Congratulations to West Australians Laura Boynes and STRUT Dance, both of whom have been announced as Australian Dance Award (ADA) winners for 2019.
Features/Dance
Two wins for WA dancers
9 December 2020
- Reading time • 3 minutesDance
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At an online ceremony held Tuesday 8 December, West Australian independent dance artist Laura Boynes was named the winner of the 2019 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance for “Wonder Woman”, described by the ADAs as “a work that draws attention to the potent presence of a solo female dancer whose less visible strengths and powers are celebrated in a staging of the ‘severalness’ of femininity.”
Performed at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia in August 2019, “Wonder Woman” is a program of two works commissioned and performed by Boynes: To Be Honest: a girl’s own collection of unconfirmed tales by Julie-Anne Long, and Rite II: Solo by Adelina Larsson. In a review of “Wonder Woman”, Seesaw’s Nina Levy concluded, “Boynes is a compelling performer and the emotional range that she demonstrates in this program is impressive.”
READ Seesaw’s review of Wonder Woman.
West Australian dance organisation STRUT Dance took out the 2019 Award for Outstanding Achievement in Commercial Dance, Musicals or Physical Theatre, for Sunset, described by the ADAs as “a major commissioned event that took audiences on a magical and haunting journey through one of Perth’s heritage listed buildings.”
Directed by Maxine Doyle and presented in collaboration with Tura New Music, Sunset premiered at the Sunset Heritage Precinct as part of the 2019 Perth Festival. The work was highly recommended by Seesaw’s Nina Levy, who wrote, “Doyle and her creative team lead us into a place of ghostly dreams and haunting memories. It’s well worth a visit… but if you haven’t booked you’d better get in quick.”
READ Seesaw’s review of Sunset.
The ADAs are usually held annually, and celebrate the achievements of the dance sector, with awards being presented across 11 categories. As the ADAs were not presented in 2019, this year’s ceremony covered both 2018 and 2019’s awards. Read more about the Australian Dance Awards at www.australiandanceawards.net.au
READ about the 14 West Australian artists/companies who made the shortlist for the 2018/2019 ADAs.
Pictured top is a scene from ‘Sunset’. Photo: Simon Pynt
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