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In accordance with the Constitution, Ausdance National calls for nominations to fill a maximum of eight board vacancies. As Ausdance National's interim board members were elected at a Special General Meeting on 4 December 2019 (rather than at an AGM) all positions are now declared vacant at the Annual General Meeting, to be held via Zoom on 28 June 2020 at 12.30 pm.

When nominating, please consider the following:

• Skills & experience—the board needs to include outstanding individuals that have demonstrated skills, experience and knowledge in specific areas and will contribute to good governance and the future development of Ausdance National and dance in Australia
• Diversity—the board should reflect our wider community with an appropriate gender mix, together with considerations of age and cultural diversity.
• Location—the board should reflect the breadth of dance activity across Australia. Selection should not be based on location only.

The following selection criteria will also be considered:

General criteria—all board members

• A commitment to the development of Australian dance
• A commitment to the mission and aims of Ausdance National
• Proven ability to think strategically in a changing and dynamic environment
• High-level skills, knowledge and experience that will significantly contribute to the good governance and future vision of Ausdance National and the Ausdance network
• Extensive networks and contacts

Additional criteria—President & Vice Presidents

• Demonstrated leadership skills & experience
• An awareness of funding and arts sector structures and organisations
• Availability to support the staff and operations

Additional criteria—Treasurer

• Demonstrated skills and experience, including appropriate qualifications in accounting and financial management
• Availability to support the staff and operations
• Areas of expertise

The board should attract:

• A National Executive of outstanding leaders in the community with extensive networks and contacts. The Executive should include at least one individual who has experience in a senior role within the professional dance sector.
• Senior dance artists, arts managers and producers
• A qualified CPA or Chartered Accountant
• Law professionals
• Marketing, public relations and communications experts
• Senior staff from the tertiary and/or education sector
• Senior corporate and/or government (non-arts) representatives
• Experts from areas including technology, human resources, business development.

Nominations must be received on the nomination form by Wednesday 27 May 2020. Please contact National President Paul Summers for further information and for the nomination form.

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In 1982 the Dance Committee of ITI founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on the 29 April, the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), creator of modern ballet. The intention of the International Dance Day Message is to celebrate dance, revel in the universality of this art form, cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers, and bring people together with a common language – dance.

Every year a message from an outstanding choreographer or dancer is circulated throughout the world. The author of the message is selected by the International Dance Committee of ITI and the Executive Council of ITI. The message is translated into numerous languages and circulated globally. World Dance Alliance is a member of the ITI Dance Committee.

This year the Dance Committee of the ITI has selected Gregory Vuyani MAQOMA, South African dancer, actor, choreographer and dance educator.

Message for International Dance Day, 29 April 2020.

It was during an interview I had recently that I had to think deeply about dance: what does it mean to me? In my response, I had to look into my journey, and I realised that it was all about purpose – each day presents a new challenge that needs to be confronted, and it is through dance that I try to make sense of the world.

We are living through unimaginable tragedies, in a time that I could best describe as the post-human era. More than ever, we need to dance with purpose, to remind the world that humanity still exists. Purpose and empathy need to prevail over years and years of undeniable virtual landscape of dissolution that has given rise to a catharsis of universal grief conquering the sadness, the hard reality that continues to permeate the living confronted by death, rejection and poverty.

Our dance must more than ever give a strong signal to the world leaders and those entrusted with safeguarding and improving human conditions that we are an army of furious thinkers, and our purpose is one that strives to change the world one step at a time. Dance is freedom, and through our found freedom, we must free others from the entrapments they face in different corners of the world.

Dance is not political but becomes political because it carries in its fibre a human connection and therefore responds to circumstances in its attempt to restore human dignity. As we dance with our bodies, tumbling in space and tangling together, we become a force of movement weaving hearts, touching souls and providing healing that is so desperately needed. And purpose becomes a single hydra-headed, invincible and indivisible dance. All we need now is to dance some more!

Photo Credit: Alon Skuy

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In support of Australian dance, Ausdance has written to the Arts Minister, the Hon. Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts. In the meantime, we are providing a voice for dance through regular briefings with the Government, the Opposition, the Greens, and officials from the Australia Council, the federal Arts department, Treasury and other peak arts organisations.

Dear Minister,

Ausdance National and the State/Territory Ausdance network thank you for the financial assistance measures available to the arts industry, including JobKeeper, JobSeeker, and the $27m for regional arts organisations and artists announced last week.

We are writing to reinforce the concerns of our arts colleagues about the anomalies in the eligibility for assistance of independent artists, sole traders and dance companies. We remain extremely concerned that measures announced to date do not yet respond to the urgent issues that have been outlined by leading arts organisations, and do not align with the specific needs of our industry. 

An arts industry-specific stimulus package must be implemented as soon as possible to redress our industry’s loss of all self-generated income and to assist its ability to survive long months of shut-down and the road to recovery.

At last week’s roundtable with the Australia Council, the Department for the Arts and your own staff members, Kristine Kaukomaa and Ryan Bloxsam, Ausdance National raised the issue of recovery and the Australia Council’s capacity to respond to a very different arts landscape that will emerge from the current crisis.

The recent results of the Australia Council’s four-year funding for small to medium dance companies highlighted the ongoing losses sustained by this sector of the dance profession. Only eight small dance companies and organisations are left with the ability to employ staff, plan for the future and create new work, while four other highly regarded companies are left hanging by a thread, with one-year transitional funding.

All four ‘transitional’ companies have played a significant role in working regionally; with disability artists and with Indigenous artists and their communities, and all four will probably not survive without ongoing funding beyond their transition year. Many other small but artistically significant dance companies and independent artists are completely without Australia Council or State/Territory funding support, and all will be struggling to rebuild creative output, audiences and touring schedules in 2021, further weakening our already fragile dance infrastructure.

The Australia Council is the Federal Government’s own peak arts funding and advisory body, and we call for its funding to be doubled in the October Budget. Its present funding levels deprive it of being able to deliver on its vision to ‘support Australia’s arts through funding, strengthening and developing the arts sector’. If its policy settings are to recognise that the dance ecosystem is inter-dependent, then the Council must be adequately funded to strengthen and develop it. Such policy settings would recognise that different dance sectors serve different purposes, from the AMPAG dance companies to youth dance companies, First Nations performers, independent artists, community dance practitioners, school and studio teachers, choreographers and producers.

We also reaffirm that people stay physically and mentally well by dancing and moving. The significant role played by dance in communities through dance education, dance for Parkinson’s programs, dance and movement for the elderly and the widespread health and wellbeing programs offered by professional dance artists across the country, must not be under-estimated.

