Hear from your favourite dance artists and be inspired for 2012!

By Deborah Searle. 

What’s your New Year’s Resolution? Do you make goals for yourself at the start of a new year, in the hope of becoming a better dancer, choreographer, or teacher? Even the industry’s most renowned dance artists set new goals for the new year.  Dance Informa spoke to the industry’s dance stars to find out their plans for 2012.

Madeleine Eastoe with Kevin Jackson. Photo Georges Antoni

Madeleine Eastoe
Principal dancer, The Australian Ballet
www.australianballet.com.au  

“My New Year’s resolutions are to do all those stretches and exercises I put off until later because they hurt, to eat less chocolate and drink less coffee (like that will happen!),  and to make realistic resolutions for the future!

My aspirations for 2012 are to be partnered by Kevin Jackson wherever possible and remain injury free, so I can enjoy all my performances and rehearsals leading up to them. I guess I aspire to keep a high standard of dancing while being emotionally and artistically challenged. I also plan to enjoy my wonderful family life, because I’m blessed to have this career as well as the love and support of my husband and daughter.”

Marko Panzic

Marko Panzic
Dancer, Choreographer, Producer
www.markopanzic.com

“My theme for 2012 is all about LEARNING! My goal and resolution for 2012, is to learn new things and develop new skills in the world of entertainment. 2012 marks the first year which I will be producing a dance show in Sydney. I am excited for 2012 and excited to grow and learn more and more in different fields in the Dance world. Another secret resolution is to work with Beyonce at some point. I’m working towards it! Hehe “

To learn more about the show Marko’s producing in 2012 visit www.markopanzic.com/tannos-choice 

Paul Knobloch

Paul Knobloch
Company Dancer, Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, San Francisco USA

“This New Year I will be joining Alonzo King’s LINES Ballet, moving from Australia to San Francisco and making my mark on the American dance scene. I guess my resolutions for the new year are much like my ultimate dance dreams:
To be the best dancer I can possibly be.
To give myself completely as an artist. 
To bring happiness, joy and inspiration to all I am blessed to dance for.
To learn, absorb and soak up as much knowledge available to me in order to inspire and share the gift of dance with others.
To inspire other people who have a love and passion for dance, and encourage them to reach for the stars in pursuit of their ultimate dreams.”

After eight years as a leading dancer with The Australian Ballet, Paul Knobloch then joined the renowned Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. Now America is calling and Paul will join San Francisco’s Alonzo King LINES Ballet in 2012.

Sarah Boulter

Sarah Boulter
Renowned choreographer, Co-Director Ev & Bow
www.evandbow.com

“My New Year’s resolution is to be more adventurous in every experience to expand the capacity of my imagination, creativity, friendships & choreography. My Goals are to push myself choreographically and share my work in many forums both within Australia and overseas. Lastly, to create more opportunities for contemporary dancers in Australia providing more performance and career opportunities!”

Kevin Jackson with Madeleine Eastoe. Photo Georges Antoni

Kevin Jackson
Principal dancer, The Australian Ballet
www.australianballet.com.au  

“I don’t often make New Year’s resolutions, mainly ‘cause I don’t like disappointing myself when I don’t keep them! My resolution for the year to come will be to be a better lover, friend and family member to the people I love and care for. My aspirations for 2012 are to give Australian and overseas audiences great shows and to continue to develop and improve as an artist while working with The Australian Ballet.”

Erin Lamont

Erin Lamont
LA Based Choreographer and Creative Director
www.erinlamont.com

“My choreography and dance goals for this year include: choreographing a national commercial, my burlesque group ‘The Lalas’ to be in a residency at a resort/casino in Las Vegas (www.thelalas.com), and to work on a hit sitcom show choreographing a “spoof” scene for actors.  I LOVE working with non-dancers on comedic routines.  I always have such a blast! Other goals are to choreograph for another CSI episode.  I recently worked on CSI:NY and the experience was amazing.  As a dancer and choreographer I felt so appreciated and respected.  I also had a lot of artistic freedom in the scene which made for fun improvisation. Also, SYTYCD.  Need I say more? Lastly, I aim to work my agent to the bone and keep her so busy with all of my bookings. I just signed with The S Agency in L.A, and I am so excited for what lies ahead!”

