The Ausdance Victoria office has had a busy few months with many events including The Australian Dance Awards, Dance Card, The Dance Across the Domains Conferences, as well as a discussion with David Massingham and Madeline Ritter, with Jennifer Barry on Support for Dance: Culture, Policy and Community. We were also shortlisted for a Community Sector Award! Read further to hear about what you missed and what we have comming up.
The Australian Dance Awards
The Australian Dance Awards was a massive event which took place in the Arts Centre, Stage Theatre on June 20th, with brilliant performances from Bangarra Dance Theatre, Lucy Guerin Inc, Ludwig, Buzz Dance Theatre, The Australian Ballet, Tracks and a rendition of ‘One’ from A Chorus Line. The atmosphere was festive and the State Theatre filled with our dance community.
We hope to see you all again next year in Brisbane! For more information contact Ausdance QLD or visit www.australiandanceawards.net.au
For the full list of winners click here
To see beautiful images of the gala visit out facebook page or click here
Thank you to the Joan & Peter Clemenger Trust and to the many sponsors of the Australian Dance Awards. (For a full list please visit www.australiandanceawards.net.au/sponsors.html)
Dance Card
Guerrilla
Twilight materializes and the square is roused.
Guerrilla featured site specific works by four young choreographers Amy Macpherson, Emiline Forster, Gareth Hart and Amber Haines at Federation Square, as part of The Light in Winter Festival. The three free outdoor performances collected large crowds with many additional viewers joining the tour mid performance.
If you missed out on Guerrilla visit our facebook page to see the images or click here
Dance Hall
With approximately 600
performers from over 26 schools and companies around Victoria, Dance Hall at the Melbourne Town Hall was buzzing. We saw amazing performances including many different styles: Ballet, Jazz, Hip Hop, Contemporary, Tap, Chinese and Ukrainian. It was a great taste of what is available in Victoria from the small dance studios, full-time schools, small independent dance makers, youth dance companies and dance in school companies. Thanks to all the volunteers who supported Ausdance in delivering this very popular program once again.
For images visit our facebook page or click here
ACCESSion
ACCESSion was an open access event which focused on integrated dance practice in Australia. It consisted of a contemporary dance workshop led by UK choreographer and teacher Rachael Ankers, followed by an inspiring discussion on access to dance facilitated by Fiona Cook from Arts Access Victoria, then a dance and movement workshop led by Janice Florence of Melbourne based Weave Movement Theatre. It was well attended by artists, teachers and dancers at BMW Edge, Federation square on June 13th.
Keep your eye on the Ausdance e-bulletin for more accessible events and workshops in the future.
To view images of these workshops visit our facebook page or click here
Ausdance Victoria thanks all interns and volunteers who worked on the Australian Dance Awards and Dance Card and made them such a success.
Dance Card was supported by the City of Melbourne and Federation Square
Dance Across the Domains
Over 4 days in August, 72 primary and secondary school teachers from metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria attended the Dance Across the Domains conference (DADs). This annual conference is the highlight of Ausdance Victoria’s education calendar, bringing together teachers from government, Catholic, independent and special schools.
Being a dance teacher in a school can at times be an isolating experience. In many cases the dance teacher is the only person 
representing the art form and, while she or he may be part of an Arts Team, art form specific discussions and networking is a rare luxury. “I look forward to this PD all year, every year!” wrote one participant, indicating the need for relevant information, inspiring ideas, new resources and the great networks DADs promotes.
DADs offered attendees experiences in the form of improvisation sessions, dance making activities led by students, teaching approaches and strategies, dance across the curriculum including dance and maths, dance and English and dance and history, forums on integrated and accessibility in dance programs, information about the application of technology in dance review and creation and the introduction of a new resource sharing activity “curriculum speed dating”.
Participants left the first 2 days with mountains of resources (literally!), new contacts and fresh inspiration.
For those with the capacity to stay in Melbourne and those with the stamina, two further days were offered by Chunky Move. The first day, led by Jo Lloyd, was for secondary dance teachers. It began with a contemporary dance class, followed by 
repertoire from I Want to Dance Better at Parties and was rounded off with several activities for generating movement phrases/group work. This was a fantastic session which satisfied the participants and their need to have a good dance, in a great venue with an experienced and insightful teacher. Nothing like modeling your practice from the best!
The second day was for primary school teachers (but would have been just as great for secondary school dance teachers.) Kristy Ayre facilitated this very creative session which focused on teaching through progressive stages and the development of movement phrases from observation of a video, reflection and brainstorming through to the development of phrase material. Ways of extending the material was the final, but not the least, stage. We all left this session as though “our cups overflowed.”
The next DADS is scheduled for August 2011. Don’t miss out.
Support for Dance: Culture, Policy and Community
Madeline Ritter (Germany) and David Massingham (UK) were in Melbourne on Tuesday 24th August 2010 discussing Support for Dance: Culture, Policy and Community, moderated by Ausdance Victoria President Jennifer Barry.
The Arts Centre's Amcor Lounge was filled by over 60 people including tertiary dance students, local choreographers, dancers, dance teachers and dance company directors. The presenters spoke informatively about the dance sector in their countries, and about their particular roles and the projects they run. This was followed by a lively and humorous questions and answer session, which left many audience members inspired to further develop their own corners of the dance sector her in Australia.
Australian Skill set for Teaching Dance
You will have heard all about the Ausdance skill set for Teaching Dance and will know that it is a nationally accredited vocational training program which has been developed by Ausdance.
The skill set builds upon the Australian Standards for Dance Teaching Practice and the Code of Ethics for Dance Teachers. It focuses on teaching within community and recreational environments and contains a set of units that, when combined, indicate a person’s ability to teach dance in a knowledgeable, safe and professional way and which satisfies the profession’s high standards.
With one delivery already complete in Victoria, the Ausdance skill set for Teaching Dance is now being delivered in Western Australia with plans for a delivery in the ACT in late 2010! Participants to date have been professional dancers, community dance practitioners and secondary school teachers.
Thank you so much for giving me the resources, confidence and enthusiasm to get this (a new dance course) up and running! I am so excited about writing it and implementing all of the amazing activities, knowledge and skills I gained from the skill set.
Participant, Melbourne delivery 2010
We are currently taking expressions of interest for 2011 deliveries in Victoria. If you are interested please complete the form below and send it to Ausdance Vic by October 1st 2010.
We do have a minimum and maximum number of students for any one delivery so don’t miss out!
Skill Set 2011 - 1 (SUNDAYS)
Sundays 10am - 5pm:
Feb 6, 12, 20, 27
March 20, 27
April 3, 10
Skill Set 2011 - 2 (SCHOOL HOLIDAYS)
Week 1 April 11 - 14
Week 2 July 4 - 7
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM
An Award Nomination for Ausdance Victoria!
The Victorian Dance Directory has been shortlisted for The Victorian Community Sector Awards 2010.
The Office for the Community Sector are preparing videos of all shortlisted entrants to be screened at the Think Innovation Summit on September 22nd in order to celebrate the achievements made in the NFP community sector. Winners will be announced at the 2010 Think Innovation Summit on 22 September 2010.
Thank you to all listed on the Victorian Dance Directory who send in photos and video of their schools and dance services!
If you are not yet listed on the Dance Directory visit www.victoriandancedirectory.com.au/join and list yourself free today!
