Welcome to Australia Dances a Podcast for The Australian Teachers of Dancing. Host Kate Meade is the founder of the Victorian Dance Festival, former Project Manager for ATOD and current breakfast host for the ACE Radio Network. Australia Dances is a glorious library of meaningful conversations with dance studio owners, creatives, directors and educators. We will explore and reflect on ideas, share stories and unpack current research. But more than anything this is a celebration of the Artform we all love. Dance. Connection, Education and Development. In this episode, we feature Marie Walton ..read more

Welcome to Australia Dances a Podcast for The Australian Teachers of Dancing. I’m Kate Meade, the founder of the Victorian Dance Festival, former Project Manager for ATOD and current breakfast host for the ACE Radio Network. It is truly an honour to host this podcast for ATOD and for you. Australia Dances is a glorious library of meaningful conversations with dance studio owners, creatives, directors and educators. We will explore and reflect on ideas, share stories and unpack current research. But more than anything this is a celebration of the Artform we all love. Dance. Connection, Educati ..read more

In this episode, we feature Mary Li. Author of Mary’s Last Dance. Mary Li at the age of 16 flew to London to train at the Royal Ballet School. It was here she met  Li Cunxin and their chemistry developed on and off the stage, falling in love and being the darlings of ballet. Mary’s last dance is her story of becoming a mother to Sophie, who at 18 years of age was diagnosed deaf. Her story is a love of dance and love for her daughter. For more information about The Australian Teachers of Dancing please head to www.atod.net.au You can follow us on Instagram @australiadancespodc ..read more

Marc Brew trained as a professional dancer at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and The Australian Ballet School. He has been working in the UK and Internationally for the past 20 years as a dancer, choreographer, director, teacher and speaker; with the Australian Ballet Company, State Theatre Ballet Company of South Africa, Infinity Dance Theatre in New York and for 5 years up until early 2008 with CandoCo Dance Company. He was a guest performer, collaborator and media spokesperson for the London Hand Over Ceremony for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games Closing Ceremon ..read more

Frances Rings - The connection to country FAMILY BACKGROUND: Frances is a descendant of the Kokatha Tribe from the West Coast of South Australia and is also of German descent. BIOGRAPHY: In 2002, Frances made her main stage choreographic debut for Bangarra to outstanding critical acclaim with the Rations bill of Walkabout. Frances has followed this by creating 6 works for the company; Bush (co-choreography), Unaipon, X300 and Artefact. In 2004 Bulletin Magazine named Frances in their Smart 100, following the world premiere of her work Unaipon at The Adelaide Festival of the Arts. Frances has ..read more

SHE IS RED HOT AND RHONDA With a smile that could light up the Sydney Opera House and a career spanning over 35 years, this vivacious, flame-haired beauty continues to turn heads wherever she goes and draw thunderous applause wherever she performs. She has forged a lengthy career in one of the toughest and most unforgiving industries, show business, yet as critics attest, she just keeps going from strength to strength. Few Australian entertainers have shared her status and immense popularity amongst her peers, who admire Rhonda for her big personality, big heart and enormous capacity to giv ..read more

JUSTINE SUMMERS - AUSTRALIAN BALLET Justine was accepted into the Australian Ballet in 1989 after studying at the Victoria College of the Arts. She was promoted to Principal Artist in 1996, she is known for her lyrical quality and interpretation of dramatic heroines.  Justine is the Patron of the Australian Teachers of Dancing The episode was recorded via Zoom June 2020 On this episode we talk about: The accidental ballerina That costume What she looks for in a dancer That moment   GET IN CONTACT Email ATOD: secretary@atod.net.au Email Kate: katem@team.aceradio.com.a ..read more

DONNA BURLAND - PRINCIPAL DOROTHY COWIE SCHOOL OF DANCING As a small child, Donna’s mother took her older sisters to dance classes with Ms Dorothy Cowie at the Dance Studio in Burwood. It was not long before she started classes too. Her enthusiasm and love of dance soon were quite obvious and one class turned into two classes and then more. One day a week soon turned into two days a week and then even more; including a private lesson with Miss Dorothy Cowie herself. The dance studio was Donna’s second home and my life revolved around ‘dancing’. Under the instruction of Miss Cowie, Donna partic ..read more

Mark Pace was a Professional dancer for 21 years, he is a dance teacher, and now academic and dance scientist, currently teaching at the University of Edinburgh in the Dance Science and Education programme He has a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Dance Education (Royal Academy of Dance) and a MSc in Dance Science and Education (Distinction) with the University of Edinburgh where he is presently a PhD. candidate, focusing on talent development and the dancer. Mark has over thirty years of dancing, teaching and guesting experience in various international ballet companies and school settings. BA ..read more

Leah Belford is the President of ATOD, Examiner, studio owner, wife and mother. Ever since Barrick Dance Centre opened its doors, her own studio, in 1995, she has been dedicated to providing a safe, happy and loving environment for kids of all ages to dance. Leah is a worker. Just gets it done. You will usually find her with a smile on her face, and a let’s go, what needs to be done attitude... On the podcast, she is leading from the front, wearing both hats, the President of one of the worlds best dance training organisations and a studio owner.  The episode was recorded via Zoom April 2 ..read more