10/05/2026
Happy Mother’s Day to all the mums, step-mums, grandmothers, mother figures, carers, mentors and strong women who hold our dance community together.
Your love, sacrifice, patience, and quiet behind-the-scenes magic is felt more than you could ever know.
And today, we also hold space for those who are missing their mum, grieving, navigating complicated relationships, or carrying a Mother’s Day that feels heavy. Wherever today finds you, we’re sending love.
It feels especially fitting for me to acknowledge my own mum, Cindy Johnston, who has been a respected leader and constant in the Tasmanian dance world for nearly 7 decades!
From her early years of competing (and proudly reminding everyone she once beat a young Graham Murphy, founder of Sydney Dance Company), to being instrumental in shaping the way dance is recognised and celebrated in Tasmania, her contribution has been enormous.
Mum was one of the driving forces behind the separation of what was once the “Modern” solo section into the Jazz and Lyrical categories, reflecting the evolution of dance in Tasmania.
She also introduced summer schools to Tasmania over 35 years ago, opening doors for dancers to train, grow, and dream bigger right here at home under the guidance of interstate professional leaders in dance and choreography.
Over the decades, she has helped shape and mentor countless performers who have gone on to work professionally in musicals and commercial performance across Australia and internationally.
And incredibly, she has produced an extraordinary number of dancers who became swings in the professional industry, one of the toughest roles to undertake, requiring resilience, discipline, and excellence. That alone speaks volumes about the grounding, work ethic, and strength she instilled in her students.
But beyond the achievements, Mum always taught that dance is something to love, not just something to win.
That mindset shaped me deeply, inspiring me to create more opportunities for dancers here in Tasmania and to think beyond the competition world.
I’ll never forget watching Mum’s dancers perform in Tasmania’s first professional corporate performance group, including the iconic “Neutron Dance” opening at Village Cinemas, where a six-year-old me sat in awe, completely captivated as they danced in front of the cinema screen with the music clip playing behind them to then slide down the stage to continue performing at the bottom of the large stage of the cinema screen.
Moments like that lit a spark in me that still burns today.
Mum, thank you for your legacy, your vision, your grit, your heart, and the generations of dancers you’ve helped shape.
Wishing everyone a gentle, beautiful Mother’s Day, in whatever way you’re celebrating or remembering today. 💕
Mother’s Day photo from a hiking trip capturing the Fagus blooming at Mt Field East track loop.
So beautiful to witness x