The provision of an arts-specific funding package will be an opportunity for the Government to show cultural leadership and a recognition of the ways in which the arts (including dance) will lead healing and reconnection of communities in the COVID-19 recovery phase, including those facing mental health issues.

Doubling the Australia Council’s current funding in the context of an arts-specific funding package is not a big request when compared to the rescue packages afforded to other industries. Recognition that increased funding is an investment in our future, not just another handout to a struggling industry, is vital

We look forward to your early response, and would be pleased to participate in any future policy planning that may evolve in the coming weeks.

Yours sincerely

Paul Summers                                                Julie Dyson AM
Ausdance National President                        Ausdance National Vice-President
18 April 2020

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Following the recent announcement by the Australia Council of its four-year funding grants, Ausdance National is pleased to note that eight dance companies have been successful, providing them with some surety for the next four years. Five other dance companies have received transitional funding for a year, but now hang by a thread, their losses merely delayed as they face an unsustainable extension of life. Many other applicants did not make it into final considerations.

That the Australia Council was forced to spread available funding so thinly demonstrates the extremely serious diminution of vital dance infrastructure in this country, evidence that more arts funding is required if dance is to remain a viable industry within the wider cultural sector.

Ausdance National notes the actions taken by the Australian Government and the Australia Council in responding to the impact of COVID-19, and appreciates the challenging circumstances in which they are operating. However, unless funding deficiencies are addressed, implications for the dance sector will be severe, threatening the vibrancy of Australia’s cultural life and posing significant threats to the wellbeing of the many Australians who benefit from the health, connectedness and community economies that dance activities generate.

It is self evident that 2021 will require more than a thinly spread funding strategy in order for the arts and cultural sectors to re-emerge as viable creative industries.

In recognition of the extreme difficulty under which the Australia Council is working, Ausdance calls on the Australian Government to significantly increase the Council’s budget as part of a larger set of arts industry stimulus measures. In the context of the hundreds of billions of dollars being rolled out to sustain the economy and ensure a transition out of the pandemic, this increase would be a small but vital investment in the arts and cultural sectors.

The absence of an arts-specific support package from the Government – called for by all peak arts organisations and supported by Ausdance – reflects a lack of acknowledgement of the importance of the arts and cultural sectors to Australian lives. The sector’s demonstrated contribution to our economy of $111.7 billion (or 6.4% of GDP) is a contribution that will dissipate with an unsustainable loss of arts infrastructure, thereby affecting tourism, community health, arts education, tertiary arts training, a reduction in cultural activities and the world-class performances that make Australian destinations great places to visit.

It is also concerning that Government ministers do not acknowledge gaps in the JobSeeker and JobKeeper packages, particularly as they relate to many casual artists and artsworkers who do not fit the criteria. The reality is that many professional artists are left without the cash flow needed to immediately transition services online and build new income sources. Our COVID-19 impact survey is identifying mental health as a major issue in this environment.

The loss of dance infrastructure over many years is reflected now in the four-year funding outcomes, despite the increase in outputs by the sector. Given artists’ critical contribution to world-class performances, to the creative economy, to community health, well-being and cultural education – all of which help to scaffold Australia’s cultural life – recovery from the COVID-19 crisis will be severely impaired for many of our citizens.

Contact National President Paul Summers on 0417 925 292‬ for further comment.

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At a time when the dance industry is facing some of its biggest challenges in history, Ausdance is collating vital information from dance professionals, businesses, educators and organisations to feed into a national COVID-19 impact study by Australia Council for the Arts.

The Ausdance COVID-19 dance survey is about everyone working in dance, and it’s inclusive of every genre and sector within the industry – choreographers, companies, teachers, studios, academics, community dance artists, company managers and administrators.

We need your data right now to:

• Show evidence of the true economic value of the dance sector to ensure that stimulus packages are sufficient to mitigate the impact of COVID-19;
• Shine a light on the often invisible work of artists and arts workers;
• Provide in-depth and lasting data to assist advocacy bodies, artists, statisticians, policy makers and politicians to make the case for arts support now and into the future.

This Australia Council study will show the economic, social and cultural impact of COVID-19 on the arts sector as a whole. It will also shine the light on the true economic value of the arts in Australia in a way we have never seen before.

Ausdance is part of the Australia Council research working group that comprises Ausdance, PAC Australia, NAVA, I Lost my Gig Australia, Diversity Arts Australia, National Writers Centre Network and MEAA.

The aim of this working group is to provide an accurate representation of the impact of COVID-19 on the arts and cultural sector as a whole, as seen in this Australia Council summary of the work currently being collected and collated.

It is critical to note that we have never seen data collection like this before in the arts, and it is critical that we get as much data as we can right now to allow us to make a case for the arts for years to come. Please contribute by doing the survey urgently and add your voice – dance needs to be heard more than ever before.

For more information please contact project leader Jordin Steele, Ausdance Q'ld Chair.

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The following letter was sent to The Hon Scott Morrison MP, Prime Minister, and The Hon Michael McCormack MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Regional Development, on Thursday 26 March 2020:

Dear Prime Minister, 

At this most debilitating time in Australia’s cultural life, our creative, cultural and entertainment industries require urgent support to ensure that jobs and infrastructure survive to inspire Australians through this crisis – and well beyond.

Our organisations represent the full diversity of Australia’s creative, cultural and entertainment industries. Cultural and creative activity contributes in excess of $110 billion to Australia’s economy each year, employing hundreds of thousands with a high proportion of sole trader contractors, SMEs and casuals. Our audiences, here and around the world number in the millions. Every day, we entertain, educate and inspire.

In the past fortnight, we have seen our self-generated income for the year vanish. Work that has taken years to develop has been lost. Livelihoods are jeopardised. Businesses closed. Whether it’s a bookshop, a gallery, a live music venue, a cinema, a theatre, or dance school, Australia’s cultural life is in tatters.

As each day passes, hundreds of businesses, spaces, venues, productions, events, festivals and cultural outlets close. As each day passes, the likelihood of reopening or restarting diminishes. The scale of loss across the cultural and creative sector is unprecedented – and devastating. Culturally and economically. 

There are also dire impacts on First Nations culture and a great risk to Elders as the source of cultural knowledge and storytelling. As a national priority, we must ensure our First Nations Elders’ safety to prevent loss of cultural knowledge. First Nations Elders are the holders of our Nation’s oldest culture and stories. Without them, we have no future.

Our work relies on gatherings, and national and international touring, both small and large, in remote locations, in regions and in cities. We were the first industry to be hit with announcements of cancellations and closures making front-page news across the country. Our venues and other programs have been closed down by government order, without any industry support. And we will be one of the last able to trade again.

