Ausdance network directors usually meet twice a year to share ideas, update one another on projects and work toghether on plans for the future.
Last week it was Ausdance WA's turn to host the directors' meeting, and it was great to be back in the purpose built dance spaces at the King St Arts Centre where the meetings were held. While not all directors could be present this time, we heard about many excitinfg national projects, including plans for dance in the new Australian Curriculum, the 2012 Australian Youth Dance Festival to be held in Sydney next Easter, the launch of the Live Performance Training Package, the World Dance Alliance festival to be held in Taiwan next July, and, of course, the 2012 Australian Dance Awards to be held at the Heath Ledger Theatre in Perth on 1 September.
We also welcomed WA Regional Contemporarty Dance Facilitator, Annette Carmichael, who gave us an inspiring overview of her work in regional WA, and discussed some of the possibilities for dance projects that might be initiated by Ausdance across the Top End, in WA, the Northern Territory and Queensland.
We had a great Skype discussion with the 2013 Dance Massive organisers in Melbourne, and agreed to try to better integrate the next National Dance Forum into the Dance Massive program. We also clarified some important issues around the selection process for the festival, and while this will be an ongoing conversation in 2012, it's one that should make Melbourne in March 2013 the place to be!
Finally, we had an excellent discussion about what we might expect out of the National Cultural Policy—would the Government support some of Ausdance's priorities such as a career development program like Scope for Artists, a review into the small to medium performing arts sector, and properly fund the implementation of the Australian Curriculum?
This was an important meeting for the Ausdance network, and we'll be reporting on actions from it as they emerge in the new year.