Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation
Jodie White-Bivona profile ... read more
Fundraising on JustGiving

Over the next few days we will share with you the various ways in which we will be raising money for our chosen charity,
Ovarian Cancer Australia in memory of Miss Jodie.

There will be many activities happening within our school community to raise funds for this great cause, but outside of this you are also welcome to make a donation

Please follow this link to keep up to date with our progress and to make a donation directly to Ovarian Cancer Australia.

 

Jodie White-Bivona ... Jodie White 1967-2012

Primary peritoneal cancer (PPC) is a rare cancer of the peritoneum. It is very similar to the most common type of ovarian cancer called epithelial cancer. This is because the lining of the abdomen and the surface of the ovary come from the same tissue when we develop from embryos in the womb.

The staging system for PPCs is the same as for ovarian cancers but there is no early stage. PPC is always either stage 3 or stage 4. This is an advanced cancer.

Research suggests that between 7 and 15 out of 100 women (7 to 15%) who have advanced ovarian cancer will actually have PPC. Most people are over the age of 60 when they are diagnosed.

Born in Dandenong, Victoria in 1967, Jodie started dancing at the age of three. Her love of dancing led her to train in ballet, tap and jazz and later in contemporary, ballroom and gymnastics. In 1984, she was accepted into the Victorian College of The Arts, and the following year moved to the National Theatre under the direction of Gailene Stock.

She won the prestigious Commonwealth Cup for dance in 1986. In 1987, Maina Gielgud invited Jodie to join The Australian Ballet Company where she performed for the following 4 years. During her time there, she performed a vast repertoire of corps de ballet and soloist roles, learning from choreographers such as Baryshnikov and MacMillan. She was fortunate to tour with the company across the world, and performed in the presence of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, at the Royal Opera House in London. Later she joined the Wiener Ballet Theatre, where she met her husband Boris Bivona. The couple married in 1998, and stayed in Europe to continue with their careers until returning to Brisbane in 2001. Once back in Australia, they took up their roles as Artistic Directors of Ballet Theatre Queensland, and soon after took over a Cleveland dance school, which would come to be known as Redland Dance.

Ms. Bivona White had an innate love of children and young people and dedicated her life to passing on her knowledge of classical ballet to those who sought her expertise. Jodie was diagnosed with Primary Peritoneal Cancer in 2009. So committed to her students was she, that she would undergo chemotherapy on a Thursday morning and come to the studio to teach in the afternoon. Her passion and love of dance would sustain her throughout her hardest times, only disclosing her condition to her closest confidantes.

Three years later, Jodie took her final curtain call at BTQ’s opening night of the premiere of Cinderella at QPAC. She sadly lost her battle to cancer three days later, leaving behind her husband Boris and an empty space in a dance community that can never be filled.

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Charity Week

Between Monday 17th and Saturday 22nd August, this year’s charity week will be held in memory of Redland Dance’s own Jodie White-Bivona, with all money collected to be donated to the Ovarian Cancer Research Foundation. We have all sorts of events planned to raise money for this wonderful charity and we know that our Redland Dance families will once again want to show their support. Last year, we welcomed parents and children who came forward with other ways to raise funds. For example, one mother made hair clips and one child came up with the idea of making loom band bracelets. All monies raised were donated to the charity. If there is any way, big or small in which you think you might be able to make a difference, please let us know!

DANCE OFF!

Join Mr. John for a High School Musical workshop class on Saturday 22nd August, 3.30-4.30pm for a $10 donation. Suitable for all students aged 7yrs up, add your name to the sign up sheet on the board!

MOVIE NIGHT

Following on from the workshop, we will be screening High School Musical in Studio 1 at 5pm. All are welcome to this event – tickets are $10 each. We will supply poppers and a choice of popcorn or lollies. The sign up sheet will be on the board !

‘WEAR WHITE TO FIGHT’ XTEND BARRE BOOTCAMP

Wear white to fight against ovarian cancer, and join this special boot camp Xtend Barre class! $30 to sign up and all proceeds will go to the OCRF - Saturday 22nd at 9.05am

RAFFLE

Raffle tickets will be on sale at reception throughout the week. If you have something to strengthen the sales of our raffle tickets, we’d love to hear from you!

BAKE SALE

Are you a baker? We need baked goods for our weeklong bake sale, and we have a lot of hungry children to feed! There will be a sign up sheet in reception for all those who are able to donate cakes, cookies or other yummy treats. For those who would prefer to purchase goods, all you need is a gold coin donation !

FREE DRESS WEEK

All students are invited to wear what they like to class… providing of course they can still dance in it! Bring a gold coin donation along for every day of free dress.

KINDERBALLET

All Kinderballet profits will be donated to our charity during this week.

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