New Sawers Family Award for Artistry presented at 2026 Betsy Sawers Awards
Aimee West with adjudicator Kerrie Smith. Image by Mode Imagery
The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) was proud to present the 2026 Betsy Sawers Awards on Sunday 20 September at Gungahlin College Theatre, Canberra.
This year’s event held particular significance with the introduction of the Sawers Family Award for Artistry, a new annual award established through the generous support of Betsy Sawers’ family.
Created to celebrate the artistry that was so central to Betsy’s life and teaching, the $500 award will continue to be presented each year at the Betsy Sawers Awards. The inaugural recipient was Aimee West from Kim Harvey School of Dance.
The Sawers family’s support represents a special continuation of Betsy’s legacy and their connection to the awards held in her name. Known affectionately as “Mrs S”, Betsy made an extraordinary contribution to dance education in Canberra and beyond, producing professional dancers and teachers while inspiring a lifelong love of dance in countless students.
The annual Betsy Sawers Awards continue this legacy by bringing together dancers from across the ACT and Riverina, from Grade 2 through to Advanced 2, providing students with the opportunity to showcase their technical development and artistry while gaining valuable performance experience.
The 2026 awards were adjudicated by Kerrie Smith RAD Examiner RTS, with Caitlyn-Rae Crook teaching the Grade classes and Tara Chapman teaching the Vocational classes.
Alongside the new Sawers Family Award for Artistry, students were recognised across the Graded and Vocational levels, with Harlow Menzies from Kim Harvey School of Dance receiving the Betsy Sawers Outstanding Dancer Award.
2026 Betsy Sawers Awards Results
Grade 2
Winner: Koko McClean (GDance Academy)
Runner-Up: Vivien Johns (Jayz Dance Company)
Grade 3
Winner: Elspeth Brunker (MAKS Ballet Studio)
Runner-Up: Alana Zovko (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Grade 4
Winner: Katherine Shears (GDance Academy)
Runner-Up: Arthur McHutchison (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Grade 5
Winner: Bailey McLoughlin (The Training Ground)
Runner-Up: Athena Gash (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Grade 6
Winner: Harlow Menzies (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Runner-Up: Selina Haragli (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Grade 7
Winner: Abbey Brough (Ballet Canberra)
Runner-Up: Hugo Raine (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Grade 8
Winner: Victoria Seymour (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Runner-Up: Amelia Turnbull (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Bloch Encouragement Awards
Grades 2–5: Alexandra Lelliott (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Grades 6–8: Sophia Anderson (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Sawers Family Award for Artistry
Aimee West (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Intermediate Foundation
Winner: Daisy Piper-Schulstad (MAKS Ballet Studios)
Runner-Up: Aurelia Webb (MAKS Ballet Studios)
Bloch Encouragement Award: Miriam Tate (MAKS Ballet Studios)
Intermediate
Winner: Abbey Brough (Ballet Canberra)
Runner-Up: Selina Haragli (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Bloch Encouragement Award: Allegra Violi (GDance Academy)
Advanced Foundation
Winner: Lila Hynson (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Runner-Up: Eluney Tapply Orozco (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Bloch Encouragement Award: Lily Bellchambers (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Advanced 1
Winner: Zahra Zulkapli (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Runner-Up: Victoria Seymour (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
Bloch Encouragement Award: Rose Thompson (MAKS Ballet Studios)
Advanced 2
Winner: Claire Hinds-Salter (Lisa Clark Dance Centre)
Runner-Up: Gabriella Haebich (Ballet Canberra)
Bloch Encouragement Award: Emily McCoy (The Training Ground)
Betsy Sawers Outstanding Dancer 2026
Harlow Menzies (Kim Harvey School of Dance)
RAD Australia extends its gratitude to the Sawers family for their generous support of the new Sawers Family Award for Artistry, to Bloch Australia for its continued support of the Betsy Sawers Awards, and to the ACT/Riverina Regional Advisory Panel, event faculty, volunteers, participating teachers, students and families who contributed to the event.
