Ausdance QLD Honorary Life Member
It is with great pleasure that Ausdance QLD welcomes a new Honorary Life Member to our membership.
Gail Hewton was unanimously voted an Honorary Life Member at our AGM (25 March, 2021).
Ausdance QLD was pleased to have Ausdance Nationals, Vice Chair - Julie Dyson at the meeting to say a few words around Gail’s work with both Ausdance National and Ausdance QLD.
Gail’s working partner of many years and former Ausdance QLD Executive Director, Julie Chenery also spoke to the many ways in which Gail’s work has enriched the dance sector and her ongoing commitment to getting people dancing.
We are so thrilled to have Gail as part of the Ausdance QLD community and it is will great pride that we welcome her to the ranks with the other Honorary Life Members.
AUSDANCE QLD - Honorary Life Members
Gail Hewton
Brian Lucas
Julie Chenery
Janelle Christofis
Dr Ralph Buck
Lesley Graham
Annie Greig
Robert Osmotherly
About Gail
Gail has been active in Ausdance (formerly Australian Association for Dance Education or AADE) since 1986 when Robert Osmotherly was leading the charge with several others including Harold Collins (former Artistic Director of Queensland Ballet). Gail contributed from her broad knowledge and experience of artistic, commercial and educational dance.
Following a brief stint overseas, Gail rejoined the Ausdance Qld committee in time for their application to Arts Qld which successfully achieved funding for the office in March 1992.
Gail served as Vice-chair to Chair, Ralph Buck, (92, 93) and then as Chair 94, 95.
As an ordinary member in 1996, on behalf of Ausdance, Gail travelled to Cairns, Townsville and Innisfail regions to conduct dance education workshops in primary schools to introduce the P-10 dance curriculum.
Gail became a Project Officer for Ausdance Qld in 1998 and convened a major conference of Tertiary Dance staff and students at QUT. In her position as a producer at the newly opened Powerhouse, Gail supported Ausdance proposals for various events held at Powerhouse venues.
Gail’s success as a producer led her on to other major projects for several years, including the Noosa Long Weekend Festival.
In 2011 Gail returned her focus to dance, developing her Noosa based Ripedance classes for older people for health and wellbeing.
Through all these years, Gail continued her strong support for Ausdance and again became a management committee member from 2018 continuing to the present.
Gail espouses the belief that dance can be a major force for wellbeing across the lifespan of individuals and communities so she is likely to remain an Ausdance supporter far into the future.