We commend the work of Minister Fletcher in hosting industry-wide roundtables and bringing forward an extraordinary Meeting of Cultural Ministers. We commend the city, state and federal agencies, including the Australia Council, who have already made announcements on adjustments to their funding programs and existing relationships.

We note however that funded organisations comprise a minor segment of the creative, cultural and entertainment industries. Over 90% of our artists, creators and businesses are not in receipt of public funding and are not able to benefit from these measures. Other relief measures already announced which do not adequately address our specific industry conditions include:  

• The PAYG and NFP cashflow relief for businesses requires submitting March activity statements and then awaiting a late April refund, thereby impacting perilously on cashflow at this most critical time. It’s right now that companies are facing closure, and this payment alone will close many businesses permanently;
• Artists and artsworkers with disabilities, Australians stranded overseas, and those whose partner’s or parents’ income exceed too low a threshold, are not eligible to receive extra income support payments, with no extra payments for those eligible available prior to late April;
• Income support payments to job seekers separates arts workers from organisations in ways that wage subsidies would not, dispersing creative teams and imperilling business viability.

Both individually and together, we have taken immediate action to support our industries at this perilous time: 

• We have channelled urgent government information across our networks 
• We have supported people who’ve lost jobs and whose companies are on the brink
• We have surveyed our industries and quantified COVID-19 impacts on jobs and revenue, and have provided these details to the Office for the Arts and the Australia Council for the Arts for coordination on immediate action.

At this time, every single day counts. Each passing day means the permanent closure of another bookshop, regional theatre, gallery, live music venue, production or festival, and with them the knowledge and infrastructures that have been built over many years. The risk for all Australians is that they will never open again. Whole centres, towns and suburbs risk losing any cultural fabric that remains. 

A legacy like this will take a generation to repair.

Targeted stimulus to a value of 2% of the $111.7 billion industry is required, including:

• The protection of First Peoples cultural knowledge with targeted support for all impacted First Nations artists and organisations, who employ the most COVID-19-vulnerable people in our country   
• $1.5bn in cash injection payments to affected businesses across all sectors so that they can retain staff, adapt programs including through the use of technologies, and redevelop audiences – ensuring that businesses do not lose permanently; importantly, these stimulus payments will allow professional membership bodies to pay affected artists directly and efficiently  
• $180m for the Australia Council to boost capacity by supporting organisations who are funded specifically for their industry development work
• Rent relief and security for lease holders in both government-owned and private tenancies
• Wage subsidies that retain people in their workplace, better positioning organisations to successfully rebuild, and in turn ensuring livelihoods aren’t permanently lost
• Review and broaden the eligibility requirements for income support payments to ensure that, where wage subsidies are not available, support can be accessed by all sole traders and SMEs
• Enhanced tax incentives to motivate private giving and investment in artworks and industry development 
• Permanently remove the Efficiency Dividend, which is punitively compounding the damage to national and state cultural organisations
• $30m towards the Regional Arts Fund to ensure long-term recovery that inspires regional culture and drives regional livelihoods
• $40m investment in Support Act and the Artists’ Benevolent Fund to urgently redress the mental health crisis, noting that tragedies have already occured
• On industry advice, creating well-designed long-term stimulus measures to avoid industry collapse and inspire innovation – including an impactful public campaign to rebuild confidence.

As an immediate step towards strengthening industry confidence, we encourage you to issue a public statement recognising the value of our industry to all Australians, and the debilitating impacts of COVID-19 on the arts, cultural and entertainment industries and the creative sector as a whole. This message would affirm your commitment to the livelihoods and the infrastructure that inspires the nation. It would also be welcomed by the many industries whose work is dependent on our success, including hospitality and tourism – especially regionally, given all of these interdependent industries are yet to recover from the impacts of summer’s fires, floods and storms. 

Australia needs our creative, cultural and entertainment industries to be ready for reactivation as the nation emerges from COVID-19. We urge you to act now to secure the future of Australia’s cultural life. 

Sincerely,

Aboriginal Art Centre Hub of Western Australia
ACT Natimuk
aestheticalliance
All Conference
All The Queen's Men
Alstonville Dance Studio (Northern Rivers NSW)
APHIDS
APRA AMCOS
Art Association of Australia and New Zealand
Art on the Move
Artback NT
artisan
Artists’ Benevolent Fund
Arts Access Australia
Arts Industry Council of SA
Arts Industry Council of Victoria
Arts Law Centre of Australia
Arts Mid North Coast
Arts Mildura
Arts North West
ArtsHub.com.au
Artsource
Asialink Arts
Association of Artist Managers
Ausdance National and Ausdance network
Ausdance Queensland
Australian Craft and Design Centres
Australian Design Centre
Australian Festivals Association
Australian Independent Record Labels Association
Australian Library and Information Association
Australian Major Performing Arts Group
Australian Museums & Galleries Association
Australian Music Centre
Australian Music Industry Network
Australian Network for Art and Technology
Australian Print Workshop
Australian Record Industry Association (ARIA)
Australian Society of Authors
BlakDance
Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative
Brisbane Writers Festival
Canberra Glassworks
Central Craft
Collingwood Yards
Craft Victoria
Creative Recovery Network
CrewCare
Critical Stages Touring
Dance Integrated Australia
Design Tasmania
Diversity Arts Australia
Electronic Music Conference
Flying Arts Alliance
Footscray Community Arts Centre
Freeplay Independent Games Festival
GalleriesWest
Guildhouse
Halcyon
Hyphenated Projects
Ilbijerri
Incite Arts, Alice Springs
JamFactory Contemporary Craft and Design
Ku Arts
Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery
Lemony S Puppet Theatre
Live Music Office
Live Performance Australia
Melbourne Art Review
Melbourne Fringe
Moogahlin Performing Arts
Moorambilla Voices
Morning Belle
Music ACT
Music Australia
Music NSW
Music NT
Music SA
Music Tasmania
Music Victoria
National Advocates for Arts Education
National Association for the Visual Arts
National Writers Centre Network
NorthSite Contemporary Arts
Performing Arts Connections Australia
Phonographic Performance Company of Australia (PPCA)
Playwriting Australia
Public Galleries Queensland
Punctum
pvi collective
QMusic
Raspberry Ripple Productions
Regional Arts Australia
Regional Arts WA
Samstag Museum of Art
Screen Producers Australia
Select Music Agency
SLAM (Save Live Australia's Music)
Sounds Australia
SupportAct
Sydney Arts Management Advisory Group
Tactile Arts
Tasdance
Tasmania Performs
The Childers Group
Theatre Network Australia
University Art Museums Australia (UAMA)
Victorian Music Development Office
Vitalstatistix
WAM Western Australia Music
Women's Art Register
Writers SA
Writing NSW
Writing WA
Yirra Yaakin