LA based, Detroit born, Erin Lamont is an in demand choreographer with feature credits including The Video Game Awards with Neil Patrick Harris, Lady Gaga, Kevin Rudolph, Trace Adkins, Boys Like Girls, the Veronicas, CMT’s Your Chance to Dance, L.A Fashion Week, and ESPN. Erin tours internationally as a guest artist and choreographer and is also the producer and director of L.A’s hottest burlesque group, ‘The Lalas’.

Michele Assaf

Michèle Assaf
Artistic Director of World Dance Movement-The International Workshop
www.WorldDanceMovement.com

“To create more outlets nationally and internationally to educate dancers and support this community that has brought me a lifetime of joy.”
.

Robert Hoffman

Robert Hoffman
Step Up 2:The Streets, faculty of The PULSE On Tour
www.punchrobert.com

“To make ‘The Yes Dance’ into a movie… Grow as a person… And create a lot of smiles, wonderment, and laughter.”

Robert James Hoffman rose to fame as the lead male in Jon M. Chu’s urban dance drama ‘Step Up 2: The Streets’. He is a faculty member of The PULSE On Tour®, a powerful weekend dance event featuring the most renowned instructors, choreographers and educators of today. www.thepulseontour.com

Riannon McLean

Riannon McLean
Company dancer, Expressions Dance Company

“My New Year’s resolution is to always be honest and open about the artist I am and the goals I believe I can reach. My goals and aspirations are to keep gaining knowledge and experience both mentally and physically and to simply embrace this wonderful journey I am on!”

David Williams

David Williams
Company dancer, Expressions Dance Company

“My New Year’s Resolution is to get my Driver’s Licence. I’ve been on my L’s for 9 years! My goals and aspirations for 2012 are to be the strongest my mind and body have ever been….It’s time to conquer!!!”

Samantha Mitchell

Samantha Mitchell
Company dancer, Expressions Dance Company

“My New Year’s resolution is to broaden my horizons, attend a varied range of live theatre, challenge my cooking skills, get my sewing machine out more frequently, improve my keeping-in-touch skills with overseas friends, grow a herb garden… oh and perhaps learn a language!

My goal for 2012 is to develop a piece of choreography. When I was in my third year of training I dabbled a little in choreography, but haven’t revisited it since becoming a professional dancer. Now I’m in my fifth year of work, I want to experiment with some ideas. It’s a very exciting prospect, and I am looking forward to the challenge.”

Expressions Dance Company’s 2012 season kicks off in Brisbane with ‘Launch Pad 2012’ from Feb 21 – 25, and continues with ‘Scripsi Scriptum’ in March – a co-production with Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble from Switzerland. EDC will also tour to Melbourne in July to perform as part of The Australian Ballet’s ‘Lets Dance’ season and more performances and collaborations will be announced in the New Year – stay tuned. www.facebook.com/expressionsdancecompany or www.expressionsdancecompany.org.au

Top photo: © Tom Wang | Dreamstime.com

Canberra’s very own born and bred ballet star Paul Knobloch is set to take the US by storm.

After eight years as a leading dancer with The Australian Ballet, Paul left at the invitation of Artistic Director Gil Roman to join the prestigious Béjart Ballet Lausanne in Switzerland. Now the USA is calling as Paul has landed himself a position to dance in San Francisco with the renowned Alonzo King LINES Ballet.

Alonzo King is one of the few bona fide visionaries in the ballet world today. He communicates ballet as a science – founded on universal, geometric principles of energy and evolution – and continues to develop a new language of movement from its classical forms and techniques. He is one of few known for connecting audiences to a profound sense of shared humanity in dance and it’s no wonder Paul’s creative energy is being pulled to his realm.

