The Australian Dance Festival has chosen to support The Butterfly Foundation as we share their vision of "living in a world that celebrates health, well-being and diversity".  One of the main aims of the 2012 Australian Dance Festival is to promote awareness of The Butterfly Foundation and the services it offers to people who suffer from eating disorders and negative body image.  To find out more about The Butterfly Foundation, please visit their website .

On Saturday 15th September, between 5pm - 6.15pm, the Australian Dance Festival will hold an "Open Stage" to celebrate the diversity of dance styles and body shapes!  The cost to attend is just $10 and you will get to watch the shows in Open Stage (5pm - 6pm).


ALL PROCEEDS WILL BE DONATED TO THE BUTTERFLY FOUNDATION to help with their vital work in educating school & dance students on  body image, self esteem, media literacy, communication and health and well-being.

To organise a group booking for The Open Stage, download a booking form here

Workshops By The Butterfly Foundation at the Australian Dance Festival
The Butterfly Foundation will be running 2 workshops at the 2012 Australian Dance Festival.

Workshop 1:  Living Healthy & Happy
When: Saturday Lunchtime 12.15pm - 1.15pm
For:  Everyone
Location: Main Stage  >>More Info on the Workshop

Workshop 2:  Intervention Strategies for Dance Educators ONLY (Free to attend)
When: Saturday 2.30pm - 3.30pm
For:  Dance Teachers  / School Teachers & Counsellors ONLY
Where:  Hockey Room >> More Info on the Workshop

Workshops will be run by Paula Kotowicz who holds the position of Manager, Education Services (Early Intervention) with the Butterfly Foundation. Paula holds a Bachelor of Applied Social Science (BASS) with a major in counselling.  Her particular areas of expertise include working with people affected by eating disorders, including sufferers, carers, teachers, youth workers and allied health professionals.  As part of her research studies for her degree, Paula designed and developed a mentor program for hospital inpatients suffering from eating disorders.  In her professional career, Paula has established a private practice specialising in counselling sufferers of eating disorders, parents and family members.  She has also worked with Lifeline Sydney with her own allocated caseload of patients.

Prior to her work and studies in the field of eating disorders Paula had extensive experience in dance.  She studied dance (ballet, tap and character dance) from the age of six, reaching Intermediate level with the Royal Academy of Dance.  Paula studied at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, enrolling in a Diploma in Dance Performance majoring in contemporary dance.  Her studies were interrupted by her developing significant disordered eating issues and this, together with her first hand exposure to the reality of negative body image and eating disorders in the dance profession, led to her subsequent studies and career development.