Innholdsfortegnelse for February-March 2018 i Dance Australia

STRUT Dance’s 2018 program offers opportunities for Australian independent dancers to work with renowned local and international dance artists. Kicking off the year is a workshop with UK artist Maxine Doyle (Punchdrunk) and her team Sarah Dowling and Conor Doyle, which will conclude with a showing under the umbrella of the Perth International Arts Festival on February 22. In the longer term, Doyle will devise an original performance for STRUT, to be presented in 2019. Auditions to be part of this cast will take place on February 24 and 25. For more information go to www.perthfestival.com.au/event/strut-dance  as well as www.strutdance.org.au.…

DAMIEN Jalet loves Japan. As a freelance choreographer, he travels the world, but Japan in particular has stolen his heart. “I have been in Japan 17 times in 10 years,” he says over the phone from his home town of Belgium. He was there during the Fukushima disaster and has visited the abandoned area near the nuclear reactor and experienced the sense of an invisible and dangerous force. He has visited the islands and taken part in Shinto and Shugendo practices. “Japan is one of the last places in the modern world that still has animism,” he says, amid a wash of impressions about the country. “It is a place of extreme contrasts – on the one hand it has high consumerism and yet it is close to the rhythm…

Q My director asked me to dance more like another dancer in the company but I feel this steps on my individuality. How do you know when a superior is giving you advice which is truly to your benefit or when it is time for you to move on? – 19 year old professional ballet dancer Most dancers look to other dancers at different points in their careers and try to emulate a quality or qualities that they admire in them – it might be broad like their work ethic, or narrow like the way they hold their arms in fifth position. You probably already do this to some degree with a dancer (or dancers) you admire, but it sounds like your director wants to direct your choice. I imagine…

RESTORATION CARRIAGEWORKS, SYDNEY NOVEMBER FOLLOWING a “Welcome to Country” by Donna Ingram (an elder of the Redfern Aboriginal community) and a refreshingly informal introduction to the show by first year student Chandler Connell, the stage was set for a fantastically diverse evening of dance. NAISDA’s 2017 graduation performance, “Restoration”, featured a number of short works. Ranging from contemporary movement to traditional Indigenous dances, the boundary between one work and the next not always clear. But on opening night it was the student performances rather than the choreography that took centre-stage, with a special focus on this year’s diploma graduates - Lillian Banks, Mendia Kermond, Shana O’Brien, Bradley Smith and Jye Uren - evident in the casting. Taiaroa Royal’s Moemoea – To Dream has a lyrical, meditative quality that draws the…

History Australasian Dance Association commenced as the Federal Association of Teachers of Dancing in Sydney in 1931, making it the oldest dance organisation in the southern hemisphere. All syllabuses have undergone continual upgrades to ensure our members are capable of performing and teaching any style of dance. Each grade has a very strong technical base that develops as the students progresses. This will always support the dancer/teacher throughout their career. The Association was incorporated in 1981, and has a current membership in excess of 500, covering Australia as well as Malaysia, Thailand and New Zealand. FOUNDER/DIRECTOR PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR – June Gapps DIRECTOR/EXAMINER – Mandy Noble, Frances Fontana, Kim Griffin, Natalie Khoury EXAMINERS – Robyn McCarthy, Joyce Munroe, Lee Windon, Mandie Goodhew, Natalie Khoury, Lesley Scott PROBATIONARY EXAMINERS – Mylie Goodhew, Johanna…

History Founded in 1989 Australian Dance Vision (ADV) created a wholly Australian dance education system. This curriculum offers a holistic approach to dance, embracing creativity, musicality, body science, history , safe dance, stage craft and teamwork – the aim being to provide a complete ‘dance education’ that creates thinking dancers with nutritional and academic knowledge that prepared them for ‘life’ as well as dance. Parents see this as a ‘safety net’ for their children and recognise that this prepares them for their daily well being as well as employment, with an eye to related careers beyond dance, into tertiary qualifications as more mature aged students. The ADV syllabus paved the way for national vocational education and training courses in dance – now endorsed via Australian Dance Institute (ADV’s partner company).…

