2014 highlights from the Ausdance network

Ausdance WA

It’s been another busy year for Ausdance WA with many memorable dance events and projects.

Our Act-Belong-Commit Dance 100 program included five separate projects to inspire, educate and engage with dance at all ages and levels. As well as live performances, lunch-time discos, secondary school workshops and film screenings, we piloted a new type of workshop series called Act-Belong-Commit Monkeyfunk. This paired young children and their parents together to play and groove with a dance artist and live musician and was a gorgeous example of the elation that dance can bring us both socially and physically.

Other highlights include the Regional Arts Australia Summit held in Kalgoorlie, the Ausdance skill set for Teaching Dance and our own West Australian Dance Awards, which celebrated excellence across the dance sector.

Catch up on all the Ausdance WA news at their website.

Ausdance QLD

It was a big year for Ausdance QLD. 12 artists and projects were supported with funded choreographic residencies, and an additional 370 hours of subsidised space for creative development was provided to Queensland dancers.

The year started with the city of Brisbane hosting the Australian Performing Arts Market for the first time, with Ausdance QLD supporting 10 artists to attend along with providing a dance-focused booth space. Partnering with Ausdance National, we also hosted a spectacular networking event.

But it was a big year for Brisbane, with the city also hosting the G20 summit in September—Ausdance facilitated opportunities for street and community dance artists to perform in public events by recruiting, assisting to schedule, contracting and paying all independent performers/small companies.

Along with technical workshops, skill development and participation in the World Dance Alliance, we’ve moved office a few times and will be returning to the Judith Wright Centre in early 2015.

Catch up on all the Ausdance Qld news at their website.

Ausdance NSW

Big Dance, the largest celebration of dance in the world took place in Australia for the first time on the Sunday 13 July 2014 at five locations: Sydney, London and Glasgow as well as two regional locations Port Macquarie and Bega.

In Sydney thousands dancers of all ages and abilities participated in this free special event at the Sydney Opera House. Big Dance was filmed at Sydney Opera House with live satellite links to London and Glasgow.

Check out the video from the day, including footage from London and Glasgow.

Ausdance NSW was proud to partner with Sydney Dance Company, Sydney Opera House and Big Dance UK in presenting Big Dance for the first time in Australia.

Another highlight for Ausdance NSW was hosting the Australian Dance Awards, again at the Sydney Opera House. The show included the presentation of 11 awards, an induction to the Hall of Fame, the presentation of the Keith Bain Choreographic Travel Fellowship and also an In Memoriam segment. The Awards presentations were built into an entertainment program that included nine performances highlighting the amazing talent of the Australian dance industry.

Attended by almost 1000 people the guests for the 2014 Australian Dance Awards  including representatives from National and State Arts Organisations, significant Dance organisations, National Ausdance Honorary Life Members, Board members and selection panel and of course nominees, presenters and performers.

Catch up on all the Ausdance NSW news at their new website.

Ausdance SA

In April, Ausdance SA successfully presented the Australian Youth Dance Festival. Held in Renmark on the border of South Australia and Victoria, this was the eighth Australian Youth Dance Festival (AYDF).

Ausdance SA said a sad farewell to outgoing director Phil Callaghan and welcomed Simon McMahon as new director.

Ausdance SA finished off an eventful 2014 with a successful Dance Teachers Day at AC Arts with over 45 participants and the informal showing for Choreolab 2014 at the Ausdance SA studio with over 34 guests. Thanks to all whom participated and supported these events.

Catch up on all the Ausdance SA news at their website.

Ausdance ACT

It was a big year for the ACT Youth Dance Fest. 2014 saw this unique event celebrate 30 years with 57 dance works, 37 high schools and colleges and over 1400 young dancers taking to the Canberra stage in a non-competitive sharing of dance, art and culture.

The success of the youth dance fest has led Ausdance ACT to develop the Move Up professional learning program for teachers, with the first summer course taking place in early 2015. The Move Up program delivers workshops and support so teachers can confidently effectively deliver the dance elements of the new Curriculum.

Professional dancers in Canberra were able to take part in low-cost professional classes, supported by Ausdance ACT to help build the independent dance community in the city. Artists also continued to access the auspicing services of Ausdance ACT and undertake development as part of the Strange Attractor series. Strange Attractor is about the dancer and the work—cultivating the dancer’s work of performance by providing time, space and provocations to guide their process.

Catch up on Ausdance ACT news at their website.

Ausdance Vic

2014 was a pretty big year for Ausdance Vic; we moved office and we said goodbye to old and hello to new staff and board members. This year we also delivered and co-presented some amazing projects:

What’s in store for 2015? We’re looking forward to programming the ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ stage for White Night 2015 and working with Dance Massive in presenting the Open Studios Program and Master Classes.

Catch up on Ausdance Vic news at their website.