Sarah-Jayne Howard

Howard was born in South Africa and emigrated to New Zealand with her family when she was five years old. The family settled in Stratford, Taranaki, where Howard grew up. She trained at the New Zealand School of Dance, and graduated with honours in 1995.^[2]

Howard danced for Meryl Tankard’s Australian Dance Theatre for four years and also choreographed two solo works for the company: Tonight and Veronique. She has also danced in Australia with Garry Stewart’s company Thwack! and Gideon Obarzanek's Chunky Move Dance Company and choreographed for Company B.^[2]

In 2007, Howard received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Laureate Award. In 2018, she was appointed associate artistic director at Australian Dance Theatre.^[2]

Howard and actor Nathan Page have two sons named Frankie and duke Sand live near Adelaide, Australia.^[3]