CC   
The Hon Josh Frydenberg MP, Treasurer
Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann, Minister for Finance
The Hon Paul Fletcher MP, Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts
The Hon Anthony Albanese MP, Leader of the Opposition
The Hon Jim Chalmers MP, Shadow Treasurer
Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher MP, Shadow Minister for Finance
The Hon Tony Burke MP, Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations and the Arts

Mr Gordon Ramsay MLA, Minister for the Arts, ACT
The Hon Leeanne Enoch MP, Minister for the Arts, QLD
The Hon Don Harwin MLC, Minister for the Public Service and Employee Relations, Aboriginal Affairs, and the Arts, NSW
The Hon Lauren Moss, Minister for the Arts, NT
The Hon Steven Marshall MP, Premier, Minister for the Arts, SA
The Hon Elise Archer MP, Minister for the Arts, TAS
Mr Martin Foley MP, Minister for Creative Industries, VIC
The Hon David Templeman MLA, Minister for Local Government, Heritage, Culture and the Arts, WA

The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Adelaide, Sandy Verschoor
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Darwin, Kon Vatsakalis
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Hobart, Anna Reynolds
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Nuatali Nelmes
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Parramatta, Bob Dwyer
The Chair Commissioner of Perth, Andrew Hammond
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Sydney, Clover Moore
The Rt Hon the Lord Mayor of Wollongong, Gordon Bradbery

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In what has quickly become a major crisis, we are very aware of the enormity of the impact of COVID-19 on the dance sector as artists, teachers, choreographers and company directors.

We assure you that we are working with our colleagues across the arts sector to bring you the best information, but most importantly, to be a voice for dance at all political levels.

Your Ausdance network is working closely with local dance artists and organisations to advocate on your behalf, to facilitate online network meetings where possible, and to provide information about State/Territory government regulations as they change from day to day. However, many of us are now only working in a voluntary capacity, so we hope you will understand when immediate responses aren’t always possible, as many of us are depending on social media to communicate.

As you know, Ausdance National members voted last year to continue supporting the national body. We have a strong and active board whose members are in constant contact with one another, providing great advice as they engage with the dance community across Australia. We are also in constant conversation with our major arts sector colleagues, and Ausdance network leaders.

Dance studios: While acknowledging the extreme hardship this will cause, Ausdance notes the directive from the Federal government and the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee in relation to the temporary closure of non-essential businesses which has included gyms and indoor sports facilities. Ausdance recommends therefore, on the basis of common sense, that all dance teaching and rehearsal studios close temporarily until further notice, effective immediately.

Here are some of the advocacy actions Ausdance National is currently undertaking with the Ausdance network:

• We issued a statement in support of the dance sector last Friday, and invite you to share it with your colleagues. It especially notes the plight of independent artists and sole traders.
• We are urgently surveying the whole dance sector to enable us to take the direct impact of COVID-19 on your practice to our political decision makers. This survey was initiated by Ausdance Qld with support from Ausdance National, and we urge you to complete it as soon as possible so that we can continue with the important analysis. COVID-19: Dance Sector Survey.
• We have been invited by the Opposition Arts spokesperson, Tony Burke MP, to join a peak body roundtable teleconference at which we will present the earliest survey results. We are also included the the weekly teleconference between the federal Arts Department, the Australia Council and peak arts bodies, and the regular NAVA conferences, representing dance.
• Earliest analysis of the survey indicates major issues with mental health, so we will advocate for greater resources to support our sector, as well as for loosening of criteria for access to new financial packages.
• We have had a very positive response to our statement from Senator Sarah Hanson-Young who is pushing for a targeted package for arts and creative industries. Our statement has also been shared with Arts Minister Paul Fletcher and his advisor Kristine Kaukomaa.
• We are keeping our social media communication up to date, and invite you to ‘like’ our FB page and share widely.
• We’ve had a teleconference with insurance company Aon about what we need to communicate to our members. See our insurance information, and please consider Aon as your primary insurer, as we are ensuring the best dance cover possible, both for companies and individuals. There is also a 10% discount for Ausdance members - you can call the Ausdance-dedicated team from across Australia on 1800 806 584.
• Ausdance Qld has developed a template (which can be modified to suit specific State requirements) to stand down employees. This means that the 'employer relationship' is retained and gives the employee long term intention, but complies with the law in relation to a temporary stand-down. The document has been created for us (including, importantly the disclaimer) by Lindsay Carroll, Legal Practice Director of the National Retailers' Association. A link will be available shortly.
• Online teaching resource: Dr Katrina Rank, education & training officer with Ausdance Victoria, is developing an online teaching resource which will be shared across the network.

Here are some of the most useful documents and advice available to date:

• Wellbeing Helpline
• Arts Law Centre of Australia: COVID-19 FAQs for artists
• Department of Treasury: Economic assistance for businesses
• Centrelink information - COVID-19 financial package
• Arts Minister’s media release: Cultural and Creative Sector and COVID-19
• Australia Council - COVID-19 response
• Those who enrich our lives need our help now: Melbourne Age editorial, 20 March 2020.
• NAVA: Industry Advisory Note: COVID-19 Response

What can we do to support you and your practice further? Please email Julie Dyson if you’d like to let us know about your situation. In the meantime, please fill in our COVID-19: Dance Sector Survey.

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 Notice for Special General Meeting

Notice is given that a Special General Meeting of the members of Australian Dance Council – Ausdance Incorporated (Registration No. A1694) will be held on Wednesday 4 December 2019 at 11am EDST via Video/Teleconference.

The full Notice agenda and papers (including log-on details for the Video/Teleconference facilities) will be distributed to:

Honorary Life Members, current Dance Company Member organisations, and current Tertiary Dance Council of Australia (TDCA) Member organisations. Individual Members – by the respective State Ausdance Offices to their current membership on Monday 4th November 2019.

If you have any questions regarding this Notice for Special General Meeting, please email – [email protected]

Ausdance National Council.

04/11/19 

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MONDAY 5 AUGUST 2019

Ausdance National announces its closure

Ausdance National regrettably announces it will be winding up the association. The impact of shrinking government funding for the organisation, has resulted in dwindling reserves and severely limited resources. Despite significant fundraising efforts and organisational restructuring, Australia’s national advocate for the dance sector could not secure sustainable financial support.

The announcement comes the week of the 2019 National Dance Forum (NDF) being presented by Ausdance National in partnership with Tracks Dance Company in Darwin.

The theme of this year’s NDF is ‘Home – dance of place, disruption and belonging.’

For over forty-two years, Ausdance National has been ‘home’ for the dance sector through its delivery of high-level advocacy, industry development initiatives, publications, conferences, and the Australian Dance Awards.

