Private Dances

About the artist/s:

CURATOR/PRODUCER Nat Cursio

FILM COMMISSIONEES Kristy Ayre & Nick Roux’s film is titled the palindromist

Kristy Ayre has performed regularly with Melbourne based dance company Chunky Move since 2002 in numerous works including the solo Glow for which is now also rehearsal director. As well as working with Gideon Obarzanek (Chunky Move) Kristy has performed in works for Lucy Guerin Inc, Prue Lang, Kim Itoh (Japan), Shelley Lasica and Luke George. Kristy choreographed and performed her first solo work rabbeat as part of Lucy Guerin Inc’s 2008 Pieces for Small Spaces and was choreographic assistant on Eddie Perfect’s Shane Warne the Musical. 2009 saw Kristy participate in the inaugural Splendid Arts Lab in Lismore, NSW and she was choreographic consultant and senior performer for Dario Vacirca’s hit Fringe Festival work Take Off Your Skin. In 2010 Kristy will continue to tour nationally and internationally with Chunky Move, create a short dance film for Private Dances as part of the Next Wave Festival and appear in Luke George’s latest full length work Now…Now.. Now. Kristy teaches contemporary dance workshops and masterclasses on a regular basis both within Melbourne and around the world.

Nick Roux (working with Kristy Ayre) has worked in the sound industry for 10 years designing and operating sound systems for a wide variety of productions as well as broadcast and post production. He is an active filmmaker and musician composing for film, theatre and animation and also recording with his band Yaouk. Since 2006 Nick has been working with Chunky Move operating and engineering the Kalypso motion tracking technology for Glow and Mortal Engine. He also functions as a sound engineer and operator for other works including Tense Dave, I Want To Dance Better at Parties, Singularity and Two Faced Bastard. In 2008 Nick collaborated with Kristy Ayre and Jo Lloyd designing the sound and visual components for rabbeat as part of Lucy Guerin Inc’s Pieces For Small Spaces and was commissioned by Current TV (U.K.) to produce a short film on Melbourne for the 90 Seconds Cities series. In 2009, Homemade a short film written and directed by Nick was selected to screen in competition at Flickerfest International Short Film Festival. This year Nick has also worked with Vincent Crowley and Ingrid Weisfelt composing the sound design for their new dance work Malmo and provided the music for Dario Vacirca’s TOYS project for the Melbourne Fringe Festival.

Sam Fox’s film is titled Liberty in the Dark

Sam Fox is a director, choreographer and producer working across hybrid theatre, dance and media. Sam is the director of Hydra Poesis based at the Centre for Interdisciplinary Arts Studios (CIA) Perth and is currently working on Hydra projects Prompter Live Studio – a multi-locational theatre project, and Personal Political Physical Challenge – a new dance and performance artwork premiering at PICA in July 2010. Sam is also producing/facilitating as part of Hydra’s process and community orientated program Masters Of Nothing. In 2007 Sam was appointed Artistic Director of STEPS Youth Dance Company and amongst his work with the company directed the acclaimed NOSPACE in 2008. Prior to Hydra Poesis, Sam developed his artistic practice as the co-director of the Tall Concrete Collective (TCC) – an outfit dedicated to site specific performances involving physical theatre and dance, live electronic composition and digital animation. TCC were supported via an ARTRAGE Incubator program from 2002-2005. www.hydrapoesis.net

Sarah-Mace Dennis’ film is titled Mondo Ghillies 1.