Knobloch’s exceptional artistic talents have propelled him from a young age to achieve national and international recognition as an outstanding dancer, artist and partner of the highest calibre. His continued success as one of the few elite world-class Australian dancers is highly acclaimed by critics and peers alike in both classical and contemporary dance. He has graced the stages of the world and danced throughout Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe, China, America and Japan.

Paul made his mark as a choreographer with The Australian Ballet in 2006 whilst still in high demand as a leading dancer within the company. He continues to enjoy the benefits as both a dancer and choreographer on the international stage, having created works for the Australian Ballet and the Australian Ballet School as well as new works entering the repertoire of Canada’s Ballet Victoria. Paul hopes his exposure to the American dance scene will also open up new opportunities for future choreographic collaborations.

But for now, dancing is his priority and the excitement of “working with the King” is what he most looks forward to.

“Alonzo is a true master of dance, equal to that of Balanchine, Kylian, Forsyth or Béjart. His philosophy about dance and his knowledge appears endless. He brings the best out of his dancers and has given me a new breath of inspiration and love for dance that I thought was not possible. I can’t wait for the new journey that lies ahead”, said Paul.

Photos by Silas Brown

Dance needs to get beyond the physical, argues well-travelled Australian choreographer Tim Podesta.

By Paul Ransom.

Australian choreographer Tim Podesta is one of those rare people about whom you can say ‘they have the world at their feet’; although really he’s putting the world at other people’s feet.

Having graduated from the Australian Ballet School he soon began a whirlwind worldwide career, performing in places as diverse as South Africa and Denmark and working with Balanchine, Sir Frederick Ashton and Natalie Weir, amongst others. In 2005, he retired from the boards to put his considerable energy and passion into choreography.

“I am driven by the theatrical essence of choreography,” he says upfront. “Yes, the movement is important but no matter how innovative the physical aspect of the choreography, eventually the audience will cease to be engaged.”

For some of the more ‘high concept’ dance artists and purists, this might seem heretical but Podesta is unapologetic. “I always consider the psyche of the audience,” he declares, before elaborating. “For instance, I think film audiences are being desensitised by a kind of sensory overload with advances in 3D; where you still have a disparity between great 3D and not so great 3D, and I feel audiences are returning to narrative driven works and are looking for a quality in film that considers their emotional journey, not just a visual feast. Dance and theatre audiences are the same in that they approach performances wanting to discover and unravel the work.”

Photos: Tim Podesta creating 'Citizen' with Ballet Wales

It’s an incredibly salient point for dance. We’ve all seen overly esoteric or cravenly crowd pleasing works that looked pretty but failed to impact and Podesta is keenly aware of this. His newest work, Not Now, which premiered in New Zealand mid-October, examines serendipity and brings together his signature palette of traditional motifs and the edgy use of multimedia to create strong narrative through lines.

Under the umbrella of PROJECTion Dance Company, Podesta has sought to unshackle himself and the works he creates from the usual constraints and parameters of dance. “My company have been involved in the creative development of projects in film, TV, radio, advertising, music composition, dance curriculum design and dis/ability in dance projects. My wife will tell you I find it difficult to say no to projects because more often than not I can find a reason that I will grow as a result of being involved. I love learning. I’ll go to dinner with designers, composers and filmmakers and before you know it, its 3am and I’m raring to go.”

The other thing that marks Tim Podesta out is his unabashed eye for the realities of running a dance company and getting projects off the ground. “I want my company, I need my company to be a business,” he tells me frankly. “Over the last two and half months I’ve created three different works in three different countries and this presented opportunities for me to spend time with different organisations, not just dance companies, so I could better understand management skills. I recognise this area is not my forte but I also recognise I need to know more in order to reach mine and PROJECTion’s future.” 

Part of that future, it seems, is on screen. “I am very much excited about the possibility that dance and film can have,” he enthuses. “Apart from the longevity it provides for the movement, it’s also a great marketing tool.” 

Indeed, Podesta already has screen cred, having collaborated on the successful 2010 film 4 Minutes Of Fame, which went on to win the Best Foreign Film gong at the Queens International Film Festival in New York. “As a choreographer, coverage like that doesn’t come along very often,” he observes.

