Audrey Nicholls

OAM FRAD ARAD

Born in Townsville Queensland, Audrey Nicholls is one of Australia’s most experienced, respected and admired teachers. A Life Member, former Graded Examiner for 33 years and ambassador of the Royal Academy of Dance, Audrey has for many years been an advisor for new RAD Examiners and continues to be a mentor for new and already established teachers.

Audrey was a Principal Dancer with Ballet Rambert in the U.K, Leading Soloist with the Borovansky Ballet in Australia (which was the precursor to the Australian Ballet) and Principal Guest Artist with Ballet Guild (Ballet Victoria).

Audrey’s highlights include dancing the title role of Giselle, Swanilda in Coppelia, Lola in Jack Carter’s The Life and Death of Lola Montez, and she created the role of Flame Lady in John Cranko’s Variations on a Theme. She also performed for the Queen Mother at a Royal Command Performance, dancing the Polka from Façade and Birdcage in Michael Charnley’s Movimientos.

With fellow dancer Eve King, they ran a successful full-time ballet school in Melbourne for 40 years with Senior Staff teacher, Martin Rubinstein. During this time, she was the resident Ballerina with HSV7.

Audrey has more recently continued her dancing career as a Guest Artist with The Australian Ballet in Graeme Murphy’s Nutcracker – The Story of Clara, Erik Bruhn’s La Sylphide, Stephen Baynes’ Raymonda and Sir Peter Wright’s The Nutcracker.

Audrey was appointed a Graded Examiner in 1973, a Tutor for the Academy’s teaching programmes in 1997 and in 2011 was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance. Audrey is now the patron of the RAD Victoria Tasmania Panel. In the 2013 Australia Day Honours List she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for her services to the Performing Arts, particularly Ballet.