History The Commonwealth Society of Teachers of Dancing (CSTD) had its beginnings in 1933 with the formation of the National Examination System and the Victorian Society of Dancing, which amalgamated in 1957. In 1992 it became an incorporated body under the title of ComDance Inc. The Society now caters for all major dance disciplines and operates throughout South East Asia, Canada and most recently in Britain Many CSTD trained students have gone on to international success in the professional ranks in ballet, stage and musical theatre. FOUNDER/DIRECTOR Dorothy Gladstone: It was in 1931 that pioneer dance educator returned to Melbourne from a visit to London where she had extensive training in dance and teaching. By 1933 Dorothy Gladstone had completed her qualifications in Classical Ballet, Highland, Tap, National and Theatre…

“ An agent will know more about employment opportunities across a range of genres than a performer would know if they are representing themselves.” TALENT Release Forms, Contracts, Performance Agreements, Performance Artist Fees – the legal side of performing in a production can be a minefield for the newly graduated musical theatre performer. The stakes are high and the consequences of signing a piece of paper without understanding what you are committing to could be significant. The good news is that understanding and supporting you through this legal merry-go-round is the role of a talent agency. Talent agencies are organisations that support, defend and promote the interests of their clients and navigate the maze of paperwork and legal issues on their behalf. Role of a talent agent According to Natalie…

EXCITING news for Adelaide! The first Adelaide Dance Festival will take place from July 8 to 21 in 2018. Established by Australian Dance Theatre’s artistic director, Garry Stewart, and produced by ADT, the festival will feature Australian dance companies and independent dance artists, and will include performances, workshops, installations, talks and masterclasses, with both free and ticketed events. While the full program will be released in March, some shows have been announced, including The Australian Ballet’s The Sleeping Beauty, the Adelaide premiere of ADT’s The Beginning of Nature, and the world premiere of acclaimed Adelaide independent dancer and choreographer Lina Limosani’s The Spinners. The Festival will also feature the Australian heat of Freestyle Sessions, the world’s largest b-boy…

THE artistic director of the Perth Festival, Wendy Martin, is a declared dance lover, and her extensive line-up of dance events in the 2018 program is testament to her passion. One of the highlights is the Australian premiere of Vessel, by in-demand Belgian choreographer Damien Jalet. (See Karen van Ulzen’s interview with Jalet on page 12.) Michael Clark is no stranger to Australian dance lovers. Dubbed “the wild-child of British dance” he is bringing to a simple, rock’n’roll ... song to Perth Festival, a potent dance and music cocktail set to a stunning soundtrack by Erik Satie, Patti Smith and David Bowie. Australian dance luminaries Lucy Guerin, Gideon Obarzanek and Dancenorth will present Attractor, a trance-dance odyssey that invites audience members on stage to share a ritual of ecstatic abandonment.…

Highlight of the year The Royal Ballet’s tour of Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works at QPAC in July. Exquisite dancing (I saw Alessandra Ferri, who was remarkable, elegant and poignant), evocative and atmospheric lighting and sets - a stunning marriage of music (Max Richter) and choreography with beautiful costume design. This triptych had everything. Flawless. Most significant dance event Noel Tovey’s induction into the Australian Dance Awards Hall of Fame. Most interesting Australian independent group or artist  Michelle Heaven and collaborators for the fabulously involving In Plan; Stephanie Lake Company for Pile of Bones. Most interesting Australian group or artist  Lucy Guerin Inc. for continuing to create interesting, nuanced works that keep exploring new territories (Split and Attractor were the standouts this year). Dancenorth, especially for its adventurousness and energised collaborations…

DANCE 17 GARDENS THEATRE, QUT, BRISBANE OCTOBER A predominantly contemporary program celebrating the commitment and talent of graduating students. THE QUT graduation season celebrates the commitment and talent of those students about to step into the real world of the performing arts, as well as marking a point in the journey of those still studying. As is usually the case, the program was predominantly of contemporary dance, but of differing movement styles. However, the lighting colour palette throughout (design by Glenn Hughes) seemed quite similar – sombre tones with extensive use of fog and haze – and the mood or theme of each piece was also similarly reflective. A thematic exception was provided by Keith Hawley’s sassy nod to Bob Fosse for the first year students, which opened the program…