Ausdance National has been a key dance advocate, addressing issues and fighting for increased resources to support the dance sector in Australia. Importantly, it has created a sense of belonging for extraordinary dance artists, creators, educators and dance lovers.

“The dance sector in Australia has experienced significant disruption and change, in part due to shifts in funding and the lack of a comprehensive arts and cultural policy. Despite the best efforts of the Board, staff members and volunteers, regrettably Ausdance National will take its final bow at the 2019 National Dance Forum and commence the process of winding up.” said, Professor Gene Moyle, Ausdance National President.

“This announcement does not impact on Ausdance National’s commitment to the 2019 National Dance Forum. We are particularly proud of this year’s Forum with its strong regional voice and powerful Indigenous content.” continued Prof. Moyle.

The Ausdance network, of which Ausdance National was just one part, continues on with Ausdance ACT, Ausdance NSW, Ausdance QLD, Ausdance SA, Ausdance VIC and Ausdance WA. They work independently and collectively on key areas and programs. They provide advocacy, advice and services and deliver a diverse range of projects that specifically address the needs of their state’s dance sector.

“With the demise of Ausdance National, the state-based organisations become even more essential to the health of the Australian dance sector. State governments need to remain committed to supporting these organisations if they are to see the benefits dance delivers to community wellbeing, social, cultural and economic development.” said Prof. Moyle.

Ausdance National was one of the 65 arts organisations that lost its operational funding in 2016 following the ‘raid’ on the Australia Council for the Arts by then Arts Minister Senator Brandis. Known as the ‘Black Friday’ cuts, Ausdance National responded by appointing a skills-based board in March 2017. The Board restructured the organisation’s operational model, rebranded and repositioned the association in collaboration with its national network, explored alternate revenue streams, continued to deliver key sector initiatives such as the Australian Dance Awards, National Dance Forums and Safe Dance Project IV, whilst persisting with national advocacy for dance and the performing arts sector in partnership with other peak bodies.

Ausdance National acknowledges the vital support of partners such as AON and Harlequin Floors, benefactors and members as well as long-time supporters that have graciously volunteered time and expertise. Unfortunately, this is not enough to sustain operations into the future. The Dance sector itself does not have the capacity to fund its own advocacy body and the new structure of the grants program at the Australia Council for the Arts means that Ausdance National is required to compete against its members and constituents for funding.

With the final curtain call now approaching for Ausdance National, who will nationally advocate for the artform of dance?

The National Dance Forum provides an opportunity for the dance sector to network, share and expand knowledge, and engage in discussion on the inherent concerns impacting dance practice in Australia. In the spirit of Ausdance National’s legacy, the 2019 NDF, supported by Arts NT, will facilitate debate and discussion about the best way forward to support the dance sector in Australia.

Ends – Media enquires:

Professor Gene Moyle, President, Ausdance National, [email protected], 0411640012 or
Annette Carmichael, Vice President, Ausdance National, 0438 922 934, [email protected].

Ausdance National Key Achievements

• Administered the Australian Dance Awards, produced by the network over 21 years recognising, celebrating and honoring dance artists and industry professionals who havemade outstanding contributions to the sector.
   
• Facilitated Treading Pathways which led to the creation of BlakDance, a national advocate for Indigenous dance artists and small to medium dance companies.
   
• Led ongoing analysis/advocacy for the independent and small-to-medium sectors at the highest political levels, resulting in a partnership with Australia Council for the Arts that led to injection of $19M new funds into small to medium sector. 
   
• Initiated the Tertiary Dance Council of Australia and Artistic Directors/Dance Managers meetings promoting sector collaboration.
   
• Initiated SCOPE for Artists, a partnership with the Australian Sports Commission/Australia Council for the Arts that supported dancers’ career transition and delivered significant research outcomes.
   
• Successfully advocated for dance to be a stand-alone subject in the Australian Curriculum: The Arts.
   
• Initiated Safe Dance research leading to the Australian Guidelines for Teaching Dance.
   
• Co-founded National Advocates for Arts Education.
   
• Participated in LPA’s working party on Education and Training for the prevention of Discrimination, Harassment, Sexual Harassment and Bullying.
   
• Presented the National Dance Forum as a bi-annual industry platform that aims to build networks and discuss current issues and trends to promote and advance the sector

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2019 National Dance Forum

We are thrilled to be working in partnership with Tracks to deliver the 2019 National Dance Forum as part of the Darwin Festival.  Attending the Forum provides an opportunity for the dance sector to network; share and expand knowledge; see diversity of practice; learn from other artists, and engage and be aware of what is happening in the Australian dance scene.

It is with pleasure we release the program details for the upcoming National Dance Forum, to be held in Darwin on 9 & 10 August 2019. The forum features a range of presenters featuring dance practitioners from the Northern Territory and around Australia with keynote presentations by Dr Nicholas Rowe, Marilyn Miller and Thomas Mayor.  Book tickets here.  

We would like to extend thanks and acknowledge the curatorial panel Annette Carmichael, Rachael Wallis, David McMicken, Tim Newth and Avril Huddy and Tracks for their contribution in developing the program.  For information about the rationale, read a message from Annette Carmichael, Chair of the 2019 National Dance Forum Curatorial Panel. 

Building Momentum Support Ausdance National – Give Now

Ausdance has a unique place in the Australian dance ecology, and we are reaching as we approach the end of the financial year to ask for support. We have much to celebrate and look forward to! In partnership with Track Dance Company, Ausdance National will present the 2019 National Dance Forum to bring together the professional dance sector to share, collaborate and celebrate in Darwin in August. 

Together with our ongoing national and international advocacy for the sector and our support of the national network, Ausdance National continues to play a critical role, despite reduced resources. Vital, tax-deductible donations will help to enable us to continue our important work on the sector’s behalf. Please consider donating at this critical time for Ausdance National. All donations are tax deductible, and you can donate easily via GiveNow

Opportunities 

‘Home – dance of place, disruption and belonging. 2019 National Dance Forum 

Forum partners Ausdance National and Tracks Dance Company will present the fifth National Dance Forum (NDF2019) from 9–10 August 2019 in Darwin, Northern Territory. The two-day forum will provide the national dance community with an opportunity to gather in the unique setting of Darwin and coincides with the opening weekend of the Darwin Festival. For more information and to book your tickets here>>   

Expressions of Interest for the 2020 Keir Choreographic Award now open. 

