JOKSOD Highlights Term 2 and 3 2023

Each term our beautiful teachers decide which student in each age group should be presented with this encouragement award. We are delighted to announce the following students were our Spotlight Stars for Term 2:

• Junior: Zara Lindsey
• Intermediate: Millie Ryan
• Senior: Kyrah Harris

All of these students have shown outstanding improvement and an increase in confidence throughout the term.

They have all been so dedicated to their learning and always listen carefully to their teachers.

Well done to all of you!

Congratulations to all the beautiful students that presented for the Ballet Teachers Workshop auditions in May this year! There were hundreds of students in each of the age sections from across the State and everyone worked so hard in the lead up to the event. 

A huge congratulations to our our littlest ballerinas, Ariana, Charlotte & Sophie that presented for Section AA (aged 6years old). You girls were all so beautiful and danced so well!

We’re delighted to announce that Sophie K was awarded 4th place!

Congratulations to all the dancers that reached the Semi-finals of the older sections - you were all amazing and we are so proud of you! Our semi-finalises were:

Section A (7-8years)

• Amelia L
• Gracie T

Section B (9-10yrs)

• Elise S

Section C (11-12yrs)

• Macey A
• Ava S
• Macy S

Section D (13-14yrs)

• Lucie D
• Sam M

Maybel Pryde (15yrs & over)

• Ashlea R

A few of our beautiful students participated in The Australian Ballet School Scholarship Awards event and we are so proud of them all.

The event included masterclasses with esteemed teachers from the Australian Ballet School in Classical, Character, Virtuoso, Contemporary & Pointe. This was followed by the opportunity to perform on stage at the State Theatre in Melbourne!

Our students have worked so hard preparing for this event and they were all exquisite on the stage:

Congratulations;

• Macey A
• Ava S
• Macy S
• Ashlea R
• Sam Mc

Our beautiful Ash R competed in the Sydney Eisteddfod Wenkart Foundation Ballet Championship in July

This is one of the most prestigious eisteddfods in Australia with an extremely high calibre of dancers participating.

We’re delighted to announce that Ash received a Highly Commended in the ballet championship where she performed her Classical and Contemporary solos.

Bravo Ash, you’ve made your studio so proud with how hard you work and your beautiful performances - we’re so thrilled for you!

So proud of our Sam who received the opportunity to attend a 3 week Summer Intensive at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in Canada! This was a full scholarship opportunity following his presentation at the Alana Haines Awards in April this year. 

Sam really impressed the faculty and was awarded the first ever recipient of the Fleetwood Scholarship for RWB School. He was asked to join the professional development team starting in September

Bravo Sam! We know you have such a bright future ahead

What a beautiful day we had at the Enrico Cecchetti Ballet Victoria Medal Test Finals at VCASS in August.

We are so proud of each and everyone of the beautiful finalists we had representing JOKSOD Indi C, Lulu S, Macy S, Maisie O, Ava S, Adele V, Sam Mc, Lucie D & Ashlea R were all chosen by adjudicator Justine Miles earlier this year to dance in the finals event today

You have all been working so hard and absolutely shone on the stage this afternoon at this prestigious Cecchetti event. A special congratulations to the following students that received prizes in the finals:

• Macy S - WINNER of the Lorraine Blackbourn Rose Medal
  • Lulu S - H.M in the Lorraine Blackbourn Rose Medal
• Sam Mc - Runner up in the Silver Medal
• Ashlea R - H.M in the Gold Medal

A special mention to Ava S who was asked to dance in the finals of the Bronze section

We also loved watching our beautiful junior students, Elise S (Gr 2) and Macey A (Gr 3) that were selected to dance a Classical solo today as winners of the Noelle Aitken Encouragement Awards earlier this year

It was also lovely to see Ava, who presented a Classical solo as the 2022 Rose Medal winner.

Thank you to Justine Miles for you time and expertise in this wonderful event and a huge thank you to Cecchetti Ballet Victoria for organising these enriching experiences for our students.

What an incredible day we had Ballet Teachers' Workshop Finals. We are so proud of all our JOKSOD finalists and how hard they have all been working to prepare for this prestigious event

We’re delighted to announce that our Sam Mc was awarded WINNER of Section D (13-14yrs), a huge congratulations Sam Mc, we are so unbelievably proud of you!

JOKSOD was also presented with the Mabel Pryde/Paul Hammond Shield This is such an incredible honour as this shield acknowledges the hardworking teachers We are so grateful to Ballet Teachers' Workshop for this award

A huge congratulations to all our finalists, you all performed so beautifully at the event.

• Gracie T (Section A 7-8yrs)
• Ava S (Section C 11-12yrs)
• Ashlea R (Mabel Pryde 15yrs+)

Thank you to the wonderful adjudicators A-C Meagan Connelly & Kevin Jackson and for Section D & Mabel Pryde, Steven Heathcote & Lisa Bolte for your time and expertise.