The Australian Dance Awards committee has announced that the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Marilyn Rowe OBE.
Marilyn Rowe’s achievements have spanned performance and education. Rowe’s stage career saw her rise to the ranks of principal dancer with the Australian Ballet. An internationally-acclaimed dancer, she was the inspiration for a number of works by renowned choreographers including Glen Tetley’s Gemini, Ronald Hynd’s The Merry Widow and André Prokovsky’s Anna Karenina. She was also known for her partnership with Kelvin Coe, with whom she won a silver medal at the International Ballet Competition in Moscow, in 1973. In 1979, Rowe’s contribution to dance was acknowledged with her appointment as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to ballet in Australia.
On retiring from the stage, Rowe shifted her focus to the development of young dancers via the Australian Ballet School (ABS). Her leadership, vision and innovative education programs have played a crucial role on the ABS’s development as a world-class training institution. She was also the driving force behind the establishment of Marilyn Rowe House, a residence for the Australian Ballet School. Rowe held the position of director of the ABS from 1999 to 2014.
Dance Australia is thrilled to see Marilyn Rowe’s achievements recognised with this award. Congratulations Marilyn Rowe!