The Keir Choreographic Award (KCA) is a national biennial award dedicated to commissioning new Australian choreographic short works and promoting innovative, experimental and cross-artform practices in contemporary dance across Australia and internationally. The Keir Choreographic Award aims to expand the profile and debate around choreographic practice in Australia. One of Australia’s most prestigious choreographic awards, the recipient of the KCA will receive $50,000. Professional artists with an established practice are encouraged to apply by 14 July 2019. The Keir Choreographic Award jury will assess the applications, and eight short-listed works will be provided with commissioning funds to realise their idea in March 2020. Presented by Carriageworks, Dancehouse, The Keir Foundation and the Australia Council for the Arts. Applications Close 14th July and for more information about how to apply click here >>

Work with Lucy Guerin Inc: Executive Producer

Here is a rare opportunity to join one of Australia’s leading contemporary dance companies in the influential role of Executive Producer. Lucy Guerin Inc (LGI) engages in an inspiring and innovative exploration of contemporary dance that resonates within Australian culture and the wider global community. The Executive Producer works closely with the Artistic Director, Board, staff, choreographers and dancers of LGI across all aspects of the organisation’s creative output and business operations To apply, please email an Expression of Interest and cover letter addressing the selection criteria in the Position Description, the names of two referees and a current CV. 

Applications close 9th July. Download the full job description here>>>

PAC Australia Performing Arts Exchange and Conference, 26th– 29th August, The Events Centre, Caloundra QLD

Focusing on the fundamentals of audience development, PAC Australia's 33rd annual conference will provide you with the best ideas, tools, mechanisms and information to maximise outcomes and quite simply, make it easier to succeed. Together with the Performing Arts Exchange [PAX] this is an unmissable opportunity for artists, producers, marketers, programmers and presenters to connect, create, build touring opportunities and cultivate audiences. Learn about why people do and don't come to your events, listen to global arts leaders at the top of their game and discover how to find the people who will meet you in the spaces where the amazing stuff happens. For more information and register click here>>

Shaping Bodies, Shaping Minds

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Australia has announced it will host its third international conference Shaping Bodies, Shaping Minds 18 – 19 January 2020. Following the success of two previous conferences in Sydney in 2016 and Brisbane 2018, the Academy’s third conference will also trigger a global year of celebrations marking 100 years of the Royal Academy of Dance. 

Call for contributions now open until 30 June 2019. For more information click here>> 

Performances

Bangarra Dance Theatre 

Bangarra: 30 years of sixty five thousand is Bangarra Dance Theatre’s landmark 30th anniversary season. This diverse program of three contemporary works displays the passionate storytelling, rich artistry and deep community connections that have made Bangarra the premier Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company in Australia. Frances Rings’ Unaiponis an absorbing portrait of the great Aboriginal inventor, philosopher, writer and storyteller, Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon, who features on the Australian $50 note. Stamping Ground was created by Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián as a homage to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures. Curated by Artistic Director Stephen Page, to make fire highlights the breadth, power and beauty of Bangarra’s creations over three decades. With roots in the world’s oldest continuing culture, Bangarra: 30 years of sixty five thousand carries the spirit of Bangarra into its fourth decade, promising many more years of deeply moving and authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories. Touring across Australia from June – Oct. For more information and bookings click here>>

THE DINNER PARTY – Expressions Dance Company, Touring NT in July  

An elegant dinner party hosted by an influential young man for his manipulative guests is thrown into turmoil when power meets greed, ambition and jealousy. As the evening wears on The Dinner Party exposes society’s insatiable desire for control and status and the power-play between the guests intensifies as the accusations start to fly. Who really holds the power at this sophisticated table? And who will be in control by the time coffee is served? Premiering to extraordinary reviews in Brisbane in 2015, The Dinner Party (former title The Host), is gripping contemporary dance theatre from Queensland’s award-winning Expressions Dance Company. Bookings here >>

Youth Dance 

The Australian Youth Dance Festival Revolutions Per Minute brings together youth dance companies from around the world for two nights of gala performances at the Meat Market in Melbourne. The exceptional and diverse line-up of companies performing includes Rutherford Dance Company Youth (UK), YDance (Scottish Youth Dance) - National Youth Dance Company of Scotland and Dansebryggeriet (Denmark) in collaboration with Hurja Piruetti, (Finland) as well as Australia’s leading youth dance companies. Wednesday 10 & Thursday 11 July. Book your ticket here>> 

Sydney Dance Company school holiday workshops

This July, Sydney Dance Company are presenting 15 workshops for ages 5-18 in five locations across Sydney.  The school holiday workshops provide an exciting and focused environment for young people to improve their dance technique and learn new routines under the direction of professional teachers and choreographers – many have performed with The Australian Ballet, Sydney Dance Company and have appeared in TV shows such as So You Think You Can Dance. Workshops at Ultimo, Penrith, Pennant Hills, and Alexandria include Beginner Dance, Contemporary, Lyrical, Hip Hop, Theatre Jazz, JFH, Boys Only Hip Hop, and a new Winter Intensive program. For the first time, Sydney Dance Company are coming to Menai with a Pre-Professional Year Masterclass where dancers can learn Sydney Dance Company repertoire and more.

Phone: 02 9258 4818 Location: Sydney Dance Company studios (Ultimo), Alexandria, Menai, Pennant Hills, Penrith. Click here for more info >> 

Information and resources

Collaborating with Regional Communities

Regional Arts Australia promotes culture and creativity that enriches lives and nurtures pride, resilience, empowerment, connectivity and healing in communities.

Regional Arts Australia recently released a new publication, Collaborating with Regional Communities: guidelines and tools for regional arts and cultural engagement. The publication includes guidelines and tools to assist those working in regional communities achieve a more rewarding level of involvement in cultural activities. 

Download the guidelines here >>    

National Advocates for Arts Education 

To celebrate its 30th birthday, National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) launched its new website. NAAE advocate for ‘The Arts’, a key learning area in the Australian Curriculum, which contains the five discrete subjects: Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music and Visual Arts. As the recognised peak association in the arts learning and professional development area, it provides a united voice for arts education through policy advice and support for decision makers. NAAE work with government agencies, teachers, schools and tertiary institutions. NAAE has recently revised its seminal publication  More than words can say: a view of literacy through the arts. This collection of papers defines what is meant by ‘literacy’ in each of the art forms: dance, drama, media, music, visual art and design. The collection will stimulate discussion and raise awareness of the potential for the arts to enhance learning across the curriculum. Download a copy here>>  

Mr Willoughby 

Athol Willoughby OAM, has had a long and distinguished career as one of Australia’s leading ballet dancers and teachers, connecting him with significant developments in mid-century Australian ballet and with major figures such as Walter Gore and Valrene Tweedie, and as an adjudicator and examiner for Cecchetti Ballet Australia. Running Man Australia has recently released an interview with Athol download it on Vimeo here>>

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National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE)

Report by Julie Dyson, Chair

The NAAE met in Sydney for its Annual General Meeting on Monday 29 April, where I formally stepped down as Chair as from 1 January 2020.

