On Wednesday night, Amber Scott was awarded the 2004 Telstra Young Ballet Dancer of the Year Award.
The 21 year old is a Coryphée with The Australian Ballet, and was one of six nominees for this year’s award. The announcement was made by Telstra’s Group Managing Director, Bill Scales, in front of a capacity house of 1800 people at the Sydney Opera House last night, following the company’s opening performance of La Fille mal gardee. A special announcement party was held afterwards in the newly refurbished Utzon Room.
In presenting the Award, Mr Scales said: “We are delighted to make this award to this outstanding young performer. Amber’s achievement certainly comes as a result of hard work and determination, rather than chance. As well as her talent, these are admirable qualities which will serve her well throughout her career.”
Scott made it a clean sweep of this year’s competition, also collecting the coveted Peoples Choice Award.
The Telstra Young Ballet Dancer of the Year award was conceived to support the aspirations of our elite young dancers. It’s the highest accolade of its kind available to an Australian dancer. Now in its second year, the award is a highlight of The Australian Ballet’s relationship with its Principal Sponsor, Telstra, with whom it shared the recent Australian Business Arts Foundation’s Bytecraft Commitment Award.
Judged to be outstanding on numerous criteria over the course of the year, including the artistic quality of her work, a written submission, her personal development and future potential, Scott was awarded a $20,000 cash prize provided by Telstra. The other nominees were Adam Bull, Craig Cathcart, Jane Casson, Miwako Kubota and Rachel Rawlins.
This year’s judging panel was comprised of David McAllister (Artistic Director, The Australian Ballet), Danilo Radojevic (Associate Artistic Director, The Australian Ballet), Stephen Page (Artistic Director, Bangarra Dance Theatre), Ian McRae (member of the Australia Council, and Chair of its Theatre Board), Jane Kielb (The Australian Ballet), Karen van Ulzen (Editor, Dance Australia) and Bill Scales.
Patrons, supporters and audience members registered votes for The Peoples Choice Award on The Australian Ballet homepage, or by sending an SMS text message. Scott collected another $5,000 cash as the Peoples Choice.
David McAllister said, “I am delighted that Amber has been recognized by the judges but also ballet lovers across Australia. She has a very special talent that will continue to blossom as she takes over from Matthew Lawrence as the Telstra Young Ballet Dancer of the Year. I know the whole company join me in wishing her a hearty congratulations.”
Amber Scott was born in Brisbane in 1983. Before joining The Australian Ballet School, Amber trained at the Anne Fraser School of Dance and the National Theatre Ballet School. She was awarded the 1998 Bonze Medal at the Adeline Genée Awards, first place in the Junior 1999 Asian Pacific International Ballet Competition and The Australian Ballet Society Scholarship in 2000. Amber performed Dawn and Prayer in the 2000 Dancers Company tour of Coppélia.
Amber graduated from The Australian Ballet School in 2000 as Dux of her year, before joining The Australian Ballet in 2001. She has performed in ballets such as Giselle, Manon, Etudes, Beyond 40, Sentimental Bloke, Coppélia and Spartacus. She has also performed soloist roles in Swan Lake, Catalyst and Symphony in C. In early 2003 Amber spent four months in Denmark with the Royal Danish Ballet as part of a dancer exchange program. She has performed with The Dancers Company as a guest artist in their production of Nutcracker for the last two years, dancing the role of Clara. Earlier this year she made her debut as Odette in Graeme Murphy’s Swan Lake. She was promoted to Coryphée in July.
Article from 'State Art'