We're extremely proud of all our students and how they've coped through the COVID-19 pandemic given the limited opportunities to dance and do what they love! This makes all the achievements below particularly special as it demonstrates the resilience, commitment and hard work of all our JOKSOD dance family.
Our Achievements (2020 & 2021)
The COVID years
PROFESSIONAL PATHWAY
Many students are provided with incredible opportunities to attend professional dance training sessions locally, interstate and internationally. These pathways are conducted alongside their training at JOKSOD and provide enriching experiences that enhance the student’s technique.
We also have students that graduate their training at JOKSOD and go on to professional further education elsewhere, whilst we are sad to see them go we are so proud and excited for their future. A number of our alumni students come back to guest teach and support our school by imparting the knowledge and experience they’ve learned.
- I.T.P Program 2020
- Sam McSweeney and Charlotta Apps
- Ashlea Rush, Zi Sione, Ruby Strickland
- Ava Howden and Eden Stewart as a special invitee to Level 4
- Virtual Mentoring program 2020: Eden Stewart
- I.T.P Program 2021
- Level 1: Charlotte Cvirn, Ava Scott, Charlotte Pichler, Ava Del Rosario
- Level 2: Lucie Doody, Charlotte Apps
- Level 3: Ashlea Rush, Zi Sione, Sam McSweeney.
- 2020
- Summer School: Bethany Whittorn
- Winter Holiday Program: Bethany Whittorn and Ashlea Rush
- 2021
- Level 5 full time study: Zi Sione
- Guest Associate program: Ashlea Rush, Sam McSweeney
Melbourne Conservatoire of Ballet full time study 2021
- Magnus Gilmore
Victorian College of the Arts full time study 2021
- Jack O'Toole
- Production Harliquinade
- Ava Del Rosario
- Sam McSweeney
The Australian Ballet School 2021
- Production of Butterfly
- Ava Scott
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
Throughout the year there are a number of scholarship events that are offered and at JOKSOD we encourage select students to participate. Majority will offer cash prizes which enable students to increase their dance training with JOKSOD.
Jason Coleman Ministry of Dance
- 2020 Summer School scholarship: Jack O'Toole
- Australian Ballet Scholarship: Ashlea Rush
- Junior/Intermediate Award: Kyra Sione
- Zi Sione won awards in Classical, Jazz and Contemporary
- Ruby Strickland won a Classical and Jazz Award
- Sam McSweeney a Classical Award
- Bethany Whittorn a Jazz Award
AICD Junior Ballet Awards 2021
- 3rd place: Ava Del Rosario
- Finalists: Ava Scott, Charlotta Apps, Lucie Doody, Ava Del Rosario and Sam McSweeney
CECCHETTI ACHIEVEMENTS
Cecchetti Ballet Australia offers a range of scholarships and awards for promising young dancers and we are fortunate to announce the following achievements of our students for this year.
