Change of leadership at Ausdance National

MEDIA RELEASE 24 September 2018

Ausdance National is pleased to announce the appointment of Kathy Baykitch as Executive Director following the resignation of Kerry Comerford.

Ausdance National is Australia’s peak body for dance advocacy, delivering national projects including the Australian Dance Awards and the biannual National Dance Forum. It represents the Australian dance sector on national policy issues including immigration, education and health.

Incoming Executive Director Ms Baykitch has extensive experience in dance as a producer, educator, practitioner and community artist in Australia and the United Kingdom. Appointed for her broad understanding of the Australian dance ecology, Ms Baykitch most recently held positions as Executive Producer for Shaun Parker & Company and Faculty of Education, Programs Manager for the Royal Academy of Dance, Australia. She was founding Director of FORM Dance Projects, formally Western Sydney Dance Action.

A recent Board Member of Ausdance National, Ms Baykitch has been part of significant changes occurring in the organisation over the past 18 months, including rebranding and restructuring.

On her appointment Ms Baykitch said ‘Ausdance National is an important voice for the Australian dance sector which provides support and advocacy for dance in its many forms. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to lead and drive recent changes in partnership with the Board and the wider sector’.

Kerry Comerford is resigning to take up another position within the arts sector, yet to be announced.

Ms Comerford has worked closely with the Board to review and assess many of its current procedures and priorities. She has provided key leadership in the delivery of the 2018 Australian Dance Awards, active engagement with advocacy via industry lobbying, and facilitated a focus on health and wellbeing, with representation on the Australian Alliance for Wellbeing in Entertainment working party. The Board would like to take this opportunity to thank Kerry for contributions to-date, and wish her all the best for her new position.

Following on from Ms Comerford’s time, Ms Baykitch will work with the National Board to ensure capacity building across the dance sector. In particular, Ausdance National will continue to support professional development, encourage growth in the small to medium sector, and advance the agenda for gender diversity and leadership.

Ms Baykitch commences her appointment on 8 October 2018.

Ends - Media enquires: Professor Gene Moyle, President, Ausdance National, [email protected], 0411 640 012