Royal Academy of Dance announces major honors and award winners

The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) has announced several honors and award recipients within the dance community.

In London, choreographer and director Christopher Wheeldon OBE has been presented with the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award, the highest honor bestowed by the RAD. The award recognizes Wheeldon’s extensive services to ballet and dance, including his work with The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and the Bolshoi Ballet, as well as his Tony and Olivier Award-winning choreography.

In Melbourne, the 2026 Kathleen Gorham Memorial Awards were held at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School. Milla Calyk was named the Kathleen Gorham Overall Winner for the second consecutive year, receiving the $1,000 scholarship. The awards provided students from various vocational levels the opportunity to perform and be assessed by a panel of leading dance professionals.