over 300 ballet students were busily putting their highest skills to the test at the annual Alana Haines Australasian Awards. Held every second Easter in Wellington, NZ, this competition has become a major event on the Australian competition calendar, with Australian students dominating entries and results.
This year the number of applications was so high that the organisers had to close off the entry date a month and half earlier than expected, when the number reached 340. The prizes are a big lure -- placements in companies or scholarships to an array of international ballet schools.
The Alana Haines Australasian Awards are divided into three age groups - Juniors (11-13), Supreme A (13-15) and Supreme B (16-21). To reach the finals, contestants must take part in an adjudicated class and perform one set solo from the classical repertoire and one solo of their own choice. All Supreme finalists receive a scholarship or company (work experience) placement.
This yearís Supreme A winner was Bethany Cockburn (15) from Prudence Bowen Atelier in Qld, who receives a scholarship to the Houston Ballet Academy in the US, plus a $5000 cash prize. The winner of the Supreme B was Tynan Wood, a NSW dancer studying at the NZ School of Dance. He also receives $5000, plus a placement at the Australian Ballet. The winner of the Junior section was Harrison Lee, a pupil at the McDonald College in Sydney, who receives a scholarship to the Royal Ballet School in London plus $3000 cash.
The adjudicators were Simon Dow (senior tutor at the Australian Ballet School, Martin James (principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet) and Sara Matthews, the director of the Central School of Ballet in London, who replaced an ill Gailene Stock (director of the Royal Ballet School).
Katie Haines, the director of the competition, said she is considering extending the competition by another day in 2015 to accommodate the high numbers.
JUNIOR WINNERS
Winner: HARRISON LEE, 11yrs
(McDonald College Sydney Australia)
$3,000.00 cash sponsored by: New Zealand Association of Modern Dance
Scholarship to & sponsored by: The Royal Ballet School London plus 1yr Dance Australia Magazine
1st Runner-Up: DAMEN AXTENS, 12yrs
(Gilroy Studio of Dance, Invercargill NZ)
$2,000.00 sponsored: by Energetiks Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Australian Ballet School Melbourne plus 1yr Dance Australia Magazine
2nd Runner-Up: MADISON AYTON, 11yrs
(Strictly Dance QLD Australia)
$1,000.00 sponsored by: Australian Dance Performance Institute QLD & The Dancers Wardrobe Auck
Scholarship to & sponsored by: New Zealand School of Dance Wellington
3rd Runner-Up: BIANCA SCUDAMORE, 13yrs
(Janine McGrath Classical Coaching QLD Australia, Mt Eden Ballet Academy, Auckland, NZ)
$500 cash sponsored by: British Ballet Organisation NZ
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Sydney Australia
Finalist: NAVRIN TURNBALL, 13yrs
(Danielle's Studio of Dance QLD Australia)
AU$300 gift voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Alegria School of Dance NSW Australia
Finalist: MADELIENE SKIPPEN, 13yrs
(Premiere Dance Academy/Janine McGrath Classical Coaching QLD Australia)
AU$300 gift Voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Wellington Summer School
Finalist: NAE KOJIAMA, 12yrs
(Amanda Bollinger Dance Academy QLD Australia)
AU$300 gift Voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Auckland Academy of Dance seminar
Finalist: TALIA FIDRA, 12yrs
(Prudence Bowen Atelier QLD Australia)
AU$300 gift Voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Australian Dance Performance Institute QLD Australia
Finalist: LILLY MASKERY, 12yrs
(Philippa Campbell School of Ballet Auckland NZ)
AU$300 gift Voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Annette Roselli Dance Academy QLD Australia
Finalist: SOPHIE SMITH, 11yrs
(Anne Fraser School of Dance QLD Australia)
AU$300 gift Voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching Sydney Australia
Finalist: LARISSA KIYOTO-WARD, 11yrs
(Mount Eden Academy of Dance Auckland)
AU$300 gift Voucher donated by Energetiks & Grishko Australia
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Amanda Bollinger Dance Academy QLD Australia
SUPREME WINNERS - A GROUP
Winner: A60 - BETHANY COCKBURN, 15yrs
(Prudence Bowen Atelier NSW Australia)
$5,000.00 cash sponsored by: Alana Haines Trust
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Houston Ballet Texas USA plus 1yr Dance Australia Magazine
1st Runner-Up: MADISON WHITELEY, 15yrs
(Annette Roselli Dance Academy, Brisbane Australia)
$2,000.00 cash sponsored by: Annette Roselli Dance Academy Brisbane & Alana Haines Trust
Scholarship to & sponsored by: The Royal Ballet School London plus 1yr Dance Australia Magazine
2nd Runner-Up: SHENE LAZARUS, 15yrs
(Prudence Bowen Atelier, Brisbane Australia)
$1,000.00 cash sponsored by: Mount Eden Ballet Academy Auckland & Amanda Bollinger Dance Academy QLD
Scholarship to & sponsored by: New Zealand School of Dance
3rd Runner-Up: ALYSHA MARTIGNAGO, 15yrs
(Janine McGrath Classical Coaching QLD Australia)
$500.00 cash sponsored by: The Dancers Wardrobe Auckland
Scholarship to & sponsored by: The Australian Ballet School
Finalist: KAYLA-MAREE TARANTOLO, 14yrs
(The McDonald College NSW Australia)
$100.00 cash plus $50 gift voucher sponsored by: PW Dance & Sportswear Napier NZ
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Central School of Ballet, London
Finalist: CHLOE MICHELLE HOLLOW, 14yrs
(Janine McGrath Classical Coaching QLD Australia)
$100.00 cash plus $50 gift voucher sponsored by: PW Dance & Sportswear Napier NZ
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Rosella Hightower Summer School Cannes France
SUPREME WINNERS - B GROUP
Winner: TYNAN WOOD, 18yrs
(New Zealand School of Dance - International student from NSW)
$5,000.00 cash sponsored by: Alana Haines Trust
Scholarship to & sponsored by: The Australian Ballet plus 1yr Dance Australia Magazine
1st Runner-Up: ANYAH SIDDALL, 16ys
(Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching, NSW, Australia)
$2,000.00 cash sponsored by: The Ballet Shoppe Corrimal NSW, Studio Tibor NSW & Alana Haines Trust
Scholarship to & sponsored by: The Royal NZ Ballet Company plus 1yr Dance Australia Magazine
2nd Runner-Up: WILLIAM FITZGERALD, 18ys
(New Zealand School of Dance -International student from NSW)
$1,000.00 cash sponsored by: Gubbs Jazz & Ballet Boutique Wellington & Auckland Academy of Dance
Scholarship to & sponsored by: West Australian Ballet
3rd Runner-Up: EMILY SEYMOUR, 16yrs
(Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching, NSW, Australia)
$500.00 cash plus gift voucher sponsored by: Dance Pilates.com, Auckland NZ
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Melbourne Ballet Company
Finalist: TIRION LAW LOK HUEN, 17yrs
(New Zealand School of Dance - International student from Hong Kong)
$100.00 cash plus a $50 gift voucher sponsored by: PW Sportswear Napier
Scholarship to & sponsored by: Hong Kong Ballet Company
See the June/July issue of Dance Australia magazine for more photos and information!
Above: Supreme B winners with judges.
Above: Junior winners with judges.