Sarah-Mace trained in collaborative, interdisciplinary arts practice at the School of Arts, Griffith University, graduating with a Bachelor of Creative Arts (first class honours and the University Medal) in 2004. As a cross-disciplinary artist, educator and researcher she works at the intersections of dance, film, video, installation, performance, creative writing and critical theory. Her work utilizes traditional and emerging technologies in its exploration of issues related to notions of landscape, environment, memory, perception, consciousness, the body, movement, space and place. She is currently a PhD student in the School of English, Media and Performing Arts, UNSW. www.sarahmacedennis.com

Mondo Ghillies 1 will be produced, written and directed by Sarah-Mace who will also perform in the film alongside dancer Megan Williams. Sarah will work with Production Manager and Co-Producer (Brisbane) Stephanie L. Scott, Director of Photography and Co-director (at Fort Lytton) Richard C Bell, Sound Designer Clare Andreallo (TBC), 1st Assistant Director Meredith Stephens, Sound Recordist Justin Harrison, Gaffer and Key Grip Derek Griffin, Continuity Officer and Production Assistant Melissa McLeary, Costume Designer Suzanne Dennis, Make-up Artist Lily Taylor, composers Michelle Xen and John Teh. The film also features original music by TonkSGreen.

Michelle Xen (working with Sarah-Mace Dennis) is a Brisbane based musician, performer and visual/sound artist. A QCA graduate, Xen is now completing a Master of Arts in Research in multidisciplinary practice and post media, with works including music production, composition and performance, in relationship to a painting, drawing, video and sound practice. Xen is a vocalist and producer for electronica group Edge of Colour and has collaborated extensively across creative disciplines. Xen has performed throughout Australia and Japan.

John Teh (working with Sarah-Mace Dennis) is a Brisbane based producer and MC/vocalist who has produced dance music, ambient sound work, and therapeutic sound research. Teh is a producer and MC/vocalist for electronica group Edge of Colour and has both collaborated and performed across Australia, Japan and the UK. His music and sound production work spans the UK underground music scene, pop dance floor culture and the medical research field.

Mondo Ghillies was shot at Fort Lytton, an historic site managed by the Department of Environment and Resource Management www.derm.qld.gov.au and was assisted by the School of English, Media and Performing Arts, UNSW.

Cobie Orger’s film is title Relative states of motion

Cobie Orger is a Melbourne based dance maker, performer and video artist. She is interested in making work that examines the integration of dance with other forms explored through installation, live performance and filmmaking. These enquiries have lead to the creation of her own dance and intermedia works including Mostly in between moments (curated work for Lucy Guerin Inc’s With the lot program), Carbon to Glass© (MAYDaY! Festival, Antwerp, Belgium) and human_edit (independent season at Conical Gallery, Melbourne). She has been awarded several choreographic residencies to develop new work at places such as Cargo 103 (Lausanne, Switzerland) Bundanon (Nowra, New South Wales), Danswerkhaus (Antwerp), Ballhaus (Berlin) and Critical Path (Sydney). Cobie’s interest in screen dance continues to flourish after being awarded a “Foot in the door” grant from the Australia Council for the Arts to work with Australian dance filmmaker Tracie Mitchell. As a result she has created a number of her own short dance films including Dryad of St. Erme, Standing Unempty, type 1.), A quiet reflection and Carbon to glass (b) most of which have each screened in local festivals and/or toured with the “Dance your socks off” and “Electrofringe” film program. www.cobieorger.com

Paula Lay and Mischa Baka’s film is titled Salt.

Paula Lay graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008. She was awarded the Dr.Phillip Law scholarship to assist in her travels to Brazil for 4 months in 2009 to undertake an internship as a dancer with Zikzira Physical Theatre where she collaborated on a dance film The Great Frost (due to be finished in March 2010). Paula has recently worked as a dancer for the Melbourne Fringe Festival on Reverb (2009) choreographed by Brooke Stamp & Martin Del Amo and as a dancer/choreographer for One eye on the moon & one eye on the sun (2009) produced by Well Theatre, Dario Vacirca. Paula has collaborated on a number of screen-based works with Mischa Baka (Manny & Quinn 2008, It feels so good 2008) & Ben Hancock (Fray 2008).

