Telstra and The Australian Ballet are delighted to reveal the five talented young dancers selected as nominees for the 2022 Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards.
The five dancers nominated for the 2022 Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards (TBDA) include: Thomas Gannon Corps de Ballet Dancer, Adam Elmes Corps de Ballet Dancer, Lilly Maskery Corps de Ballet Dancer, Rina Nemoto Soloist, and Lucien Xu Coryphée. The nominees were selected by The Australian Ballet’s artistic team, the company’s dancers, and past winners. A nomination is a huge honour for these dancers as it recognises their hard work and potential as determined by their peers.
Winners of the awards will be announced at Sydney Opera House on Tuesday 5 April 2022, following opening night of The Australian Ballet’s production of Anna Karenina. The winners will be chosen by a panel of judges from The Australian Ballet and Telstra.
The Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards incorporates two separate awards: The Telstra Rising Star Award, which will be chosen by a panel of judges and includes a $25,000 prize for the winner; The Telstra People’s Choice Award, which will be chosen by a public online vote and includes a $15,000 prize for the winner. Last year saw an increase in total prize money from $25,000 to $40,000, thanks to the long-standing support of Telstra and their ongoing commitment to help young artists to thrive.
The partnership between Telstra and The Australian Ballet has helped to celebrate ballet talent for nearly two decades. TBDA is one of the longest running arts awards in the country. Now in its nineteenth year, the awards are the most prestigious prize in Australian ballet today. TBDA has been a career highlight for some of Australian ballet’s biggest stars. It has traditionally been a great way to spot dancers earmarked for more leading roles: as many as ten former winners have progressed to become Principal Artists of The Australian Ballet.
Genelle Sharples, Principal, Media, Sponsorships and Awards for Telstra, said: “We are delighted to celebrate this news as the arts swing back to life. Telstra is proud to continue nurturing these young artists to achieve their dreams, and to fulfill our vision that Australia is why, and Dance is why. In 2022, there’s never been a better time to revel in the joy these artists bring to dance and share that optimism with all Australians. The future of dance is bright and we commend these rising young stars on their discipline, positivity, and relentless determination to strive for excellence in their artform.”
David Hallberg, Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, said: “This nomination and recognition of a dancer’s dedication is immensely valuable towards the development of their hard work. All the nominees have dealt with their time away from the stage with determination and focus. These dancers will continue to grow and flourish in their ballet careers and it is always so rewarding to watch them spread their wings into fully bloomed artists. I am grateful to Telstra for continuing to show their commitment to the arts and specifically the nurturing of talent within The Australian Ballet.”
The nominees in the 2022 Telstra Ballet Dancer Awards are featured in a series of videos, which encourage the public to vote for their favourite dancer and celebrate the joy of dance with all Australians. To vote in TBDA People’s Choice Awards, visit www.telstra.com/ballet or via 0484 BALLET.
Featured image depicts the five nominees.