The winners of the the Australian Ballet’s Telstra Ballet Dancer of the Year for 2023 were announced on last Saturday night on stage after a performance at the Sydney Opera House.
Corps de ballet dancer Lilly Harvey received the Telstra Rising Star Award, while soloist Isobelle Dashwood was named the winner of the Telstra People’s Choice Award.
The awards are now in their 20th year and were unveiled by Telstra Chief Executive Officer, Vicki Bradyfollowing the closing performance of George Balanchine’s Jewels. The winners were chosen from a shortlist of five by a panel of judges from the Australian Ballet and Telstra, as well as the general public via online voting.
The Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards incorporates two separate awards: Telstra Rising Star Award ($25,000)and Telstra People’s Choice Award ($15,000). The awards are a partnership between Telstra and The Australian Ballet and is one of the longest running arts partnerships in the country, at 39 years. They are awarded to dancers in the company.
Harvey grew up in Perth and trained at the Silhouette Dance School and the Australian Ballet School. She joined the company only two years ago. Dashwood was born and raised in Toowoomba, Queensland and trained in Queensland before winning the Robert and Elizabeth Albert Scholarship and a full scholarship to study at the Australian Ballet School. She joined the company in 2016.
To see all five shortlisted dancers, go here.
Have you seen our article ‘At Home with the Dashwoods’? It’s included in the current print issue of ‘Dance Australia’ (Apr/May/June). Available here or here or at your favourite dance shop.