Jacqueline Morland

Prior to relocating to Brisbane some 40 plus years ago, Jacqueline (Jacqui) conducted the Jacqueline Parker Studio of Dancing in Rockhampton for 20 years, offering tuition and examinations in Classical Ballet, Highland  Dancing and Tapping. Ballroom private lessons followed on later. Of  particular interest to her was National Character Dance, and participation in eisteddfods and other competitions was keenly and successfully  contested annually. A number of her students progressed to professional level in the Performing Arts, both in Australia and overseas. Some went on to teaching, opening their own studios with great success.

Once settled in Brisbane, freelance teaching, choreography, adjudication and dance committee interests provided much stimulation and involvement satisfaction. When the RAD Regional Panel (South Queensland) was formed, Jacqui was elected as secretary, a position she held for many years. Early on Jacqui was co-opted to the RAD State Committee, and then followed as secretary of the Q.B.T.A. (Queensland Ballet Teachers’ Association). She was also a member of the Queensland Ballet Friends Committee and Secretary of the Queensland Ballet Board for a number of years. Jacqui was invited to the position of organiser in South Queensland for RAD Examinations in Classical Ballet Grades and Vocational Grades. The position became known as the Coordinator which she held for 20 years. Her areas of responsibility were: South Queensland including the North and South Coast, Northern New South Wales down to Grafton, and North Queensland and Rockhampton to Cairns. In 1994, Jacqui (along with the then Victorian organizer) was one of the first recipients of the President’s Award in Australia. Jacqui also received the “Eight Great  Teachers’ Award” initiated by Professor Susan Street, Dean of Creative Industries Faculty at the QUT Kelvin Grove Campus.

In recent years, the RAD South Queensland Regional Panel, under the Chairmanship of Pam Keir, invited Jacqui to have the existing Dance Awards named after her. Jacqui’s retirement was marked by a get-together of colleagues and friends at the Marriott Hotel, Brisbane.