PHD in Education. Grad Dip Ed.
Head of Classical Ballet
Joanne’s career is and has always been centred on the ‘Arts’ industry in Australia, starting out as a dancer, singer, actor and developing into choreography and directorial staging of performance based events and musicals.
Joanne had her early dance training in Melbourne with noted teachers Elizabeth Hamling, Kathleen Gorham M.B.E. and Martin Rubinstein O.A.M. Discovering an interest in more theatrical entertainment she took up training in other dance styles, singing and drama and developed an understanding for Musical Theatre, fuelled by the extraordinary choreographer Betty Pounder.
Her career has allowed her to work extensively in theatre both in Australia and overseas. As a Principal for J.C. Williamsons and Edgley International she performed in many productions including Irene, The Wiz,More Canterbury Tales and A Chorus Line, also in productions of West Side Story, Applause, Rocky Horror Show, Pippin, Guys and Dolls,Pyjama Game, Chicago, Song & Dance and Stepping Out. She also performed major roles in many straight plays including Draculaand The Glass Menagerie.
Joanne has performed with many noted artists such as Sammy Davis Jnr., Cyd Charisse, Yvonne de Carlo, Liza Minelli, Cher, Billy Idol, Robin Williams and John Travolta, to name just a few.
On the Cabaret circuit she performed extensively throughout Australia and as far away as the Greek Islands, where she sang musical theatre tunes in Greek. Joanne’s television credits include roles in many Crawford & Grundy productions and she was also a regular on the Don Lane Show.
After many years as a performer on stage, cabaret and television, Joanne became the assistant to the choreographer for the State Opera Company, and commenced furthering her talents as a choreographer. She became choreographer for many revues and musicals and in 1983 commenced a thesis on Music Theatre, which she now revises every five years. Musical Theatre productions that she has choreographed include, Brigadoon, The Fantastiks, Sister Act, Camelot and My Fair Lady of which she was also the Associate Director.
She was one of the founding members of the “Let’s Dance” program and a coordinator for the Ministry of the Arts. Apart from teaching and choreography for education she is also actively involved in the choreography, staging and coordination of a variety of professional theatrical shows and special events, developing the creative concepts through to the end product. She has also directed and staged concerts and/or performances for many noted performers, styling their image and streamlining their performance.
In 1986, she started her own business staging and choreographing for special events in the corporate sector. Some of her clients have included the Formula 1 – Grand Prix Organization, L’oreal, BP, Coles-Myer, GMH, Mazda and KPMG. Major events include the Opening Ceremony for “The World Police & Fire Games” at the M.C.G and Melbourne’s Millennium New Year’s Eve party on the banks of the Yarra.
In 1995 Joanne took up the position of Director of the National Theatre Ballet School in Melbourne, Australia where she developed a strong education based dance program. She was the instigator and document author of the first accredited private provider dance course in Victoria and also introduced V.C.E. Dance studies at the school. She has been an advisor in the writing of course documents for CQCM, Box Hill T.A.F.E and B.A.P.A. and one of the founding members of the ‘Safe Dance’ program.
Joanne is currently lecturing to undergraduate students in Movement, Stagecraft and History, as well as teaching dance to students as young as three years.
She presently sits on the Executive Board of The Australian Institute of Classical Dance and the Green Room Awards Association Inc. Music Theatre Panel. In 2002 she produced the Green Room Association Awards ceremony that re-opened Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne.
She has a Graduate Diploma in Education, Visual and Performing Arts (R.M.I.T), Certificate of Business Studies and has completed her Masters in Education.
Whilst it’s definitely rare for a qualified irish dance adjudicator and teacher to be an original cast member of