However, there is another side to Tim Podesta. As one of ten Australian artists selected to appear in a recently released book celebrating the links between health and arts, he is something of a spokesperson for mixed ability arts. Like Restless Dance in Adelaide, his Dis/assemble project creates work for both professional and dis/ability dancers.

“I was first introduced to dance and disability through a choreologist who was notating a pas de deux of mine. She told me of a group of dancers with physical and learning difficulties and asked if I would be interested to come and meet them and possibly do a work on them? To be completely honest it was with apprehension that I said yes; but now looking back it was one of the greatest decisions I ever made.”

As well as stretching him as an artist and communicator of ideas, Dis/assemble has enabled him to develop a much keener understanding. “As a person it has made me realise just how shut off I was and that I had no right to feel sympathy for these incredible human beings.”

Significantly, Tim Podesta is also concerned for the health of the Australian dance industry. Whilst acknowledging that dance is enjoying its moment in the sun (due perhaps to certain TV shows) he sounds a very specific note of concern. “On a less positive note, one thing that always disappoints me is the lack of student dancers that go and see live shows. I’m aware of the costs and the tight budgets that students have but when you look at the amount of full time dance courses in Melbourne alone we could be filling theatres for days.”

Going forward, Podesta’s call to action for the local dance community is just as unambiguous. “I believe that dance/art can be profitable if we continue to head in the direction of private sponsorship, philanthropic support and forming links with big business,” he states. “I think the success we have here is no different to the rest of the world and the struggles are the same too. Obviously we are a massive country but when you consider how young companies like the Australian Ballet are in comparison to our counterparts in Europe it’s actually quite phenomenal where we stand today.”

Indeed, we may very well have the world at our feet.

By Kristy Johnson.

He’s worked for the likes of Britney Spears and Jason Derulo, yet LA based hip-hop and house choreographer Tony Czar remains a teacher at heart. Dance Informa caught up with the in-demand choreographer, fresh off the 2011 Source Dance Hollywood Tour, to talk teaching, career highlights and how Aussie dancers fare in the American dance scene.

You have been to Australia numerous times now. How do you find the standard of dancers?

The dancers are becoming amazing. I have seen the transformation in the dance scene all over Australia over the past four years.

Australian dancers are known to be quite versatile. But are we really on the same level as dancers in the United States?

Many of the dancers are on the same level. There are several dancers from Australia who are getting so much work in Los Angeles. They have the drive and the heart to make it work.

Are there any particular Aussie dancers or choreographers you feel have the potential to make a name for themselves in the States?

There are so many dancers in Australia who could dance in LA. Since you ask for a particular dancer – I believe Anti Fischer from Brisbane definitely can work in the US if she can get her visa. I have watched her transformation since she first came on the Source Dance Hollywood Tour four years ago. She has so much passion and determination.

When you visit Australia and have downtime, what do you like to do?

We really don’t have much downtime when we are on tour in Australia. However we love the Gold Coast!

Your experience as a choreographer is impressive, having worked with some of the best names in the business like Britney Spears and Jason Derulo. Do you ever stand back and think ‘wow, am I really doing this?’

I have always believed in what I do. In addition, I have been working with the right people at the right time to be given these opportunities.

Are there any music artists that are on your choreography wish list?

Missy Elliot, Beyonce, and up and coming Rye Rye!

Your workshops are always a great success. What do you enjoy the most about teaching?

I love having fun and passing on my passion of dance. I love watching the students when they have the ‘aha’ moment and get what I am teaching both physically and mentally.

Reality television has made a huge impact on the dance industry. Given the chance to have your own show like The Dance Scene, would this be something that interests you?

I am a teacher at heart so my favourite jobs are always going to be teaching jobs.

What’s next for you? What projects are you currently working on?

My schedule is fully booked with teaching jobs all over the world. I teach in Poland, Taiwan, Russia, Japan, Korea, and Guam, to just name a few of the places I will be going.