Mischa Baka (working with Paula Lay) graduated with honours from the Victorian College of the Arts film and television school in 2009. His graduating film was awarded best editing, best music and effects, and most daring & innovative film at the VCA graduate screening. His films have been screened in exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum Of Art/New York and the Art Gallery of NSW as part of ART EXPRESS. In collaboration with Paula Lay, Ben Hancock, Jess Devereux and Adrian Auld, Mischa has created a series of short dance films. Mischa Baka and Paula Lay run Film Adventures, a popular children’s film making workshops at the Abbotsford Convent. Mischa’s productions also include theatre and installation art. Mischa often exhibits his artwork and draws on his skills as a photographer, sculptor and painter to enhance all his projects.

Jimmy McGilchrist’s film is title A pocket full of posies.

Jimmy McGilchrist (Additional Film Maker) Born on a rural property in the Clare Valley South Australia Jimmy McGilchrist currently lives and works in Adelaide, SA. After completing a Bachelor of Visual Arts specializing in New Media at the University of South Australia and AudioVisual Production in Valencia, Spain, in 2008 McGilchrist completed a diploma in Screen and Media Studies in Adelaide. In his current practice he focuses predominantly on the production of digital screen-based content for both narrative and non-narrative based projects including augmented reality interventions, interactive installations, site specific audiovisual projects and large-scale public screen content. McGilchrist also works in freelance post-production for live-action and animation.

COMMISSIONED CHOREOGRAPHERS

Gabrielle Nankivell belongs to a generation of international artists that are creating work across multiple countries. She has directed and co-directed numerous performances that have been presented in Australia, Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Slovenia, UK, Croatia, Armenia and Portugal.

Her most recent work is a solo titled I left my shoes on warm concrete and stood in the rain created at Dancehouse in Melbourne as their 2009 Housemate Resident. In 2007-2009 Gabrielle completed European touring of Of raving gods and the dogs who made them, collectively created with Raul Maia (Portugal) and Thomas Steyeart (Belgium) supported by Ulti’mates/Ultima Vez. Gabrielle is currently developing a work for 5 performers titled The Funeral Tree. Gabrielle ended 2009 performing in Rock Show with Gavin Webber and the iconic Australian band Regurgitator. 2010 sees her touring internationally with Splintergroup’s Roadkill, collaborating with PVC Tanz in Germany, developing Food Chain with Gavin Webber and Grayson Millwood and continuing her Masters studies in Writing. Gabrielle has been creating and performing worldwide since 2000 with companies and artists including Ultima Vez/Wim Vandekeybus (Belgium), Australian Dance Theatre/Garry Stewart (Australia), Luke Smiles (Australia), Gavin Webber (Australia), Raul Maia (Portugal), Alexander Baervoets (Belgium), Aaben Dans/Thomas Eisenhardt (Denmark), Ballet Braunschweig (Germany) and Thomas Steyaert (Belgium) amongst others. Gabrielle was also co-founder/director of the dance theatre company OX (Australia/Slovenia) with Jurij Konjar from 2003-2007.

Atlanta Eke was formally educated at Deakin University in a Bachelor of Contemporary Arts (Dance) during which she performed and toured with AKA Dance Company, Regional Victoria Arts2go program before working with artist Ros Warby, performing an adaptation of her work Monumental. Since 2006 Atlanta has been performing and studying in Europe. In London she danced for Falling Wide Dance Company and Newington Collective. She has presented her work own in London, Bratislava, Kosice and Paris and worked with artists Mårten Spångberg, Jan Ritesma, Trajal Harrell, Jennifer Lacey as well as Deborah Hay in the 2009 Solo Commissioning Project. On her return to Melbourne Atlanta initiated and edited The Paper, a dance publication produced during the Melbourne International Arts Festival. She is developing new works for the 2010 Next Wave Festival Melbourne (Private Dances and The Sports Club Project) and working with Russell Dumas in Dance For The Time Being series. Atlanta is a Danceweb scholarship recipient for the 2010 Impulstanz festival Vienna.

