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Ausdance National update – June 2009Australian Dance AwardsThis enormously successful event took place at the State Theatre of Victoria on 7 June, with a starry array of shortlisted nominees drawn from all sectors of the Australian dance profession. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former ballerina Lucette Aldous, who for many years has devoted herself to teaching and coaching, mainly at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. During an illustrious performing career, she had starred nationally and internationally with partners such as Rudolf Nureyev, most notably in The Australian Ballet film, Don Quixote. Other winners in each category are listed on the Ausdance website . Ausdance Victoria once again hosted the Awards ceremony, and thanks must go to them for their care in curating the program, ensuring that each of the shortlisted nominees received full acknowledgement and that the presenters were of the highest calibre. This is an enormous undertaking by a small network office, and the whole Australian dance community applauds the team’s outstanding achievement. Also to be applauded is the selection panel whose choices this year were supported by DVDs of all the works nominated. Chaired by Robina Beard and supported by Leanne Craig at Ausdance National, the process was challenging, with more than 500 nominations received from across the country. SCOPE for ArtistsSCOPE (Securing Career Opportunities and Professional Employment) has a new name, a new board, a new manager and 58 new participants. Soon to be operating independently from the Australian Sports Commission and renamed SCOPE for Artists, the program’s recently-appointed foundation national manager, Jo Kulchar, will commence work in July. Her background is perfect for running SCOPE’s unique program of services that focus on personal and professional career development for artists. Her previous management positions have included the Royal Academy of Dance, Australian Theatre for Young People, Tropfest and the Song Company, as well as directing arts programs for community and local government. Armed with this experience, Jo will be heading up an organisation that plans to make a critical difference to the arts sector and the creative individuals who drive it. SCOPE for Artists also welcomes 58 new participants who are joining the program for the first time, as well as those who are continuing for their second and third years. These artists’ skills, experience, networks and transferable skills will be enhanced, issues of unemployment and under employment will be minimised, and their earning capacity and professional profiles increased. Through SCOPE, Australia is leading the way in artists’ career development, demonstrating that the value and capacity of artists is far broader than is presently acknowledged by decision-makers, and even by the artists themselves. EducationNational Curriculum in the newsA fairly negative report titled Arts in class no guarantee, about progress being made in arts education appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on 15 June. NAAE countered with the following letter to the editor (so far unpublished). “It was surprising to read Steve Dow's report (SMH, 'All talk, no action on arts promises', 15/6/09) on the lack of progress being made with arts education. His article appears to be based on old information, and does not include any reference to the work of the National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE), whose lobbying and public statements made a major contribution to the inclusion of the arts in the National Curriculum. The NAAE has been consulting with representatives of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). We are reassured by the excellent dialogue we are having and the understanding by ACARA that the Arts comprise five distinct artforms, all of which have their own knowledge and understandings, and grouped by the Melbourne Declaration as Performing and Visual Arts. NAAE's current discussion with ACARA is about how these artforms will be represented in the National Curriculum. We are particularly happy that the views of each artform association are being heard, and it's therefore disappointing that this article appeared without an understanding of the real progress that is being made by ACARA, and its commitment to reaching an agreed position about a truly meaningful curriculum in the arts. As your article notes, international and Australian research indicates an arts-rich curriculum enables children to 'do better in all subjects'. Sir Ken Robinson visits AustraliaBritish arts education advocate Ken Robinson is an inspiring speaker and educator who has been in Australia recently, and he has been extensively interviewed by the ABC. See:
Qualifications and skill sets in danceInnovation & Business Skills Australia (IBSA) will be developing qualifications and skill sets in dance for inclusion in a Performing Arts Training Package. At a recent meeting with IBSA, agreement was reached about the commencement of a wide consultation process with the dance sector, assisted by the Ausdance network, which will build on existing Competency Standards for Dance Teachers. IBSA notes in its background paper that ‘National qualifications for dance teachers will help to lift standards across the profession and set clear national benchmarks, promoting consistency whilst maintaining flexibility. Additionally, they will aid and support the current demand for community dance artists and teachers to lead programs that capitalise on local State and Federal government initiatives in areas such as anti-obesity, mental health and community building.’ A national scoping project will commence shortly involving all sectors of the industry, and should be completed by January 2010. It is anticipated that Training Packages will be available by 2011. Indigenous dance development in AustraliaNational Indigenous Dance Co-ordinator, Marilyn Miller, is now working on a triennial application for Treading the Pathways, due to the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Arts Board of the Australia Council on 15 July. It is anticipated that this project will continue as a partnership with Ausdance National; Marilyn was in Canberra recently to work with us on the proposal. If successful, triennial funding will confirm the program as an indispensable part of Indigenous dance development in Australia. Brolga – an Australian journal about dance
You can now find a complete index for each edition since it was first published in 1994, along with its Editorial, and a sample article from editions back to No. 22. Farewell KathOn 26 June we sadly farewell Kath Papas, who has been with Ausdance Victoria for more than a decade, most recently as its successful and much admired Director. Kath began her career with Ausdance as a youth representative on the Ausdance ACT board in the 1990s, and was a natural choice for Ausdance Victoria when she moved to Melbourne after graduation from the ANU. Kath has since steered Ausdance Victoria through many major transitions, perhaps the most challenging being the move of the Australian Dance Awards to Victoria from NSW, and the securing of triennial financial support from the Joan & Peter Clemenger Trust in that State. She also curated the fifth Australian Youth Dance Festival and has taken a special interest in the development of the professional dance sector, dance education and regional activity. Kath’s ability to work with people across the sector has been outstanding, and she has provided real leadership for the dance community, especially in Victoria. We wish Kath well in her new career as an independent producer, and can assure anxious members that she will be remaining in touch with Ausdance, particularly as producer of the 2010 Australian Dance Awards and several new projects with Ausdance National. Ausdance reviews aims and prioritiesThe Ausdance National Council met on 8 June to commence a review of the organisation’s aims and priorities, and to consider ways in which the network’s individual constitutions could be better harmonised. A sub-committee has been formed to make recommendations to the National Council, with the longer-term view of making appropriate constitutional amendments at State/Territory AGMs in 2010. The National Council also welcomed new Treasurer Mogendhri Mueller, a manager at Ernst & Young in Canberra, and the recently-appointed WA President, Catherine Osborn. Minutes of that meeting have been circulated, and will be followed up with a special meeting in August to consider the future of the Australian Dance Awards beyond 2010.
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Copyright 2007 Australian Dance Council—Ausdance Inc. Acknowledgements |