By Paul Ransom.

Australia’s peak dance body might not always get your next project funded but Ausdance is busy dancing for your supper; and according to national director Julie Dyson, it’s all about sustainability.

What if there was a service organisation dedicated to dance? Suppose they lobbied government, inaugurated national dance awards and drove research into safe dance practice. What if they were working to ensure a viable, sustainable industry? Suppose they were the champions of dance.

Well, that would be Ausdance, wouldn’t it?

Yet for all that, and a nationwide membership base of two thousand, one question looms large. What can you do for me?

It’s a question that Ausdance’s national director Julie Dyson has heard many times before. “There are serious questions about service organisations; are we competing with artists for the money and all of that. I completely get that,” Dyson states. “But from our point of view we provide infrastructure without which we’d all be much poorer. Who’s going to go and lobby the minister, negotiate the partnerships or publish the books if we don’t?”

As Australia’s peak dance organisation, Ausdance is effectively the industry’s lobbyist and, as Dyson explains, their brief is to sell the sector rather than individuals. “It’s about ongoing advocacy for dance,” she says. “Most people are interested in their own particular aspect of our work. So if you’re an artist or an educator, you want to know what we’re doing for you or your particular area, but what we have to try and do is to marry a lot of those interests so that the whole ecology of dance is represented.”

However, the local dance community (and indeed the entire arts sector in this country) is necessarily fixated on the question of funding. Work that doesn’t involve the signing of cheques or wins that happen in the background often get overlooked. “Our brush is very broad and sometimes that leads to people not quite understanding what we do focus on,” admits the Ausdance chief.

As an example, she cites the inclusion of dance in the national curriculum and its obvious flow-on benefits for dance educators, not to mention the building of a broader based dance culture and, ultimately, more bums on seats. “And it’s largely the work of Ausdance that got it there,” Julie Dyson argues.

To the cash strapped company or table waiting artist, talk of the longer term health of the sector can seem a little removed. From her office in Canberra, Dyson is keen to suggest that playing the game in the rarefied air of the national capital is critical to people’s real world practice. “Understanding how Canberra works is really a big part of our job. We try and stay near to ground and knowing what the political climate is.”

A beat later, she reiterates, “I would never claim that we could help anyone get more money for this project or that. We’re more about getting money for the whole sector.”

To this end, she believes that people in the dance community need not merely to work together but to be more active. “Sometimes you’ll get a company saying ‘where are you up to?’ but actually, ‘where are you up to?’ We’ve all got to be in this.”

For Ausdance projects like the national dance collection (an ever growing archive of film, flyers and other memorabilia), the soon to be published Shaping The Landscape (with thirty five artist contributors) and even the much beloved national dance awards are all part of pooling knowledge, creating networks and celebrating the creative strength of the community.

“Between us we’ve all got a lot of intelligence and I think what Ausdance does is facilitate the sharing of that information,” Julie Dyson expands. With cultural policies and their attendant funding mixes almost always coming for one review or another, the work is ongoing. “We’re all about the sector being connected, viable, sustainable, properly funded and having a profile.”

The challenge for Ausdance going forward is perhaps one of perception, as its national director duly acknowledges. “We need to raise our profile and talk a little bit more about what we’ve achieved. We’re a bit under the radar. The fact that people are still saying, ‘well, what do they do?’ is an indication of that.”

Meanwhile, in their Canberra HQ and their various state offices, Ausdance staff focus on the long term, doing the often un-sexy work of writing submission papers, organising forums, and updating their website. However, visions of highly paid bureaucrats swanning about in airport lounges are, according to Julie Dyson, a tad unfair. “Well, there are only four people in our office, so it’s hardly a bureaucracy,” she jokes.

As for a call-to-action, well, that one’s obvious. “It’s important for the dance community to be proactive,” Dyson declares. “If you have a problem with Ausdance, pick up the phone.”

After all, it takes two to tango. 

Support the organisation that supports the Australian dance industry – Ausdance.
For more information about Ausdance and membership visit www.ausdance.org.au