‘Pounder', as she was respectfully known throughout the entertainment industry, has been universally acknowledged as the mother of dance in Australian musical theatre. In 1941, Betty joined the ballet of J.C. Williamson's, the leading theatre owner and impresario of the day. She had been studying her craft in London with the legendary Espinosa and returned to Melbourne to dance in war time revivals like Maid of the Mountains , White Horse Inn and The Desert Song . She also appeared in the first of the ‘new musicals' to come from America, Annie Get Your Gun.

By 1953, Betty had been promoted to the position of Ballet Mistress working on such classics as Call Me Madam, Paint Your Wagon and Can Can. In 1957, she went to New York to study the choreography and production detail for The Pajama Game . This was the first of many such missions where she would get an understanding of the original requirements of a production and then adapt and usually enhance these for an Australian season.

She devised original choreography for Funny Girl, Camelot, Half a Sixpence and Sweet Charity . She also made substantial contributions to No, No, Nanette, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady , Man of La Mancha , Charlie Girl and Irene . In 1965, Betty was commissioned by The Australian Ballet to choreograph Jazz Spectrum to music by Les Patching and design by John Truscott. 1976 saw her last big musical at Her Majesty's, when she both directed and choreographed The Wiz.

The demise of the once mighty J.C. Williamson's came in 1978 but it was not the end of Pounder's involvement with Australian talent, as she joined the casting department of leading television company, Crawford Productions. She then worked as a concert organizer for the Victorian Ministry of the Arts and had a strong involvement with the Victoria State Opera. In 1983, she was awarded an Order of Australia and in 1987, was bestowed with a Life-Time Achievement Award from the Green Room Awards Association.

Betty Pounder died in 1990 after a career that saw her become Australia 's biggest star backstage. Through her uncanny eye for talent, she spotted, went in to bat for, taught and supported new performers who became our biggest names onstage.

The Pounder legacy lives on through those she worked with. Talented people who have given us magic moments in the theatre and inspire new generations of performers, choreographers and directors. These artists will in turn perpetuate a standard and style that can be traced back to one woman. Whenever you see a dancer, a singer or a star on the stage at Her Majesty's give a performance that dazzles, you'll know that they are living up the famous Pounder direction - “Sparkle, darlings!”