Arts Tasmania has awarded the inaugural professional development scholarship to dancer Elizabeth Johnstone, who will travel to study at a world-leading London dance school next year.
The Annie Greig Dance Scholarship was established following a $300,000 bequest from the late Annie Greig, a respected and celebrated member of the Tasmanian dance community.
Ms Johnstone will use the inaugural scholarship to study a Master of Arts in Screendance (a fusion of dance artistry and film-making) at the prestigious London Contemporary Dance School.
Tasmanian Minister for the Arts, Madeleine Ogilvie, said Ms Johnstone’s goals aligned with those of the late Annie Greig.
“This is the sort of opportunity that Annie would likely have envisaged when she established her bequest,” Minister Ogilvie said.
“Annie was committed to supporting the growth and development of young and emerging Australian dance artists. I am confident that she would be thrilled to see Elizabeth supported through this scholarship.”
Ms Johnstone started dancing at the age of four, studying ballet, jazz, tap, hip hop, lyrical and contemporary dance. She went on to study a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance), majoring in contemporary dance and ballet, at the Victorian College of the Arts.
She will travel to London to take up a 12-month course with the London Contemporary Dance School in 2024.
“This course is currently the only practice-led, post-graduate level course in the world specialising in dance film-making,” said Ms Johnstone.
“My goal is to be an innovator in this niche field and become a practising screen dance artist.”
Through a bequest to Arts Tasmania, the Annie Greig Dance Scholarship offers one scholarship a year for 10 years to support Tasmanian dancers aged 17 to 26 years to travel nationally or internationally for education or professional development opportunities.
Arts Tasmania manages the Annie Greig Dance Scholarship on behalf of an advisory committee comprising people connected with the Tasmanian dance community.
The annual scholarship will be offered again in 2024.
