About

Welcome to the Advanced 1 Bursary Queensland Semi-Finals! 

The Australian Advanced 1 Bursary is a prestigious opportunity for RAD students who have received a Distinction or higher in their Advanced 1 exam last year. Former participants have gone on to participate in The Fonteyn and/or join professional companies worldwide. This annual bursary awards $5,000 to one outstanding Advanced 1 dancer to support their continued classical ballet training in the RAD syllabus and associated pre-professional programs.

Come along and support the students as they take part in an open-class and perform their chosen classical variation from the approved Repertoire List as a solo in front of a live audience and adjudicator. The adjudicator will assess the candidates on the class work and their variation and select a dancer to progress to the finals, which are held in Sydney in May.  This announcement will be made on the day, in front of the audience.

This is a lovely afternoon of dance, and a great opportunity for students to watch the more advanced dancers/students perform, and be inspired for what they can achieve with RAD. These are the emerging dancers of the future.

• Saturday 17 May
• 2pm start, to approx. 4:15pm, including short interval
• Tickets from $20

For more information on the Australian Advanced 1 Bursary, visit our website: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/en-au/event/australian-advanced-1-bursary/ 

Audience tickets can be purchased by clicking the 'Book Now' button on the right hand side of the page. 
 

ADJUDICATOR

Gaylene Cummerfield Lawrence

New Zealand born Gaylene Cummerfield Lawrence trained and graduated as Dux at the Australian Ballet School before joining the Royal New Zealand Ballet. While with RNZB she won first place and the ‘Grand Prix’ at the 6th Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition in Tokyo. Gaylene moved to the Australian Ballet where she performed many principal roles before joining the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2008, alongside her husband Matthew Lawrence. They danced here as Principals performing many of the great classics together including; Sir Peter Wrights Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty and Sir Kenneth McMillan’s Romeo and Juliet. Gaylene was the original ’Skinny’ Ugly Sister in Sir David Bintley’s Cinderella, televised on The BBC, as well as having other works created on her. She guested with The Royal New Zealand Ballet and has performed all over the world including London, New York, Virginia, Spain, Budapest, Singapore, Japan and China. Gaylene retired from dancing after the birth of her first child. She is now the proud mother of two beautiful girls, a guest teacher with Queensland Ballet and freelance teacher, and owner of Ballerina with a Paintbrush, selling upcycled furniture, paint products and furniture painting workshops.

SATURDAY 17 MAY 2025

Doors Open at 1:45pm for a 2pm Start

LOCATION

QLD National Ballet School - Theatre​

57 Hayward St ​​, Stafford ​, QLD​ 4053​

Parking

• On street parking is available on Hayward St, and there is also underground parking accessible via the right-hand side of the building.
• Alternatively, there is parking nearby at the shopping centre (enter off Tannery Lane, near the venue). 

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Terms and Conditions 

A. Tickets to the Advanced 1 Bursary QLD Semi-Finals are booked via Trybooking only and close at the specified dates and times outlined on the Trybooking page.

B. Tickets are non-refundable and not transferable including due to change of mind or clashes with other commitments.

C. Details are subject to change and RAD reserves the right to make changes and alterations where necessary, without notice.

D. Attendees agree that the RAD may take photographic images during the Advanced 1 Bursary QLD Semi-Finals that may include their image and may be used for promotional and/or reporting purposes.

E. The Code of Conduct for Teachers and Parents on the RAD website must be adhered to or a competitor will be disqualified from the Awards.

F. All students performing in the Advanced 1 Bursary QLD Semi-Finals must adhere to the Advanced 1 Bursary Conditions of Entry

G. The adjudicator’s decisions are final.

H. RAD Australia follows all current government, public health, and COVID-19 requirements - please refer to the Government website in your state for current guidelines and advice.

Contact Event Organiser

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