The Chair-elect is John Nicholas Saunders, the Drama Australia representative on NAAE, an experienced teacher and now Director of Education & Community Partnerships at Sydney Theatre Company. John will be an excellent Chair, and at NAAE’s request, I will continue to work with him as Immediate Past Chair in the coming years. Read on >> 

It has been a great privilege to chair the NAAE for the past two decades, especially during the period of intense advocacy and successful lobbying for the inclusion of five art forms in the Australian Curriculum: The Arts. 

Dance now stands alone as a separate subject in the curriculum from F–10, and the work of the two Ausdance National reps on the committee, Dr Jeff Meiners and Sue Fox, has been central to this success. Their knowledge, skills and advocacy have ensured that Dance is now recognised throughout Australia as being worthy of study in the curriculum, along with all other subjects.

To celebrate its 30thbirthday, NAAE is also preparing to launch its new website during UNESCO’s International Arts Education Week at the end of May, along with the 2019 revised edition of our seminal publication More Than Words Can Say – a view of literacy through the arts. 

First published in 1998, the writers in this edition – including Ralph Buck in his chapter, The Language of Dance – continue to advocate for arts literacy to stand alongside other more traditional forms of literacy as an important part of student learning. As Margaret Barrett says in her Music chapter: 

In developing students’ capacity to participate fully in the life of work and the work of life, it is essential that we foster students’ skills, knowledge and understanding in the languages of all art forms.

NAAE will announce plans for the launch of its new website and More Than Words Can Sayin the coming weeks. 

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March Update

It is a very busy time with an abundance of vibrant dance activity across the country on offer this month. With a range of festivals and events reflecting the diversity of independent practice, the vibrancy of our companies, the celebration of milestones, legacies, and a variety of dance forms.   

Ausdance National is very grateful for the support is has recently received and for more information behind the cancellation of the 2019 Australian Dance Awards, please click here. Please help us to support Australian dance by giving to our Building Momentum fundraising campaign here.  

The Ausdance National AGM will be held in Melbourne, Friday 15 March, 10 - 11 am to rsvp email [email protected] and or more information click here. 

Advocacy

It is imperative that Ausdance National focuses on building momentum and securing on-going financial support.  Without this, the dance sector will lose an essential national voice to lobby for increased sector support and investment and policy.    

Ausdance National is currently working with other key peak performing arts organisations and calling for a secure future and a vibrant creative vision for Australia. Read more

Ausdance National is currently working with other key peak performing arts organisations and calling for a secure future and a vibrant creative vision for Australia. 

2019 Federal Election

Ausdance National is working with key peak performing arts and calling for all sides of politics: 

 

• To support the development of a National Indigenous Arts and Cultural Authority.  
• To restore the full amounts of money diverted from the Australia Council in 2014 and 2015.  
• To secure additional committed government support to rebuild stability of the Arts sector through investment in grants, national touring, strategic initiatives and organisations and a new fund to support the development of new major Australian works.  
• Advance the interconnections between the arts and other portfolios for better public policy outcomes including:
  • Arts in Education (STEAM)
  • Arts & Health
  • Regional resilience and development 
  • Arts and Cultural Tourism
  • Federal/State/Local Government Compact
  • Creative industries and economic development

The organisations that we are working include:

Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG)
Ausdance National
BlakDance
Live Performance Australia
Music Australia
Performing Arts Connections Australia
Regional Arts Australia
Symphony Services Australia
Theatre Network Australia

 

Opportunities 

Save the Date

HOME - National Dance Forum
Dance of place, disruption and belonging Discussions / Workshops / Debate

National Dance Forum 2019, presented by Ausdance National, Darwin, 9 – 10 August. We are thrilled to be presenting the National Dance Forum with Tracks Dance Company and more information and a call for contributions will be announced in the coming weeks. 

Call for Abstracts

ASPAH 2019 Conference, 30 November to 1 December 2019

Lasting the distance – A lifetime in the performing arts will be held at Melbourne Arts Centre. Keynote speaker this year is Dr Sue Mayes, Principal Physiotherapist of The Australian Ballet since 1997. She is the Director of the company’s world-leading Artistic Health Team and treats the diverse injuries of the professional ballet dancer and other elite athletes. Submissions are invited for papers and workshops addressing issues of injury management and prevention, psychological wellbeing, preparation, education, and support both on and off the stage in the performing arts.
Read on >> 

Call for  Contributions

Royal Academy of Dance Conference – Shaping Bodies, Shaping Minds

Marking the first in a series of events celebrating the Academy's centenary, the Faculty of Education invites contributions for RADAustralia’s next international conference to be held in Melbourne, 18-19 January 2020. 

With a focus on innovations, provocations and insights into the role of dance education, training and interdisciplinary engagement in the shaping of bodies and minds to meet diverse and often challenging dance landscapes, we are looking for contributions which address Shaping Bodies, Shaping Minds themes. We are seeking contributions in the form of lectures, research presentations, practical demonstrations and panel discussions and encourage expressions of interest from Early Career Researchers and postgraduate students wishing to present their work in a supportive environment. 
Read on >>

Performances 

There is an array of performances taking place across the country in March providing opportunities for artists and collectives such as Phluxus2 Dance Collective to build a three-state tour of their newest work, angel-monster touring to Sydney, Canberra and Brisbane.  Read more 

While the Adelaide Festival features international and Australian artists and companies. Zizanie is an exciting new work for all ages created by Australian dance icon, Meryl Tankard for Adelaide’s own Restless Dance Theatre, celebrates the beauty in difference and reminds us of Grayson Perry’s inimitable words that “weeds are just flowers in the wrong garden.” 
Read on >>

March Dance, Sydney, 1 – 31 March: 94 dance events in 31 days. 

Taking place for the first time in 2019 March Dance will bring together the diversity of ongoing independent dance practice in Sydney; opening these activities to a wide audience.  

