New dance competition in Ballarat: “Because the Jones family were here within our school, we wanted something personal and meaningful and it’s a special way to raise awareness a cause that doesn’t have a lot of recognition.” of Fragile X! The Ballarat Dance Awards were held in early January, in Ballarat, Victoria. The event involved two days of dance masterclasses with a third day of competition to determine scholarship and award winners.
“We have been working on the Ballarat Dance Awards for a few years and until now it’s just been an idea. We have been gifted $5000 and will put the money toward giving back to the community.” Dancers from around Victoria signed up to participate in the program, and it was a hugely successful event. VIP guests who took part in the program to adjudicate and inspire the young dancers included Amy Harris, Principal Artist of the Australian Ballet, Megan Connelly, Ballet Mistress & Rehabilitation Specialist with the Australian Ballet, and Callum Linnane, Soloist with the Australian Ballet.
Fragile X is close to the heart of Anita Delaland, the director of Anita Coutts School of Dance, and the inspiration and driving force behind the Ballarat Dance Awards. Anita trains young dancers Zara Jones and Sadie Jones, whose brother Jimmy has Fragile X syndrome. Anita knew of the real need to raise awareness of Fragile X, and that the new Ballarat Dance Awards would be an ideal event to do this. Each dancer who took part in the Sunday Dance “We’ve just built our new Kenrick dance complex, which Challenge was given an orange Fragile X ribbon to wear, together with an Understanding Fragile X brotook a couple of years, and now we can do bigger and chure. Jimmy’s mother Sarah spoke about Fragile X better things which is why I have gone ahead with the new dance awards,” Anita said. before each event.
All proceeds from audience tickets were donated to Fragile X Association of Australia.
Sarah Jones, Anita Delaland and team!
Jones family with Anita Delaland & Angela Naracotte Photo credit: Lachlan Bence, The Courier (Ballarat)
Amy Harris, Callum Linnane Amy Harris, Zara Jones, Megan Connelly
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Zara Jones
