Australian Dance Theatre

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Coordinates: 34°58′15″S 138°36′30″E / 34.9709°S 138.6083°E / -34.9709; 138.6083
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Australian Dance Theatre
General information
NameAustralian Dance Theatre
Year founded1965
Founding artistic directorElizabeth Cameron Dalman OAM
Principal venue57A Queen Street
Norwood, South Australia
South Australia
5067
Australia
34°58′15″S 138°36′30″E / 34.9709°S 138.6083°E / -34.9709; 138.6083
Websitewww.adt.org.au
Artistic staff
Artistic Director

Australian Dance Theatre (ADT), known as Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre from 1993 to 1999, is a

OAM. The ADT was the first modern dance company in Australia, and drew on the techniques of Martha Graham
for its inspiration.

The company has garnered many industry awards, was the first Australian company invited to the

Edinburgh Festival, and is the only Australian company to be invited to perform at Théâtre de la Ville
in Paris. The company has toured performances extensively throughout Australia as well as internationally.

Since January 2022 the artistic director of the company is Daniel Riley, who took over after Garry Stewart had spent 22 years at the helm.

History

The Australian Dance Theatre was founded by

OAM) in 1965.[1][2] Dalman sought to "open the horizons for provocative contemporary and cutting edge dance".[1] The ADT was the first modern dance company in Australia, and drew on the techniques of Martha Graham for its inspiration. Eleo Pomare was an early collaborator and the songs of Peter, Paul and Mary featured strongly in their early works, such as "This Train".[citation needed
]

Dalman remained artistic director until 1975,[3][4] when the entire company was sacked after a funding dispute.[5] Several directors followed, including Leigh Warren, who took the reins from 1987 to 1992/3.[6]

South Australian Government only cut their funding by 10%. All of Tankard's dancers bar one joined her in Adelaide, while Warren's dancers did not audition for a place under her direction.[7] From 1993 to 1999, the company was known as the Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre. Tankard left after disputes with the board.[8] After an interim directorship under Bill Pengelly,[9] Garry Stewart was appointed in 1999.[10][11][12]

In May 2021 Convergence was performed at the ADT's home base, the

Barkandji woman Adrianne Semmens, a member of the SAFNDC and associate artist of ADT for 2021.[14] Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, South Australia, being free of the virus at that time, was able to play to 100% capacity.[13] The performance was well-reviewed.[15][16]

Indigenous person to become an artistic director of a non-Indigenous dance company in Australia.[18] Riley had met ADT founder Elizabeth Dalman when he was at school in Canberra, aged 13, although did not know about the ADT until they toured Canberra a few years later. He has since remained friends with Dalman and they talk often.[19] Riley believes in an evolutionary rather than revolutionary approach, and is dedicated to creating shows that "can only be made here [on Kaurna country], not making work that looks like it's been made by a European company".[19]

The new season and troupe, with four new dancers, were unveiled in March 2022.[17] The first performance under Riley was Outside Within, a triptych of works that explores Aboriginal and post-colonial Australia, with the first of the three, Immerse, choreographed by Adrianne Semmens.[20] This was followed by a short film made in 2021 featuring Riley and his son, called Mulumna-Within; and then Riley’s first dance work choreographed by him for the company, The Third (May 2022)[21][22]

In September 2022 Riley presented his first major work, at the

AC Arts along with the ADT dancers.[23][19]

In January 2024, Brianna Kelly, who had joined the company in 2022 and danced in several works since (including SAVAGE), as well as choreographing NOW/AGAIN as part of the company's CULTIVATE:ONE season, was appointed artistic associate of ADT.[24]

2025 is the 60th anniversary of ADT, and to celebrate the event, a collaborative work called A Quiet Language, with music by multi-instrumentalist, composer, music educator, and record producer

Adam Page, is being premiered at the Adelaide Festival in February. Riley wants to capture some of the spirit and energy of the early days of the company, when events called "happenings" were held; parties where artists of all disciplines came together and experimented with creating new things.[25][26] Founder Elizabeth Dalman, aged 90, is helping to choreograph the work and train the dancers.[27]

Governance and funding

The ADT is funded by the

Australia Council, the Government of South Australia through the Department of the Premier and Cabinet[28] (1997–2018 via Arts South Australia) and a number of corporate partners and sponsors, as well as private donors.[29]

Artistic directors

The artistic directors have been:

Tours

The company has toured performances extensively throughout Australia, as well as Ireland, Korea, Canada, USA, UK, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco, Japan, Spain, Austria, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Norway, and Colombia.[citation needed]

Accolades

ADT has garnered 28 industry awards since 2002, was the first Australian company invited to the

Edinburgh Festival and is the only Australian company to be invited to perform at Théâtre de la Ville in Paris.[citation needed
]

