ADA 2017 Winners – Ausdance VIC

Lifetime Achievement
Helen Herbertson

Services to Dance
Jennifer Irwin

Services to Dance Education
Kim Walker

Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance
Liz Lea with Canberra Dance Theatre, National Museum of Australia, Dance for Parkinson’s ACT and KAGE for Great Sport!

Outstanding Achievement in Youth Dance
Catapult Dance The Flipside Project for In Search of the Lost Things

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography
Lucy Guerin for The Dark Chorus
[Lucy Guerin Inc]

Outstanding Performance by a Company
Bangarra Dance Theatre for OUR Land People Stories

Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance
Liesel Zink for The Stance

Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer
Ako Kondo for Coppélia [The Australian Ballet]

Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer
Benjamin Hancock for The Dark Chorus [Lucy Guerin Inc]

Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Dance, Musicals or Physical Theatre
Jack Chambers for Singin’ in the Rain [TEG Dainty, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, David Atkins Enterprises & Michael Cassel Group]

Outstanding Achievement in Dance on Film or New Media
The Samaya Wives for The Knowledge Between Us

Peggy Van Praagh Choreographic Recipient
Kristina Chan

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Michelle Silby

Executive Director

Michelle Silby has an extensive career in dance in both creative and administrative functions. She is the Executive Director of both Ausdance NSW and Ausdance Vic. This dual role leads the teams, through strategy, operational efficiencies and large-scale outcomes; the Director of Big Dance Australia (2014-), and the was the Co-convener of the Arts Industry Council Victoria (2017-2019). Currently Michelle sits on the following Industry and government committee’s; ACFIBS for NSW, Industry Advisory Group, Victorian Skills Commission (VIC), Independent Reference Committee, Arts & Culture related Industries, Vice Chair (National training and professional development) Previously Chair, Regional Arts NSW funding 2014-17, Several Arts NSW funding panels, Churchill Fellowship 2013-16.

Over the last 25 years, Michelle has worked across a variety of contexts as a dance performer, teacher, choreographer, educator and management roles: as a director, festival director, company manager and education consultant in the UK, Europe, and the last 14 years, in Australia. After successfully leading Ausdance NSW since Oct 2012, she was appointed Executive Director, Ausdance VIC in Nov 2015. She is inspired by the opportunities that leading both states will bring to the dance sector, wider communities and respective organisations. She has held roles as the Program Manager, Dance at the Australia Council for the Arts, where her responsibilities included; working with the board, policy and strategy, dance funding programs, key dance initiatives, such as Tasmanian Community Dance Project and Young Emerging opportunities for example, JUMP (2010-2012), Executive Producer for the 2014 Australian Dance Awards and is also an Independent Consultant for Arts and Dance with various clients across Australia.

As an arts leader, she is strategic, entrepreneurial and generous with her time and support of others. Michelle was born in the UK, where she studied dance at Arts Educational Schools London, followed by a post-graduate year at London Contemporary Dance School, The Place in 1992. Later in 2000-1, after moving into management and leadership roles, she undertook an intensive arts and business management course for arts leaders and was most recently awarded a subsidised place to attend short course in Australia for not-for-profit leaders by Harvard Business school.

During her 15 year professional dance career in the UK and Europe, Michelle worked across a variety of contexts as performer, touring Europe for over a decade, educator, choreographer, director, festival director, company manager and consultant. A particular highlight of her career in the UK included making a significant contribution to the dance infrastructure for the North East of England, through the formulation and delivery of a dance development plan with secured funding.

Isis Pattison

Ruby Howard

Christopher Wade

Natalie Cunzolo

Jacqui Maida

Meghann Burton

Ebony Ryan-Miners

Kyall Shanks

Co-Artistic Director

Caitlin Comerford

Co-Artistic Director

Marty Hirst

Communications Officer

Gillian Jordan

RTO Operations Officer

Alisdair Macindoe

Kate Denborough

Amity Jarvis

Henen Haines

Treasurer

Amy Jennings

Secretary

Kelly Dickson

Chair

Alison McIntosh-Deszcz

Manager Marketing, Digital Media and Memberships

Shweta Kawatra

Marketing Communications Manager

Jess Zintschenko

Associate Producer, Programs & Events

Cathy Smith

RTO Operations Manager

Katrina Rank

Director of Education and Life Long Learning

Robbie Carmellotti

General Manager

Michelle Silby

Executive Director