Australian Advanced 1 Bursary Finalists Announced
Young Talent Shines in 2025 RAD Australian Advanced 1 Bursary Semi-Finals
The Royal Academy of Dance is proud to announce the successful completion of the 2025 Australian Advanced 1 Bursary Semi-Finals, held across the country throughout May. Taking place in TAS, NSW, QLD, ACT, VIC, SA, and WA, the semi-finals brought together some of the nation’s most promising young ballet dancers for a celebration of artistry, passion, and technical excellence.
This prestigious award recognises and supports emerging talent, offering a $5,000 bursary to assist with further classical ballet training in the RAD syllabus and associated pre-professional opportunities.
Each semi-final included an open class followed by the performance of a classical variation. We are proud to continue our strong connections with top industry professionals and dance companies across Australia and are sincerely grateful for the support of the following adjudicators and class teachers:
TAS (Sunday 4 May)
Adjudicator: Susan Hill-Henning | Class Teacher: Kristie Smee
NSW & ACT (Saturday 17 May)
Adjudicator: Natasha Kusen | Class Teacher: Kerrie Smith
QLD (Saturday 17 May)
Adjudicator: Gaylene Cummerfield Lawrence | Class Teacher: Elissa Mariet
VIC (Sunday 18 May)
Adjudicator: Olivia Bell | Class Teacher: Kristie Smee
SA (Sunday 18 May)
Adjudicator: Edward Stratton Smith | Class Teacher: Chylie Cooper
WA (Sunday 18 May)
Adjudicator: Leanne Stojmenov | Class Teacher: Melissa McCabe
With the Tasmanian semi-final held earlier in the month, the TAS finalist was previously announced following the event on 4 May. The remaining six finalists were selected over the weekend of 17–18 May.
Following a strong display of dedication and talent, we are proud to announce the 2025 RAD Advanced 1 Bursary Finalists:
TAS Finalist: Ruby Symons, trained by Caroline Small
NSW Finalist: Oscar Taggart, trained by Hilary Kaplan
QLD Finalist: Amy Westcott, trained by Deborah Preece-Brocksom
ACT Finalist: Emily McCoy, trained by Anne Reardon
VIC Finalist: Millie Wood, trained by Julie Fleming
SA Finalist: Holly Zbierski, trained by Terry Simpson
WA Finalist: Preston Shean, trained by Diedre Atkinson
These seven outstanding dancers will travel to Sydney for the national final on Sunday 15 June 2025, where one will be awarded the $5,000 Australian Advanced 1 Bursary, proudly supported by our exclusive event sponsor, Bloch Australia.