Lily Paskas is a graduate from the Victorian College of the Arts School of Dance. She was awarded 2nd Place in the Australian Choreographic Competition for her work she performed She be HeBeGeeBee (2006), choreographed in collaboration with Amber Haines. The pair also created and performed In Away for Lucy Guerin’s Season Pieces for Small Spaces (2007) and Slug Love Goonion as part of Pure Pleasure for the Next Wave Festival (2008). Other credits include, Frances D’ath’s Hell (2005) x machine’s Serial Blogger as part of the Next Wave Festival (2008), The Burlesque Hour (2009), Wade Rising a solo she made for ‘With the Lot’ curated by Kyle Kremerskothen and Lucy Guerin, Glasoon with Black Lung Theatre company and The Memory Progressive with Phantom Limbs.

Amy Macpherson (Phantom Limbs). Originally from Perth, Amy moved to Melbourne to study a Bachelor of the Arts (Dance) at the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2005 Amy received the Joy Nichols Award for Outstanding Achievement, and in 2007, the Dr Philip Law Travel Scholarship. She has worked with Legs on the Wall, Cadi McCarthy & Company on RESTLESS, and with Soft Landing, a graduate dance program directed by Solon Ulbrich. Amy is a guest lecturer in Dance at the National Institute of Circus Arts. She is Co-Director of Phantom Limbs, touring their first work Concrete Solace to the 2009 Adelaide Fringe Festival, QL2 Centre for Youth Dance, Canberra and Theatre Works, Melbourne, receiving the ‘2009 Moving Works Audience Choice Award’ and ‘Theatre Works Industry Development Award’. Phantom Limbs most recently presented The Memory Progressive supported by City of Melbourne and Arts ACT. A development of new work Further Fantasy to be directed by choreographer Luke George is set for April. www. http://phantomlimbsdance.blogspot.com/

James Welsby (Phantom Limbs) is a dancer, choreographer, and video artist. He completed a double major in drama at Narrabundah College, trained at the National Capital Ballet School, and studied contemporary dance at the Australian Choreographic Centre (now QL2). He is a 2007 Bachelor of Dance graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts where he received the 2005 Encouragement Award and the 2006 Joy Nichols Award for Outstanding Achievement. Since graduating, James has worked with Solon Ulbrich and Brian Lucas in the graduate programs Soft Landing 1 and 2, and founded Phantom Limbs, whose works (Concrete Solace 2008/09, Ganzfeld Frequency 2009, and The Memory Progressive 2010) have been performed at numerous festivals and events across Australia. James has also performed with Cadi McCarthy and Company (Restless, 2009), Redspan Dance Company (Vista, 2009) and Buzz Dance Theatre (Behind the Veneer, 2010). James’ video works have been screened at Short Shorts Film Festival, curated by Narelle Benjamin, and the Singapore International Film Festival. http://phantomlimbsdance.blogspot.com/

Frankie Snowdon is an Artistic Associate & founding member of 2ndToe Dance Collective and recently graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts. In 2006 Frankie received the Friends of VCA encouragement award given to a dancer with exceptional potential as well as being awarded a Northern Territory Arts Scholarship awarded for full-time study in an Undergraduate degree. Frankie also travelled to Macau to perform in the Macau Fringe Festival 07. Frankie attended Soft Landing 1(09), a professional development initiative developed by QL2 Centre for Youth Dance (Canberra) under the direction of Solon Ulbrich and Amelia McQueen. Performance credits include With the Lot (curated by Kyle Kremerskothen, Lucy Guerin Inc. 09) Reverb (Brooke Stamp and Martin Del Amo, Melbourne Fringe 09) and Stompin’s Home (Melbourne 07). Choreographic credits include With the Lot and Moving One Hundred (a joint project between Chunky Move and Ausdance performed in conjunction with the Australian Dance Awards 09). In 2010 Frankie choreographed and performed in the Rogue Traders Would You Raise your Hands and is part of Project Y in partnership with Collaboration the Project.

