Australian Dance Awards: The 2014 Winners

Gailene Stock was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Australian Dance Awards at the Sydney Opera House tonight.

Garth Welch made the speech in her honour, recalling how he partnered Gailene for her first performances at the Australian Ballet, in Frederick Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardee and Cinderella, as well as in Roland Petit’s Carmen.

The honour was one of the highlights of the evening and an award she deserved so much. But how sad that Gailene’s life was cut short so soon. She died in April this year in London where she was the director of the Royal Ballet School.

The 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award went to Leigh Warren. The award was introduced by Sandie Windsor-Richards of Bloch and Anthony Steele, a former board member of Leigh Warren Dance and a friend of Leigh’s.

Both Steele and Warren were eloquent and moving in the speeches they gave.

This year there were only seven performances during the evening with highlights including Kristina Chan’s solo, Crestfallen, and Madeleine Eastoe and Kevin Jackson dancing a pas de deux from Ratmansky’s Cinderella.

Here is the full list of winners:

Award for Services to Dance: Anne Greig

Award for Services to Dance Education: Janet Karin

Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance: Buzz Dance Theatre for Look the Other Way

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Stephanie Lake for Aorta

Outstanding Performance by a Company, The Australian Ballet for Ratmansky’s Cinderella

Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance: Dalisa Pigram for Gudirr Gudirr

Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer: Leanne Stojmenov for Cinderella

Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer: James Pham for Aorta

Outstanding Achievement in Commerical Dance or Musical Theatre: Red Hot Rhythm, Rhythm Junkies

Outstanding Achievement in Dance on Film: Sue Healey, On View