SYLLABUS organisations go back a long way. They were originally established to improve teaching standards or to codify and preserve the teaching methods of pioneer dance teachers, which until then had been handed down by word of mouth. Methodical, year by year teaching programs were devised and examination boards established. The earliest syllabus organisations were set up in Australia around the 1920s and 30s, and came from overseas. Over time, Australian branches were added or home-grown organisations established. Australia now has an astonishing number of syllabus organisations, some devoted to a single genre, such as tap, others covering the whole spectrum. Each has adapted to Australia’s unique conditions and culture. They have also responded to changing attitudes to children’s education and welfare. Exams have long been the driving force behind…

History In 1991, former Australian Ballet ballerina Christine Walsh, AM, founded the Australian Conservatoire of Ballet (ACB) to give classical ballet students the opportunity to train in the Russian Vaganova based method from five years of age. Drawing on her professional experience, Walsh adapted the existing eight-year Vaganova method into a 12-year training and examination program to suit the needs of ballet students training in a part-time situation. Since its inception, the success of the ACB syllabus has led to teacher seminars, conventions, examination sessions, study tours, workshops and dance festivals being held in Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Taiwan, India, Japan and the Philippines including students’ employment in classical and contemporary dance companies worldwide. The ACB now has more than 300 teachers taking part in the program, some of whom…

History The Southern Federation of Dance (SFD) was formed in 1986 by teachers who wanted to create a jazz syllabus covering all the elements of jazz technique. Following its successful introduction, classical and tap syllabi were also created along with our comprehensive Teaching Certificate Course. In 2010 Dance Fusion was introduced, capturing a wide range of genres in one examinable syllabus. PATRON Joanne Michel FOUNDER/DIRECTOR President: Susan Tan Office Administrator: Jane Thomas HEADQUARTERS Address: PO Box 2218, Rowville Vic 3178 Phone: 03 9752 9202 or 1300 733 741 Website: www.dancesfd.asn.au Email: info@dancesfd.asn.au STYLES COVERED Jazz, Tap, Classical, Dance Fusion. GRADING SYSTEM Jazz Levels 1 – 10; Tap Levels 1 – 10; Classical Levels 1 – 7 plus Pre-Elementary, Elementary, Intermediate and Advanced. Dance Fusion (4 levels) MARKING AND ASSESSMENT •…

AN exciting 2018 is on the cards for four students from En Pointe School of Ballet in Vermont in Melbourne. Jamie Bogemann (12), Jessica Smart (12), Emma Mills (12) and Katy Hamyrad (13) were offered places at the Victorian College of Arts Secondary School (VCASS) and commenced study earlier this year. The director of En Pointe School of Ballet, Renee Grinsted, is thrilled with the result: “It is extremely hard to gain entry to VCASS and to have four local kids, all from the same suburban ballet school, is quite remarkable and a huge achievement for the school and the students.” With a shared goal of becoming principal artists, the four are excited to be embarking on the next step of their vocation, and are happy to have each other’s…

LINA Limosani’s collaboration with UK dance artist Seeta Patel will be presented at the Adelaide Fringe Festival from February 24 to March 15. Entitled Not Today’s Yesterday, the work is a one-woman show that blends techniques from Bharatanatyam with contemporary dance to create a narrative that has the beauty and disquiet of a Grimm’s fairy tale. “Our collaboration grew out of a mutual interest in telling stories through dance,” says Patel. “My practice is rooted in Bharatanatyam, a South Indian classical dance form... Lina is well known for her unique narrative style of contemporary dance. And we are both interested in telling the hard stories, the stories that need to be told.” Limosani adds, “Working with Seeta has been like a gift in that she has given me an insight…

IT’S confession time. One of the most annoying things about being a dietitian for 20 years is that the more I meet and speak with people, the more I come to understand that there is no one right way of eating for everyone, and that there’s so, so much about food, eating and nutrition that we don’t know enough about. Sigh. So, instead of pretending that we know more than we do, I’ve come to terms with the discomfort and internal eye roll that happens when someone asks a question and my answer is “well, it depends…” (I can see your eye roll from here!) The really great part about this for me is that rather than getting all down on the unknown, I choose to see it as an…