Cecchetti Summer School
- 2020 Scholarship: Jack O'Toole
Victorian Scholars 2020
- Ebony Ricupito
- Sam McSweeney
- Zi Sione
- Ashlea Rush
- Ruby Strickland
- Eden Stewart
- Ava Howden
- Lucie Doody
Cecchetti William Carse Young Performance Awards 2020
- Zi Sione won the Overall grade 5/6 Award
- Sam McSweeney won the Overall Male Dancer Award
- Runner up /Honourable mentions to:
- Jack O'Toole
- Phoebe O'Toole
- Gerika Abbott
- Kyra Sione
- Ruby Strickland
- Bethany Whittorn
- Eden Stewart
Cecchetti Examinations 2021
- Score 100 (Honours)
- Maisie O'Toole (Grade 5)
- Ava Del Rosario (Grade 4)
- Macy Stalker (Grade 2)
- Macey Andreana (Grade 2)
- Elise Stalker (Grade 1)
- Amelia Blockley (Grade 1)
- Ming Fang (Grade 1)
Victorian Scholars 2021
- Ashlea Rush
- Sam McSweeney
- Lucie Doody
Cecchetti Medal Test auditions 2021
- Finalists: Maisie O’Toole, Iyla Emanuel, Charlotta Apps and Sam McSweeney
Cecchetti Noelle Aitken Junior encouragement Awards 2021
- Grade 3 overall award: Ava Del Rosario
- Grade 3 gold medal: Ava Scott
- Grade 3 Honourable Mentions: Charlotte Cvirn, Willow Gould, Adele V, Keira Richardson and Charlotte Pichler
- Grade 2 Honourable Mentions: Indigo Chatfield and Lulu S
Cecchetti Victoria Choreography competition 2021
- Ella McMillan (1st) Open Solo Contemporary / Neo Classical
- Ava Scott (3rd) 12yrs &U Contemporary / Neo Classical
- Ava Del Rosario (HM) 12yrs &U Classical / Demi Character
- Noi Godber (1st) 9yrs &U Classical / Demi Character
- Macy Stalker (3rd) 9yrs &U Classical / Demi Character
- Macey Andreana (2nd) 9yrs &U Contemporary / Neo Classical and (HM) in Classical / Demi Character
- Indigo Chatfield (HM) 9yrs &U Classical / Demi Character
- Elise Stalker (1st) 6yrs &U Classical / Demi Character
EISTEDDFOD AWARDS
Phoenix Festival of Dance 2021
SOLOS
So many of our beautiful students participated in solo dances in the festival and there are too many achievements to list, but we are so proud of each and every one of them.
TROUPES
Our troupe groups also did a spectacular job at the festival within numerous placings in each age group.
Junior Ballet Award
- 3rd place: Charlotta Apps
- Honourable Mentions: Ava Del Rosario and Lucie Doody
Intermediate Ballet Award: Runner Up: Sam McSweeney
Baroque Contemporary Award: Winner: Ella McMillan
Nova Modern award: Winner: Ella McMillan
Intermediate Jazz Championship: Honourable Mention: Gerika Abbott
Junior Jazz Championship
- Runner Up: Lucie Doody
- Honourable Mention: Ebony Ricupito
Cameo Lyrical Award
- 3rd prize: Ella McMillan
- Finalist: Paris Brooke
Mendoza Jazz Championship: Finalist: Ella McMillan
Song and Dance Award: Runner up: Lucie Doody
JOKSOD Awards
JOKSOD Perpetual Award winners 2020
- Juniors:
- Elise Stalker
- Amelia Blockley
- Charlotte Pichler
- Ava Del Rosario
- Ava Scott
- Macy Stalker
- Willow Gould
- Intermediates:
- Gerika Abbott - Overall
- Charlotta Apps
- Kyra Sione
- Sam McSweeney
- Savannah Laurito
- Kiara Mavondo
- Seniors
- Alyssa Brooke - overall
- Ella McMillan
- Natalie Stutz
- Paris Brooke
- Zi Sione
- Sophie Marr
JOKSOD Spring School Masterclass 2021
- Spotlight Stars
- Junior: Macey Andreana
- Intermediate: Maisie O'Toole
- Senior: Gerika Abbott
JOKSOD Perpetual Awards 2021
Sub Junior
- Classical - ZARA LINDSEY
- Jazz - MING FANG
Junior
- Classical - MACY STALKER
- Jazz - INDIGO CHATFIELD
- Contemporary - CHARLOTTE PICHLER
Intermediate
- Pre- Intermediate Classical - AVA del ROSARIO
- Classical - SAM MCSWEENEY
- Jazz - MAISIE O’TOOLE
- Contemporary - SAVANNAH LAURITO
- Runner-up - IYLA EMANUEL
Seniors
- Advanced Intermediate Jazz - GERIKA ABBOTT
- Classical - EDEN STEWART.
- Runner-up - ASHLEA RUSH
- Contemporary - AVA MCSWEENEY
- Jazz: TESS HANNA
Best 1st Year: LUCINDA CURRY
Junior overall Award: LUCIE DOODY
Senior overall Award: ELLA MCMILLAN
JOKSOD Spirit Award: MICHAELA DAVIDSON