DANCERS/PERFORMERS

Jarred Dewey is a circus artist with 10 years of experience in performance and show creation. He was a member of the Cirkidz Performing Troupe and a founding member of the Adelaide based circus/physical theatre company ‘The Rambutan Circus Collective’ which was awarded ‘Best circus/theatre show by emerging ensemble’ in 2007 Adelaide Fringe. In 2008 he received ‘The Con Colleano Award’ for outstanding achievement in his first year at NICA (the National Institute of Circus Arts) and was one of the 10 chosen to represent NICA at the 2009 biannual Tasmanian Circus festival. He has been involved in many different projects both as a performer and co-devisor including such companies as A4 Circus Ensemble, ZigZag Circus, Circalicious, Kin Collective and numerous NICA productions.

Jerome ‘Pretty Ruff’ Tanuvasa is a New Zealand born Samoan dancer and self taught Krumper. He has performed in several projects /events with Footscray Community Arts Centre including The Game (2008) and the FCAC 2010 Program Launch. Jerome has also performed at Big West Festival 2009 at the OK Corral. Jerome has krumped with The Pretty Fam and The Royal Fam and is currently a member of a music/dance ensemble Grrilla Step who blend Polynesian culture with Krump. With Grrilla Step Jerome has performed at The Big Day Out (2008 and 2010), Falls Festival Lorne (2009) and Womadelaide (2010).

Hee Eun Jeong, born in Korea, has trained intensively in Korean traditional and contemporary dance at Chung-Ang University. Choreographic credits include A Morning glory and We everyday dream (CAU Art Center, Seoul 07). Performance credits include the Lee Mi-joung Dance & Drama Company: tour of Germany, Tous les temps (Hyundae Art Hall 1999), Lee Mi-joung Choreographie Collection (Hyundae Art Hall 01),Youryuck-Muryuck (Ulsan Culture Art Center 02), Namhansansung Story (Sungnam International Dance Festival 07) and Dance of Korea in Japan (Awa Odori Festival at Tokushima 06),

Radhika Krishnamoorthy is a performer of Bharatha Natyam (Indian Classical dance). She has been a student of Natyalayaa since 1993 and has has gone through a rigorous and intensive training to learn this intricate art. Radhika’s kinetic energy, cool approach, graceful movements and understanding of the lyrics and music, have taken her to the height of refinement in this form of dance Radhika has regularly preformed with Natyalayaa in various lead roles and at annual concerts and productions and celebrations. Radhika also teaches dance with Natyalayaa and learns carnatic music and veena from Smt Sivaganga Sahathevan.

LuckyLocks (Lucky Garduce) is a versatile, professional dancer appearing in various performances around Melbourne and is a highly sought after Hiphop dance teacher specializing in locking. She is also founder of that funky bunch – the Melbourne Lockers. Lucky has been training and dancing for 10 years in many styles of Hiphop; living the culture and growing in its small community in Melbourne. Through shows and her classes she hopes to keep promoting the hiphop scene and to especially bring more attention to the Locking dance styles.

Tyler Hawkins (working with Frankie Snowdon) is an Artistic Associate & founding member of 2ndToe Dance Collective. He graduated with a Bachelor of Dance from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2008 and during that year participated in a weeklong intensive workshop with Tere O’Connor. Tyler’s performance credits include With the Lot (curated by Kyle Kremerskothen, Lucy Guerin Inc. 09), Disappear Here (curated by Supple Fox 09), Down The Rabbit Hole, (Collaboration the Project 09), Take off your skins, (Melbourne Fringe Festival 09), Home, (Stompin 07),Live Clips (curated by Natalie Cursio, Mudfest, 07). Choreographic credits include With The Lot and Moving One Hundred (a joint project between Chunky Move and Ausdance performed in conjunction with the Australian Dance Awards 09). In 2010 Tyler has been working on Chunky Move’s new development Assembly.