History Acrobatic Arts was founded in Canada in 2012 and has grown into an internationally recognized syllabus since. The program is based on safe and effective progressions with proven results in five categories of AcroDance: Flexibility, Strength, Balancing, Limbering and Tumbling. The comprehensive, technique focused syllabus was developed alongside professionals and experts in ballet, modern dance, jazz, contortion, artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, sport acrobatics, yoga, acro yoga, pilates, physiotherapy, hand balancing and more. Thoughtful progressions take the beginner preschool level dancer to an advanced, pre-professional dancer in a 12 level syllabus. With endorsements from Cirque du Soleil Acrobats, and over 1000 dance teachers, you will not find a more comprehensive program for AcroDance. Acrobatic Arts Inc can now be found in over 3200 studios in 21 countries worldwide. An estimated…

History AUSTRALIAN DANCE iNSTITUTE (ADi) - RTO 91600 is dedicated to the provision of nationally recognised vocational qualifications in dance and dance teaching, responding to the need to provide better support for the private dance sector. With 20 years experience and focus on the needs of students, parents, teachers and assessors, ADi’s “contextualized” dance courses reduces “eduspeak” to help the working teacher and parent. ADi provides auspicing and RPL mapping systems as well as full service training of teachers and their students - totally dedicates to dance. FOUNDER/DIRECTOR Director of Curriculum: Penny Lancaster; Founder Director ADV. Cert IV TAE +LLN, RAD Diploma of Teaching [Former RAD 1987 and ISTD (Cecchetti) 1981 recognised teacher] Director of Education: Diane Gepp, President CSTD, BEd, Dip.Teach. CEO: John Lancaster BSc, BE, FAICD, Cert IV…

History Australian Teachers of Dancing (ATOD) was established in NSW in 1991. Today ATOD is experiencing unprecedented growth in membership. Members are now based throughout Australia, Canada, South East Asia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Europe. PATRON Justine Summers FOUNDER/DIRECTOR Leah Belford, Cheryl Witchell, Tracey Jonsson, Janelle Smith, Penny Butler, Anna Boland, Helen Weissenberger, Bonnie Muir, and Kaye Emmett. HEADQUARTERS Address: National Secretary: PO Box 565, Waterford Qld 4133 Phone: 1800 106 227 Website: www.atod.net.au Email: secretary@atod.net.au admin@atod.net.au rto@atod.net.au STYLES COVERED Classical Ballet, National Character, Tap, Street Tap, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Contemporary, Musical Theatre and early childhood development. GRADING SYSTEM ATOD supports dance for all ages. Levels range from play dance curriculum for the pre-school age group through to ATOD’s comprehensive Teacher Training Program in all genre. MARKING AND ASSESSMENT…

History Classical Dance Australia was founded by JOHN BYRNE in 2015. FOUNDER/DIRECTOR Present Director: John Byrne. Tutor: Benita Whalley. Examiners: John Byrne and Benita Whalley Mr. Byrne has had a varied and extensive international career as dancer, teacher, lecturer and examiner over a period of nearly 40 years. He is a former Artistic Director, and Chairman of Examiners, of the Royal Academy of Dance in London, and is recognised as one of Australia’s leading teachers of classical ballet. He has been honoured with a Fellowship of the Royal Academy and is included in the UK edition of Who’s Who in recognition of his contribution to ballet education. HEADQUARTERS Address: 3 Royle Avenue, Kallista Vic 3791 Phone: 03 9755 3475; 0418 225 627 Email: info@classicaldanceaustralia.com.au STYLES COVERED Classical Ballet at Vocational…

BBOdance (FORMALLY KNOWN AS THE BRITISH BALLET ORGANIZATION) The BBO was founded in the UK in 1930 by Eduard Espinosa and his wife Louise Kay. The Australian branch began in 1935. Today the Executive Chairman is Nicholas Espinosa. The Chief Executive Officer is Robin Bloor and the Director of Learning is Dr Carol Martin. The Australasian representative is Elizabeth Derby. HEADQUARTERS Address: Ensign House, Battersea Reach, Juniper Drive, London SW18 1TA, UK. Email: info@bbo.org.uk Australasian Branch: Po Box 642, North Ryde Business Centre, NSW, 1670. Phone: (02) 8006 9975 Email: info@bboaustralasia.org Website: www.bbo.org.au STYLES COVERED Classical ballet, jazz, tap, character, AcroDancer, NEW musical theatre syllabus. GRADING SYSTEM • Entry level; Pre Syllabus Pre-Primary and Primary. • Grades 1-8; Intermediate Foundation to Advanced 2. MARKING AND ASSESSMENT • Examinations and assessments…