Adjudicator 2025
Angela Ireson
Angela has an impressive list of highly respected and recognised Dance Teaching Qualifications having undergone training in Classical Ballet, Character, National, Jazz styles, Modern, Contemporary, Lyrical, Tap, Musical Theatre, Latin American, Aerobics, Street Dancing and Anatomy and Physiology of the Dancers Body.
She holds an adjudication qualification with Transit Dance Pty. Ltd. a leading educator and progressive force in the Australian performing arts industry and has studied dance in Tasmania, Melbourne, Sydney, London, and New York.
She has had many years of experience in the performing arts industry and has worked extensively as a choreographer, dancer, singer and actor in theatre restaurant, cabarets, television, revues and conventions and has played leading roles in many musicals in Hobart.
She ran her own dancing school, the ‘Angela Ireson Dance Theatre’ for 29 years and was employed by the Tasmanian Department of Education as a teacher of dance from 2002 – 2012. In 2007/2008 she was employed by Billy Elliott Australia Ltd. to act as a tapping and ballet instructor for the musical ‘Billy Elliott’ which ran in Sydney and Melbourne.
Many of Angela’s students have undertaken professional careers in dance and musical theatre. One of her triple threat students was Dance Captain/Swing and subsequently Resident Director/Choreographer of the Stephen Schwartz musical ‘Prince of Egypt’ on London’s West End. Angela recently completed a tenure of six years on a judging panel for the Tasmanian Theatre Council to select winners in a range of categories for the Musical Theatre Green Room Awards in Tasmania.
She currently teaches the ATOD Classical Ballet and Tap syllabus and has also taught the FAOTOD and ADS Tap and Jazz styles/Lyrical syllabus.
Angela continues to stress the importance of the use of correct technique in all dance styles and continues to keep abreast of new styles. “Technique is crucial, but I also look for a dancer who uses artistry”.
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We look forward to having Angela Adjudicate our 2025 Launceston Festival of Dance.
Scribe 2025
Lesley Mcshane
Lesley has always had an interest in theatre and dance which developed from her enjoyment of jazz & ballet classes as a child. She both performed and worked backstage as a lighting technician in school musicals and for a brief time worked in the box office of the Playhouse Theatre in Hobart.
She expects that working as a scribe for this year's Festival of Dance will give her some interesting insights into the adjudication process in dance competitions.
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We look forward to having Lesley on board as Scribe for our 2025 Launceston Festival of Dance.
Past Adjudicators
1992 Roslyn Boothroyd
1993 Robyn McCarthy
1994 Lorraine Dawson
1995 Peter Stock
1996 Christine Waters
1997 Brian Nolan & Wendy Russell-Clarke
1998 Diane Talbot & Michelle Whitford
1999 Christine McCarthy
2000 Sheila Laing
2001 Christine Denny
2002 Wendy Russell-Clarke
2003 Roslyn Boothroyd
2004 Lisa Fernance
2005 Marilyn Morrison
2006 Wendy Laraghy
2007 Loretta Bertei
2008 Ann Butler
2009 Barbara Komazec
2010 Darren Disney
2011 Susan Martin
2012 Christine McCarthy
2013 Fleur Harlick
2014 Donna Lierse
2015 Nathan Sheens & Grant Dale
2016 Keith Hawley & Katie Kermond
2017 Lisa Maloney
2018 Drew Anthony & Nicky Manego
2019 Lisa Fernance & Summer Till
2020 No Competition due to Covid-19 Pandemic
2021 Lucy Robertson
2022 Nicky Manego
2023 Jaz Flowers
2024 Lisa Maloney
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