Wanted: one dancer
Australian Dance Theatre is seeking a new artist to join its current ensemble of five professional dancers.
Daniel Riley, artistic director the Adelaide-based company, says roles for company dancers are “incredibly rare” in Australia’s contemporary dance sector.
“I know that there’s an exciting generation of artists emerging and practising their craft all over the country who I really look forward to hearing from,” he says. “We’re keen to hear from dancers who we don’t know about, we should know about and who we should connect with again.”
On the cusp of its 60th anniversary year, the ADT is “in a revolutionary time of cultural change within the organisation”, Riley says, adding: “We take a holistic approach to making, placing care and collective creativity at the core of everything we do.”
Expressions of interest for the full-time position close on August 16, with auditions scheduled to take place in Sydney on September 7-8 and Adelaide on September 13-14 (details here).
Pina partnership
Dancer Julie Shanahan. Photo courtesy Pina Bausch Foundation
It’s also an exciting time for the members of Restless Dance Theatre, who have been taking part in a workshop this week with Julie Shanahan – a principal dancer with Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal, the ensemble founded by celebrated German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch.
“Two years ago, we reached out to Julie with an idea to bring her back to Australia to work with Restless to explore an iteration of Kontakthof, Pina’s iconic work, featuring a cast of artists with disabilities,” says Restless creative producer Roz Hervey, who has known Shanahan since they worked together at Australian dance company One Extra Company in the 1980s and is spearheading the project.
“As part of this we were keen to involve the extraordinary artists from [Victoria’s] Back to Back Theatre, creating a unique opportunity for our organisations to collaborate.”
The current workshop in Adelaide – which also features Back to Back and guest artists – is one of four stages in what is dubbed the UTOPINA repertory lab. It is hoped it will ultimately result in the presentation of a new version of Kontakthof that “challenges norms”.
A new era for the Queen’s
The Queen’s Theatre has undergone an upgrade that is expected to attract more productions while also improving the comfort of artists performing in the historic venue.
The new suspended timber stage floor, designed by Swanbury Penglase and costing $715,000, replaces the former sloped bitumen area to provide a level surface for theatre and musical productions. The work was funded by the State Government, with Arts Minister Andrea Michaels describing it as a vast improvement to the space.
Torben Brookman, director of venue manager GWB McFarlane Theatres, adds that the flooring refurbishment would enable it to host “a far greater range” of shows: “The Queen’s Theatre is an historical jewel in Adelaide’s performing arts heritage, and the work that has been done retains all of the brilliant flexibility and uniqueness of the venue, whilst significantly improving access and functionality.”
Virginia’s cabaret callout
If you’ve got a show – or even an idea for a show – that might fit the bill for the 2025 Adelaide Cabaret Festival, then artistic director Virginia Gay wants to hear about it.
Expressions of Interest (here) are now open for three categories – new or in-development works (including nominations for the Frank Ford Commission), established works, and roving performers and solo acts – as the festival prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary from June 6-21. Submissions are also invited from Year 10 or 11 students for the Class of Cabaret program, which offers mentorship and tuition, and culminates in performances at the festival.
Virginia Gay hosts the Cabaret Festival’s 2024 Variety Gala. Photo: Claudio Raschella
Gay, who is currently performing in her adaptation of Cyrano at Edinburgh Fringe, won fans with her diverse and dynamic 2024 program, and is looking forward to doing it all again in 2025.
“We cannot make this festival without the sublime talent that you yourself share so generously – so let us know about you, by expressing your interest at your earliest convenience, please and thank you,” she says. “Whether you’re a Class of Cabaret hopeful, a potential Frank Ford Commission, a roving artist, or an established (or emerging) artist with a phenomenal show (or a phenomenal idea for one), we want to hear about it!”
In case you missed it…
Adelaide Festival artistic director Ruth Mackenzie has left the event midway through her tenure to take up one of three new key arts leadership roles created by the State Government.
The British arts leader was appointed in 2022 for a four-year term, but the Festival announced last weekend that she was leaving to take up a new role within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) as program director, arts, culture and creative industries policy. Former Adelaide Festival artistic director Brett Sheehy will finalise and oversee the delivery of the 2025 Festival program and continue preparations for the 2026 program.
Mackenzie’s new role was one of three arts leadership positions announced by the State Government. Clare Mockler, a former CEO of the City of Adelaide, has joined DPC as interim executive director of Arts South Australia, while Becc Bates becomes director of strategy and investment. Read the full story here.
Expand your creative horizons
2023 Expand commission recipients Anna Lindner, Yasemin Sabuncu and Nisa East.
A $100,000 moving image commission will be up for grabs when visual artists, filmmakers, writers and other creatives gather at Lot Fourteen for the AFF Expand Lab during the Adelaide Film Festival in November.
The third edition of the week-long lab (November 1-8) will bring together practitioners from a range of backgrounds to work with experienced mentors on ideas and concepts for bold new moving image works.
One project developed in the lab will be awarded the$100,000 Expand Moving Image Commission. In 2022, the commission was awarded to Susan Norrie, Emmaline Zanelli and Matthew Thorne, who will premiere their work at Samstag Museum of Art during the 2024 Adelaide Film Festival; the 2023 commission was awarded to Anna Lindner, Nisa East and Yasemin Sabuncu, who will show their work in 2025.
In addition, two projects from the lab will be selected for mentoring by Art Gallery of South Australia and Illuminate Adelaide.
AFF Expand Lab offers up to 15 places for South Australian mid-career and experienced practitioners and 15 places for creatives from elsewhere in Australia, with expressions of interest (here) closing on September 8.
Let’s talk about art
SALA has released the first podcast of the 2024 festival and its subject is freestyle embroidery artist Cheryl Bridgart, who recently invited InReview into her colourful home and work space as part of the In the Studio series.
In the podcast (available here), Bridgart talks more about her art practice and the history of her unique studio, which started life as a horse stables and coach house around 1860. Upcoming episodes will feature other South Australian artists, including 2024 feature artist Julia Robinson.
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Meanwhile, Guildhouse Fellow Tom Phillips (another previous In the Studio subject) will be talking about his practice with curator Elle Freak at the Art Gallery of South Australia’s “Tuesday Talk” at 12.30pm on August 13. Phillips is presenting his latest paintings in the SALA solo exhibition Running on Empty, which you can read more about on InReview next week.
SALA’s open studios weekend is also on this Saturday and Sunday (August 10 and 11) for those who are interested in meeting local artists and seeing how they work. A list of open studios is available on the festival website.
Green Room is a regular column for InReview, providing quick news for people interested, or involved, in South Australian arts and culture.
Get in touch by emailing us at editorial@solsticemedia.com.au
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