Dr Joan Pope, OAM.
West Australian Joan studied music, specialising in Dalcroze Eurhythmics, mime, dance, speech, drama, gaining BA, Dip Ed, (UWA): B Ed, M Ed (ECU) and PhD (Monash), LRAM (London), Diplôme Supérieure (I J-D, Geneva) and has tutored for Kindergarten College, WAIT, Curtin University, UWA, ECU, WAAPA and Notre Dame.
She has performed and directed for numerous theatre, opera, dance and music organisations and pursued volunteer commitments, interstate and internationally, connected with theatre, festivals, community arts, children’s playgrounds, Girl Guides, local history, and many recreation projects for seniors.
She has served on numerous Boards including WA Arts Council, Australia Council, Festival of Perth, Playhouse Theatre, Dance and the Child International and ASSITEJ (Theatre for youth and children International).
A former President, but now Patreon of Dalcroze Australia, she has presented workshops and examinations in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand, Fiji Europe and UK.
In the mid-50s, Joan was a UW Guild Councillor, President of the University Dramatic Society and codirector of the Uni Revue Company.
In the 1980s she was the elected Warden of UWA Convocation (the Alumni Graduates) and awarded travelling grants; the Inaugural Australia Council Ros Bower Community Arts Fellowship and WA Government Women’s Fellowship (later renamed the Edith Cowan Fellowship).
Joan is a Fellow of ACHPER, founding and Hon. Life member of ASME, AUSDANCE, GRADS and Dalcroze Australia. Awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia, the Medal of the Centenary of Federation, the UWA Chancellor’s Medal, she received AUSDANCE National Award for Services to Dance Education; the WA Government 50-year Volunteer Service medal, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Dalcroze Studies Conference.
Joan and bassoonist Brian, her husband of 70 years, had 3 sons and 5 grandchildren.
Now widowed, Joan is the proud great grandma of two!