Madeleine Krenek (working with Frankie Snowdon) is an Artistic Associate & founding member of 2ndToe Dance Collective. She is originally from New Zealand where she co-founded the company Performing Arts in Schools in New Zealand (performing from 2003-2005). Madeleine is a recent graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts (09). Performance and choreographic credits Huit a Huit (Russell Dumas 09), With the Lot (curated by Kyle Kremerskothen, Lucy Guerin Inc. 09) and Without Pretense (choreographed by Carlee Mellow, Dancehouse Open Season 09). In 2010 Madeleine is part of the choreographic team for the Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School Dance Program and Project Y in partnership with Collaboration the Project.

PRODUCTION TEAM

DESIGNER – Eugyeene Teh* is a freelance theatre designer based in Melbourne. In 2007, Eugyeene undertook the Postgraduate degree for Production design at the Victorian College of Arts where his designs included The Conduct of Life (dir. Jenny Kemp,) Woyzeck (dir. Travis Green) and A Little Night Music (dir. Martin Croft.) He completed the Master in Production (design) course in 2008 and has worked as a design assistant to Peter Corrigan on Through the Looking Glass (dir. Michael Kantor) at the Malthouse Theatre. He also designed Sarah Kane’s Cleansed on the Master’s Season at VCA, and on Nature Strip, a dance piece with Natalie Cursio. Recently, he worked on A Dream Play (dir. Olivia Allen) for Ignite Productions, Call Girl, the Musical (dir. Bryce Ives) and No Man’s Island at Sydney’s Old Fitzroy Theatre. Eugyeene currently works at LAB Architecture Studio while moonlighting in theatre.

LIGHTING DESIGNER – Rose Connors-Dance is interested in all visual design predominantly lighting design. As a fresh graduate of the VCA’s production course, Rose has worked as an assistant to both Jen Hector and Scott Allan. Secondments include work with Bluebottle & Sydney New Years Eve. Recent Lighting Designs include Invisible Stains ( VCA Drama Company 09 directed by Tanya Gerstle) Dancescapes (VCA Dance Company 09 & 10 with Choreography by Phillip Adams, Lina Limosani, Sandra Parker, Carlee Mellow and Stephanie Lake), The Wayward Fold (L’Oreal Fashion Festival 09) and Vinegar Tom (VCA Drama Company 09 directed by Brian Lipson).

AV / STAGE MANAGEMENT – Martyn Coutts is an interdisciplinary artist who works with the body and technology to create immersive artworks for audiences and passersby. Martyn’s main collaboration is with Willoh S.Weiland as Deadpan, this ongoing connection has seen them create work in Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Newcastle and Beijing. He is a winner of a Green Room award for his video design of The Harry Harlow Project and was shortlisted for the Ars Electronica Prix , Linz, Austria for his collaborative project Wayfarer. Martyn is Director of the keynote project for Melbourne Fringe 2010 called Visible City. www.martyncoutts.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER – Emily O’Brien has worked extensively in the field of production both locally and internationally, working primarily in theatre, dance, events and film. She is a graduate of the VCA School of Production, completed an internship at the Performing Garage for The Wooster Group, and is currently undertaking a Masters in Arts Management, at the University of Melbourne.

Emily has worked primarily in Production & Stage Management across a wide spectrum of live arts events, with clients and projects including; the Circus Program – Commonwealth Games Cultural Festival, Token Events, the Photobooth Project, the Eleventh Hour, Comedy@Trades, the Business, Kage, BalletLab, All Tomorrow’s Parties, Film Victoria, Boogie Festival, Ausdance, the Belong Group, the City of Manningham, the City of Monash, the City of Knox, the City of Whittlesea, Federation Square, the North Richmond Community Health Centre and the VCA.

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