Creina Gee Memorial Award

Creina Gee, a very much-loved and respected former New Zealand teacher of ballet and member of the Royal Academy of Dance Examining panel, died in England on 22 September 2005.

In 2006 Creina’s family established the Creina Gee Memorial Award to “enhance excellence and professionalism within Dance Teaching in New Zealand by providing financial assistance for dance teachers, or trainee dance teachers, to undertake courses of study which meet Royal Academy of Dance guidelines.”

The 14+ Dance Scholarship Foundation administers the awards

PURPOSE: To enhance excellence and professionalism within Dance Teaching in New Zealand by providing financial assistance for dance teachers or trainee dance teachers to undertake courses of study which meet the criteria for Time-Valued CPD hours.

2020 Creina Gee Memorial Award Recipient Briony Martin. Photo: Charlotte Kiri

THE AWARD:

The amount awarded to each successful applicant is at the discretion of the 14+ Dance Scholarship Foundation trustee board but will not generally exceed $1,000
The RAD is committed to celebrating and supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and encourages applications from all RAD teachers and students
Awards are available for:
- RAD syllabus courses
- RAD CPD courses
- RAD global webinars, conferences and courses
- RAD Faculty of Education courses
- Courses from external providers that meet the standard CPD requirements for Time-Valued CPD: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/teacher-training/cpd-with-the-rad/cpd-scheme/meeting-your-cpd-requirement/

CLOSING DATE:

Applications will be considered twice per year. Closing dates for applications will be:

5 December
5 April

Successful applications will be notified with 15 working days of the closing date

Applications will not be considered for retrospective courses

HOW TO APPLY:

Applicants should complete the online form below and include:

A letter of support from a current RAD Registered Teacher (for student teachers only)
Full details of the proposed course of study, including evidence of acceptance on the course of study
An estimate of financial costs

ELIGIBILITY:

Applicants must

have RAD Registered Teacher Status or be trainee teachers on a programme working towards RAD Registered Teacher Status
reside in New Zealand
be at least 18 years of age
be a current member of the RAD

Selection criteria

Scholarships will be assessed and awarded using the information provided on the application form as well as a personal statement.

You should write a personal statement addressing the selection criteria here and attach it to your application below:

A strong commitment to professional development
A proactive and committed approach to dance teaching
An interest in contributing to and engaging with the wider dance teaching profession
Barriers that would impact on your ability to participate in the activity without assistance, such as financial, geographical, logistical, or personal circumstances that are relevant to you

TERMS & CONDITIONS:

The award recipient is required to agree to be included in any promotional activities which the 14+ Dance Scholarship Foundation or the Royal Academy of Dance require in conjunction with the awarding of the Creina Gee Memorial Award.
Candidates are required to provide a written report to the 14+ Dance Scholarship Foundation at the end of the period of study. Interim reports during the study period may also be required.
If circumstances prevent the fulfilment of a given award within a three-year time frame, the award recipient will forfeit any unspent amount of the award to the 14+ Dance Scholarship Foundation .
Teachers may apply as often as they wish but only one designated activity per application round will be granted. A maximum of one scholarship will be awarded per applicant per calendar year.
All decisions of the trustee board are final.

The next round of applications close on 5 December 2024

Supporting Professionalism and Excellence in Dance Teaching

Please complete the following form to apply:

Name(Required)

First Last

Membership Number(Required)

Email(Required)

Phone

What year did you receive RAD registration?

Tell us about your dance teaching qualifications

Tell us about any other relevant qualifications

Tell us about your dance teaching experience

COURSE OF STUDY TO BE UNDERTAKEN

Name of course(Required)

Course Provider

Link to course information

Please include a link to the course information

Course Location(Required)

Overall course cost(Required)

Other funding applied for (if applicable)(Required)

Personal Statement(Required)

Your personal statement should demonstrate the selection criteria and describe the benefits of the course to yourself, the people you work with and/or the wider dance community. Selection Criteria: • A strong commitment to professional development • A proactive and committed approach to dance teaching • An interest in contributing to and engaging with the wider dance teaching profession • Barriers that would impact on your ability to participate in the activity without assistance, such as financial, geographical, logistical, or personal circumstances that are relevant to you

Declaration(Required)

I agree to abide by the terms and conditions for the Creina Gee Memorial Award as set out on the RAD website

I agree to have my name included in any promotional activities which the 14+ Dance Scholarship Foundation or the Royal Academy of Dance require with the awarding of the Creina Gee Memorial Award

I agree to provide a report on the course when it is finished

Name(Required)

First Last

Date(Required)

Please submit the following with this application(Required)

• Statement of Support from an RAD Registered Teacher (student applicants only). The statement of support should outline the applicant’s dance experience and skill, the applicant’s potential and the applicant’s ability to interact with others

• Copy of Proposed Course of Study for which funding is being requested, and letter of acceptance

• Financial details of the project: where appropriate, please include written quotes

Files(Required)

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 51 MB.

Recipients

Year	Recipient	Year	Recipient
2007	Nadine Proctor	2014	Bernadette Tippett
	Rachael Pugh	2015	Tayla Best
	Dianne Wallace		Fiona Hulands
2008	Julia Barry		Samantha Keighley
2009	Sharee O'Neill	2016	Philippa Pidgeon
2010	Gemma Adams		Marisol Pengelly
	Angie Longman	2017	Sarsha Forbes
	Hannah Ross		Michaela Laird
	Jeneen van Bysterveldt		Nadia White
2011	Simone Beacham	2018	Olivia van Woerkom
	Meaghan Rowe		Georgia Allen
	Alisha Gabrielsen	2019	Genevieve Zerf
	Christchurch teachers		Elizabeth Marler
2012	Stephanie Connell		Gemma Allen
	Angie Longman		Jessica Opacic
	Nina McCollum	2020	Briony Martin
	Chanelle Badenhorst	2022	Kathryn Crawford
			Vanessa Smith
		2023	Denise Walker
			Liz Russell
			Tyler Johnston

Award Recipient Denise Walker - 2023

I just wanted to extend my gratitude and thanks for the Creina Gee Award. This award allowed me to attend the 2024 Teachers Summer school and what a wonderful experience this was, from the very start of the pōwhiri that welcomed everyone to NZSD, to all the tutors and wonderful classes that were on offer. I run my dance school on my own, in what often feels like in isolation. Summer school allowed me to touch base with my peers, to watch and observe classes that I would not usually have access to and inspired me to start the year with renewed enthusiasm. It was just what I needed to start 2024 and I am extremely grateful to have been one of the recipients of the Creina Gee Award.