Dame Peggy van Praagh was the founding artistic director of The Australian Ballet (1962). She dedicated much of her career to fostering young Australian choreographers in ballet and contemporary dance.
The award of the next fellowship has been temporarily postponed, but there will be a widely advertised application process. Potential applicants are advised to check this website for further updates.
Key information
Fellowship amount: $5,000 – $10,000
For: Mid-career choreographers (35 years and over)
Purpose: Supporting choreographic development that advances the profession
Applications close: To be announced.
When nominations are called for, email your application to Ausdance National with ‘PvP Fellowship’ in the subject line.
Your application
We will be inviting eligible choreographers who can demonstrate the value of the fellowship to their own choreographic development, practice or career to submit an expression of interest.
Your fellowship activities should be completed within two years of the application date. The fellowship will not necessarily contribute to a performance, but you must produce a public outcome of some description (read reports from previous Fellows for suggestions).
There is no formal application form, but as concisely as possible (in two pages or less), the panel will need to know:
- who you are
- what you want to do
- how you are going to do it
- how you think this work will advance the profession
- what your public outcome will be.
Fellowship applicants must:
- have a body of work valued and recognised by peers, in either ballet or contemporary dance
- be 35 years or over with at least 10 years’ professional experience working as a choreographer
- be an Australian citizen or resident and an Ausdance member
- provide a CV and two written references.
Fellowship recipients
Previous recipients are Alisdair Macindoe (2019), Kristina Chan (2017), Lina Limosani (2015), Kay Armstrong (2013) and Stephanie Lake (2012).
About Dame Peggy
In the 1960s and 1970s while she was artistic director of The Australian Ballet, Dame Peggy collaborated with many of Australia's leading artists to establish the legendary Armidale summer schools, through which young Australian choreographers were given opportunity and encouragement. Peggy was also one of the founding members of Ausdance.
Under van Praagh's direction, The Australian Ballet made the first of many overseas tours, developed a repertoire of ballets that included established international dances as well as commissioned works from Australian and overseas choreographers, and hosted guest appearances by many notable dancers.
Peggy's vision of developing a unique dance culture for Australian dance has had lasting implications for future generations. The Dame Peggy van Praagh Memorial Addresses pay tribute to and acknowledges her influence and her ability to identify and encourage choreographic development.
After her death, the trustees of Dame Peggy's estate made a bequest to Ausdance National with the specific purpose of supporting choreographic development that advances the profession.