September get together for Otago RAD members

13 December 2023 13:45

On 25th September 2023 a group of people with RAD connections enjoyed an informal lunch at Toitu Settlers’ Museum Café in Dunedin. The event was organised by Glenys Scandrett QSM. Included with the attendees was Eli Gray-Smith (centre front) who received an RAD President’s Award in 1996, at the time being the only pianist in the world to have received this prestigious award.

Its always lovely to get these items of news from our RAD family and see that these connections continue through the years.

Photographer: Aran Jagoutz lnvercargill

Left to right

Back row, standing: Allison Rohan, Dawn Robinson, Robyn Sinclair, Diane Nees, Lorna Easton, Glenda Simpson, Betty & Lyne Pringle

Front row seated: Euan Thomson, Audrey Burton, Anwyn Walker, Eli Gray-Smith, Glenys Scandrett, Emily Jagoutz, Marilyn & Bruce Cassidy

Dawn Robinson (née Patterson) Robinson Kindley School of Ballet 1984 – 2001 2001 - RAD Otago Organiser (1994 – 2001)

Robyn Sinclair Dunedin School of Ballet and Dance since 1989 - RAD Life Member, RAD Teaching Cert Elem Benesh Exam (Hons) Choreographer Selwyn Ballet Otago Uni. 22 years

Diane Nees (Williamson) - RAD trained

Glenda Simpson Glenda Simpson School of Ballet - RAD Life Member

Lyne Pringle RAD trained with Robinson Kindley School in Dunedin during her 36 year professional career Lyne has received numerous awards including the Caroline Plummer Otago University Dance Fellowship and a Lifetime Achievement award from Tempo Dance Festival - Lyne has created over 30 dance works - she has worked with Impulse Dance Theatre and Michael Parmenter’s Commotion Company - Formed Bipeds Productions with Kilda Northcott in 2009 - she is a senior Lecturer teaching dance studies at the New Zealand School of Dance and Is an oral historian for the New Zealand Dance Archive and a member of the Artistic Advisory Panel for Footnote New Zealand Dance - She is the national Dance Editor for Theatreview and is the dance reviewer for The Post.

Audrey Burton (née Gaston) - RAD Adv 2

Anwyn Walker (née McArthur) - A.R.A.D Solo Seal (1974)

Eli Gray Smith - RAD Presidents Award - RAD Official Pianist (Paciﬁc Area) for exams and Summer Schools

Glenys Scandrett (Kindley) QSM - A.R.A.D. Solo Seal (Lond) (1958) Scholarship with Borovansky Ballet School (1954) (now Australian Ballet) Tutors: Edouard Borovansky and Russian trained Martin Rubinstein (RAD (Aust) Examiner) - Co founder. Otago Rhythmical gymnastics 1970) with sister Dale Mercier NZ Champion (also RAD trained) – NZ Judge and Coach – Assistant Coach World Games Rotterdam (1973) - Robinson Kindley School of Ballet (1960 - 1971) - Fortune Theatre Choreographer and Ballet School (1977- 80) - Scandrett Dance Academy, lnvercargill (1997-2008) - Semi retired – Art of Dance Dunedin (2009 -) RAD Teaching Cert - RAD Life Member

Emily Jagoutz lnvercargill RAD trained

Marilyn Cassidy (née Brown) MNZN – A.R.A.D Solo Seal (Lond) (1958) - Cassidys Dance & Music World - RAD Life Member - (Son Marc Cassidy ex Australian Ballet Co Soloist - RAD trained)

Bruce Cassidy RAD Ofﬁcial Pianist ATCL LTCL RTMSN

Unable to attend:

Karen McLeod - RAD Examiner

Kilda Northcott - MNZM - Movement Theatre in Education - Darc Swan – Douglas Wright Dance Co - Limbs - Biopeds with Lyne Pringle – Freelance

Joy Pearson (née Campbell) - A.R.A.D. Otago Organiser 2002-2021, RAD Life Member