Australian contemporary dance
Encyclopedia
Contemporary dance in Australia is diverse with dance companies
performing a broad range of what elsewhere may be termed contemporary
and modern
dance styles
.
Reduced funding (from the Federal Government
level down) has led to a reduction in the ability to sustain full time employment to dancers, with only 5 companies in Australia that may offer a full year contract. All other companies work on a project basis with artists contracted for a set period of time, ranging from days to months, with no guarantee of further employment. Other funding sources include project specific funding for a dance work by example by a festival or performance venue to raise the expenses required to bring it to fruition.
Dance film provides one mode of contemporary dance in Australia with the ReelDance Festival, being the main avenue, with other opportunities being through installations at venues such as night clubs, back alley's to art galleries, shown as part of a live performance, or sometimes purchased for home viewing.
has drawn criticism for poorly representing dance as an art form.
ABC1
broadcasts contemporary dance as part of its Sunday Arts
programming.
Dance company
A dance troupe or dance company is a group of dancers and associated personnel who work together to perform dances as a spectacle or entertainment.-Members:*Artistic Director*Choreographers*Dancers*Board of Directors*Education administrator...
performing a broad range of what elsewhere may be termed contemporary
Contemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
and modern
Modern dance
Modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. Although the term Modern dance has also been applied to a category of 20th Century ballroom dances, Modern dance as a term usually refers to 20th century concert dance.-Intro:...
dance styles
20th century concert dance
20th century concert dance is the name given to a category of dance forms that include:* Free dance* Modern dance* Expressionist dance* Postmodern dance* Dance improvisation* Contemporary dance* Dance for camera...
.
Reduced funding (from the Federal Government
Government of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a federal constitutional monarchy under a parliamentary democracy. The Commonwealth of Australia was formed in 1901 as a result of an agreement among six self-governing British colonies, which became the six states...
level down) has led to a reduction in the ability to sustain full time employment to dancers, with only 5 companies in Australia that may offer a full year contract. All other companies work on a project basis with artists contracted for a set period of time, ranging from days to months, with no guarantee of further employment. Other funding sources include project specific funding for a dance work by example by a festival or performance venue to raise the expenses required to bring it to fruition.
Dance film
On television
So You Think You Can Dance AustraliaSo You Think You Can Dance Australia
So You Think You Can Dance Australia was an Australian version of the American reality dance-off series So You Think You Can Dance. The show is hosted by Natalie Bassingthwaighte, with Jason Coleman, Matt Lee and Bonnie Lythgoe acting as the judges....
has drawn criticism for poorly representing dance as an art form.
ABC1
ABC1
ABC1 was a United Kingdom based television channel from Disney using the branding of the Disney owned American network, ABC.The channel initially launched exclusively on the British digital terrestrial television platform Freeview on 27 September 2004. On 10 December 2004 it was launched on...
broadcasts contemporary dance as part of its Sunday Arts
Sunday Arts
Sunday Arts is a weekly program on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Australia every Sunday. It gives a broad view of the various artists working in Australia today ranging from theatre, music, visual art, film, literature, to indigenous, cultural, and street art.It has been hosted by...
programming.
Companies
Australian contemporary dance companies include:- Australian Dance TheatreAustralian Dance TheatreThe Australian Dance Theatre is a contemporary dance company based in Adelaide, South Australia established in 1965 by Elizabeth Cameron Dalman,...
- Bangarra Dance TheatreBangarra Dance TheatreBangarra Dance Theatre is an Indigenous Australian contemporary dance company founded in 1989 by Carole Johnson, an African-American and founding director of National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association . Bangarra is the Wiradjuri word meaning "to make fire".Stephen Page has been the...
- Chunky MoveChunky MoveChunky Move is an Australian contemporary dance company from Southbank, VictoriaIt was founded in 1995 and debuted at the Melbourne International Arts Festival with artistic director Gideon Obarzanek....
- Dancenorth
- Force Majeure
- Expressions Dance CompanyExpressions Dance CompanyExpressions Dance Company is an Australian contemporary dance company based in the The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts, in Fortitude Valley. It was founded in 1984 by Maggi Sietsma, Artistic Director and Abel Valls, General Manager...
- Leigh Warren & DancersLeigh Warren & DancersLeigh Warren & Dancers is a contemporary dance company based in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Formed in 1993 by Leigh Warren , the company has toured internationally and won several awards....
- Restless Dance CompanyRestless Dance CompanyRestless Dance Theatre is a contemporary dance company based in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. Founded in 1991, it comprises young performers with and without a disability. It conducts workshops and tours throughout Australia...
- Sydney Dance CompanySydney Dance CompanyThe Sydney Dance Company is one of Australia's most successful and well-known contemporary dance companies. The company was founded in 1969 as the dance-in-education group Ballet in a Nutshell by Suzanne Musitz , later changing its name to Athletes and Dancers, and Dance Company ...
- Tracks Inc