Prize recipients of prestigious Joan and Monica Halliday Awards and Isobel Anderson Awards announced

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Australia is proud to announce the prize recipients of the 2026 Joan & Monica Halliday Awards and Isobel Anderson Awards, held on 28–29 March at the Everest Theatre, Seymour Centre in Sydney.

Exclusively sponsored by Bloch Australia, these annual awards celebrate RAD students in New South Wales from Grade 3 through to Advanced 1, honouring the legacies of Joan and Monica Halliday and Isobel Anderson. The events highlight the exceptional standard of RAD teaching in the region, offering young dancers a platform to showcase their talents and dedication to the RAD syllabus.

The 2026 awards programme began earlier in March, with more than 600 students participating in preliminary and semi-final classes taught by RAD examiner Kerrie Smith at RAD Australia’s headquarters in Darlinghurst. From this cohort, 36 finalists were selected for the Joan & Monica Halliday Awards (Grades 3–5), and 43 finalists for the Isobel Anderson Awards (Intermediate Foundation to Advanced 1), culminating in an exciting weekend of solo performances.

The Joan & Monica Halliday Awards were adjudicated by Claire Phipps-Male, a former professional dancer and current faculty member at Queensland Ballet, while the Isobel Anderson Awards were judged by Olivia Bell, former Principal Artist with The Australian Ballet.

The 2026 Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer Award was presented to Grade 5 finalist Caleb Nissen of The Academy Australia, in recognition of his exceptional performance. The Isobel Anderson Award for Most Outstanding Dancer was awarded to Lewis Nicholson of Nova City Ballet for his outstanding work across the finals.

RAD Australia National Director Shelley Yacopetti attended the 2026 awards and reflected on the calibre of this year’s event: “These awards continue to showcase the remarkable depth of talent within our NSW RAD community. It is incredibly inspiring to see dancers across all levels demonstrate such commitment and artistry through the RAD syllabus. We are especially grateful to Bloch for their ongoing support of this event. Occasions like these not only celebrate individual achievement but also acknowledge the dedication of the teachers and families who support each dancer’s journey.”

In addition to category winners, runners-up and encouragement awards were presented across all levels. Commissioned choreography awards were also presented, with recipients receiving training scholarships to Sydney Dance Company to support the development of their contemporary practice.

The Joan & Monica Halliday Awards recognised outstanding talent across multiple grades in 2026.

In Grade 3, the winner was Amelia Ripley from North Shore Dance Academy, with Ivy Hall from Dance North Academy named runner-up and an Encouragement Award going to Bond Podmore of Newcastle Dance Academy.

Grade 4 honours went to Emily Williamson of National College of Dance as winner, Skye Bensley from Dynamite Premiere Academy as runner-up, and an Encouragement Award for Elliott Muscat of The McDonald College.

In Grade 5, Noah Huett of Andrea Rowsell Academy of Dance claimed first place, followed by runner-up Ilse Engstrom-Fritzson from Dance North Academy, while Beatrix Griffiths-Witt of Tanya Pearson Academy received the Encouragement Award. The JMH Commissioned Choreography prize was awarded to Olivia Kim from The McDonald College, and the title of Joan & Monica Halliday Most Outstanding Dancer went to Caleb Nissen of The Academy Australia.

The Isobel Anderson Awards also celebrated excellence across key levels of training.

In Intermediate Foundation, the winner was Cleo Bell from Dance North Academy, with Victoria Harper of JWDA as runner-up and an Encouragement Award for Lucy Miller of L’Academie. The Intermediate category saw Wahta Handy from National College of Dance claim first place, followed by runner-up Olivia Lowry of Tanya Pearson Academy, while Yuna Choi from The McDonald College received the Encouragement Award.

In Advanced Foundation, Milania Franklin of The Dance Spot topped the field, with Irene Kim from Redlands Dance Academy as runner-up and Oliver Austin of The McDonald College awarded the Encouragement Award. The Advanced 1 winner was Maya Kingsmill from Tanya Pearson Academy, with Anna Stephensen of Dance North Academy as runner-up and Ivy Maughan from Ablaze Dance Academy receiving the Encouragement Award. The Isobel Anderson Commissioned Choreography prize was awarded to Ava Radojevic of Dance North Academy, and the Isobel Anderson Award for Most Outstanding Dancer was presented to Lewis Nicholson of Nova City Ballet.

RAD Australia extends its sincere thanks to the students who performed, the teachers who guided them, and the families and supporters who continue to nurture their passion for dance. Special appreciation is also extended to the dedicated volunteers whose behind-the-scenes efforts are essential to the success of these events.

The Royal Academy of Dance Australia gratefully acknowledges Bloch Australia as exclusive event sponsor for their ongoing support, as well as the NSW Regional Advisory Panel for their invaluable contribution to the delivery of the awards.

As RAD Australia looks to the future, it remains committed to fostering excellence in dance education and creating meaningful performance opportunities for dancers at every stage of their journey.

For more information, visit au.royalacademyofdance.org

Joan & Monica Halliday 2026 Most outstanding dancer, Caleb Nissen & Commissioned Choreography winner, Olivia Kim