March Dance will see 96 artists and 15 organisations in Sydney presenting new dance works, engaging in workshops, dance classes, residencies, sharings, screenings, forums and talks throughout the entire month. Showcasing the dynamic ongoing work of dance artists and organisations and in a range of spaces and contexts.
Read on  >>

Dance Massive,  Melbourne 12 – 24 March

People from across the planet come together to explore the future of Australian dance every two years, and that time is now. A consortium of three core organisations presents dance Massive – Arts House, Dancehouse and Malthouse – which has been building the festival’s reputation and impact, diversified the types of works presented and grown enthusiastic and informed audiences while maintaining a boutique and friendly festival dynamic.
Read on >>

The Bold Festival, Canberra, 13 – 17 March  

The BOLD Festival draws on the legacies of our cultural elders, celebrates the changes that come with age. The Festival is unique in Australia and provides a platform for the work of older and still practising artists to celebrate their longevity and the health impacts of dance and creativity. BOLD also celebrates the cross-generational exchange of ideas and experiences and how cultural legacies inspire emerging artists. Read more. 
Read on >> 

Sydney Dance Company, 26 March – 13 April

Sydney Dance Company’s 50th Anniversary bursts into life with a formidable triple bill from Rafael Bonachela, Gabrielle Nankivell and Melanie Lane, each having carved their own unique style, pushing at the possibilities of movement. In a season premiering in Sydney before touring nationally, audiences will see three thrilling works share the one stage for the first time.
Read on >> 

Supercell, Festival of Contemporary Dance, Brisbane 30 March -  7 April 

Supercell Festival of Contemporary Dance is a celebration of people and place through vibrant and exquisite contemporary dance. A program, full of colour and dynamic dance from innovative local, national and international artists. 
Read on >>

 

Arts Education 

NAAE - Update by Julie Dyson 

The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) celebrates its 30thanniversary this year and has adopted a five-point strategy for future action. 

Founded in 1989 by representatives of five national peak arts organisations, it has achieved significant progress in the fields of dance, drama, music, media arts and visual arts education. In particular, it secured the inclusion of the arts as a mandatory part of the current national curriculum for schools. For dance, this has been an extraordinary step forward, bringing the subject into line with all other art forms in the curriculum.

NAAE has also consulted widely with federal and state Ministers and MPs, made submissions, produced publications, position papers and arts curriculum for the Early Years Learning Framework, as well as being consultants in the ACARA processes of producing The Australian Curriculum: The Arts.

To mark its significant milestone, NAAE met in Sydney recently to develop a new strategic plan that would provide leadership in advocating for the arts in education and continue its active support for arts educators across Australia.

Five strategies for action:

• Advocacy: NAAE will continue to advise and meet with federal decision makers to improve arts curriculum at all levels of education. It also will make submissions to parliamentary inquiries and curriculum reviews.
• Research: NAAE will work with research partners on issues such as creativity, curriculum policy, implementation and evaluation, PISA rankings etc.
• Collaboration: NAAE will build on its strength in collaborating with other key organisations such as ACARA, Australian Primary Principals’ Association, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, Australian Council for Deans of Education, Australian Alliance of Associations in Educationand the Australia Council to achieve positive outcomes for arts education.
• Communication: NAAE’s new website will be a communication hub that will encourage sector engagement with NAAE’s actions, publications, media releases, current research, case studies of exemplary practice in arts education and its archives.
• Governance: NAAE is revising its constitution to bring it up to date with current practice.

Reflections

In the past few weeks, we have seen the passing of leading dance educators that have made significant contributions to the Australian dance landscape.

Dr Warren Lett, by Julie Dyson

Dr Warren Lett, a founding member of the Australian Association for Dance Education (AADE, now Ausdance), has died in Melbourne at the age of 84.

Warren’s role in establishing Ausdance was as a dance educator, who, along with his friends Shirley McKechnie AO and Dame Peggy van Praagh, recognised the vital links between dance education and dance practice during the four University of New England Summer Schools of Dance between 1967 and 1976. The seeds of the AADE were first sown at these summer schools, where Warren, Shirley and Keith Bain were members of the faculty, and Dame Peggy presided over some of the celebrated choreographic workshops. During this decade, Warren also led the Victorian component of the National Inquiry into Arts in Education, sponsored by the Australia Council. Read more 

At AADE’s inaugural conference in 1977, Warren presented a paper on dance education in Australia entitled Major Issues, where he canvassed ideas such as the need to find a ‘new articulation of dance to the broader community’. Other issues included finding and acknowledging innovation in dance, the further education of dancers and dance teachers, dancers’ transition, defining the role of performing arts companies, and the need to ensure the diversity of dance in schools. All of these became core goals of AADE, central to the organisation’s political advocacy and its representation to decision makers.

In his Editor’s Note in the 1977 conference papers, Warren reported that ‘At the time of printing (March 1978) the AADE is alive and flourishing with a National Committee and a Committee in every State and Territory of the country, with a general membership of approximately 600.’ As the first National President, Warren had contributed significantly to this impressive early progress.

Warren later became a very influential President of AADE Victoria from 1984–1990. In his 1987 introduction to the 10th-anniversary edition of Kinesis(the Victorian newsletter), Warren wrote that ‘The AADE has achieved a national dance network which is unique in its vision and representation, and outstanding for its commitment and hard work’. He was a strong advocate for keeping the word ‘education’ in the organisation’s name when it changed to Ausdance in 1992 because he considered education in its broadest sense as its core business. However, he did eventually accept the name change to Ausdance (suggested by Keith Bain).

Warren had a 25-year career at La Trobe University from 1971-1996, where he became Dean of Education and introduced the graduate counsellor training program for counsellors and counselling psychologists. He worked as a counsellor in private practice, as a consultant to organisations, and was a Director of the Melbourne Institute for Experiential and Creative Arts Therapy (MIECAT). 

Warren’sresearch output was enormous and included a seminal paper presented at the 1982 AADE conference, Dance in Schools and Communities: The Inescapable Connection, which neatly summed up many of his earlier observations and his dance education research. He also produced a book called How the Arts Make a Difference in Therapy, published by Ausdance Victoria in 1993.

The links between teaching, training, research, writing, counselling practice and innovation was always a feature of Warren’s professional work, and his lifelong vision and commitment to dance and dance education will be a permanent legacy.

Dame Margaret Scott AC, DBE, OBE, was the founding director of The Australian Ballet School. Maggie, as she preferred to be known, steered the development of the School from 1964, with the arrival of the first intake of students, until 1990. The Australian Ballet and The Australian Ballet School will be farewelling Dame Margaret at a memorial at 12 pm, Friday 15 March, at Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre.  A number of speakers – including Graeme Murphy, Marilyn Rowe, David McAllister, Lisa Pavane and Colin Peasley – will pay tribute to Dame Margaret; there will also be short performances by the company and the school.

Over 27 years she planned curriculum, auditioned students, selected teachers, agonised over student welfare, encouraged emerging choreographers, and thrived on what she called “creative change”. 
Read on >>

Prudence Bowen - Former RAD examiner, registered teacher and the life member
Prue was a dedicated and gifted teacher who trained RAD students for many years through her well-known schools Ecole Classique School of Classical Ballet and Atelier Australia. She has greatly contributed to the Royal Academy of Dance and to dance, both in Australia and internationally.
Read on >>  

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