Valda Craig was a national honorary life member of Ausdance and a leading dance curriculum advocate and teacher during the 1980s and 90s, having taught dance from kindergarten to tertiary level training. As a former National Vice-President of Ausdance, Valda also presented a vision for the future which was always convincing and exciting.
She worked over many years to ensure Ausdance National’s commitment to preserving Australia’s dance history and creating a permanent national archive at the National Library of Australia (NLA).
Her 1988 report, Locate and Access Australian Dance Resources, led directly to the publication of the Ausdance Guide to Australian Dance Companies (Clare Dyson, 1994) and to the employment of the first curator of dance, Dr Michelle Potter, at the National Film & Sound Archive, and later at the NLA.
Valda also worked passionately on the Dancers’ Picnic with founder Keith Bain, and assisted the transition from the much-loved picnic to the Australian Dance Awards in 1997.
Valda was Chair of the Tertiary Dance Council of Australia from 1986 – 93 and was an ambassador for Australian dance education and training as one of the founders of the World Dance Alliance, and as a passionate supporter of the American Dance Festival, where she established scholarships for young Australian artists.
Her special interest in American and European modern dance led her to friendships with such luminaries as Hanya Holm (about whom she wrote her Masters thesis), Martha Hill, Twyla Tharp and Pina Bausch.
Valda was a visiting Fulbright Scholar at the American University in Washington in 1994, and was a public speaker there who introduced Australian dancers, choreographers and companies to new audiences.
Valda’s outgoing personality, sense of humour and optimistic view of what young aspiring teachers could achieve made her an inspirational lecturer of young teachers who often struggled with dance curriculum demands. She made dance experiences possible and enjoyable for hundreds of people.
Valda was made a National Honorary Life Member of Ausdance in 1991 and received an Australian Dance Award for Services to Dance Education in 2011. She died peacefully on 15 January 2023 in Sydney, just prior to her 85th birthday.