International Centre for Choreography

The International Centre for Choreography (ICC) at the ADT, supported by the

International Choreographic Competition Hannover (for which Garry Stewart has been on the judging panel).[15] Its mission is "to facilitate open research and experimentation in a supportive and professional environment". Other initiatives of the ICC include dance workshops, discussion panels, collaborations, and screen dance projects.[33]

Selected performances

Choreographed by Dalman:[3][4]

  • Hallucinations (1966)
  • This Train (1966)
  • Landscape (1967)
  • Sundown (1967)
  • Sun and Moon (1968)
  • Homage to Boticelli (1969)
  • Creation (1969),
  • Release of an Oath (1972)

Choreographed by Taylor:[31]

  • Wildstars
  • Transfigured Night

Choreographed by Tankard:[34]

  • Songs with Mara
  • Kikimora
  • Furioso (1993)
  • Aurora (1994)
  • Possessed (1995)
  • Rasa (1996), (in collaboration with Padma Menon)
  • Seulle (1997)
  • Inuk (1997).
  • 1998 (sub-titled A Sampler by Meryl Tankard)

Choreographed by Pengelly:[9]

  • Split

Choreographed by Stewart:[10]

Choreographed by Riley:

References

  1. ^ a b "Elizabeth Cameron Dalman at Australia Dancing". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  2. ^ "Dance pioneer returns to her roots, Stateline SA, ABC TV, Broadcast: 25 February 2005". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 16 February 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "Elizabeth Dalman". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  4. ^ a b c "Elizabeth Cameron Dalman". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  5. ^ Pawlowski, Joshua (22 April 2013). "Ousted priestess of dance returns to pointe". The Australian. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013.
  6. ^ "Leigh Warren". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  7. ^ Nugent, Ann (26 November 1992). "Good Times: Thanks for the memories..." The Canberra Times. Vol. 67, no. 21, 046. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 20 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre at Australia Dancing". Archived from the original on 15 July 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  9. ^ a b c "Bill Pengelly". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h "Garry Stewart". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  11. ^ "Garry Stewart at Australia Dancing". Archived from the original on 6 August 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  12. ^ Garry Stewart at ADT Archived 19 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ a b "Australian Dance Theatre 'Convergence'". Dance Informa Magazine. 26 April 2021. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  14. ^ Convergence [programme], Australian Dance Theatre, May 2021, pp. 1–2
  15. ^ a b Tonkin, Maggie (10 May 2021). "Review: 'Convergence', Australian Dance Theatre". Dance Australia. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  16. InDaily
    . Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  17. ^
    InDaily
    . Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  18. ^ a b Carter, Mahalia (6 June 2021). "Daniel Riley announced as the first Indigenous artistic director to lead non-Indigenous dance company". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  19. ^
    CityMag
    . Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  20. InDaily
    . Retrieved 11 May 2022.
  21. ^ a b Tonkin, Maggie (16 May 2022). "REVIEW: ADT's 'Outside Within'". Dance Australia. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  22. ^ a b Koch, Megan (16 May 2022). "Dance review: Outside Within". ArtsHub Australia. Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  23. ^
    InDaily
    . Retrieved 25 September 2022.
  24. ^ "Australian Dance Theatre appoints Brianna Kell as Artistic Associate". Dance Informa Magazine. 31 January 2024. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  25. InDaily
    . Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  26. ^ "Bio & Reviews". Adam Page. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
  27. ^ Smith, Matthew (18 January 2025). "Australian Dance Theatre founder Elizabeth Dalman returning for Adelaide Festival Show at 90". ABC News. Retrieved 21 January 2025.
  28. ^ "About arts and culture". Government of South Australia. 26 June 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  29. ^ "Our partners". Australian Dance Theatre. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  30. ^ "Jonathan Taylor at Australia Dancing". Archived from the original on 29 August 2007. Retrieved 4 August 2007.
  31. ^ a b "Jonathon Taylor". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  32. ^ "Unusual move by ADT". The Canberra Times. Vol. 60, no. 18, 308. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 15 November 1985. p. 14. Retrieved 21 November 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. ^ "Home page". International Centre for Choreography. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  34. ^ "Meryl Tankard". AusStage. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
  35. ^ "Split". AusStage. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  36. ^ "House Dance". AusStage. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  37. ^ "Garry Stewart". Australian Dance Theatre. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  38. ^ "Birdbrain". AusStage. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  39. ^ Frozen moments of magic, The Daily Telegraph, 17 February 2007[dead link‍]
  40. ^ Penelope Debelle, Closing gap between man and machine, The Age, 6 February 2006
  41. ^ "G by Garry Stewart – Her Majesty's Theatre – 25-29 Nov 2021". Play & Go Adelaide. 26 September 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2022.
  42. ^ "Worldhood". AusStage. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  43. ^ "Objekt". AusStage. Retrieved 7 January 2022.
  44. ^ "The Beginning of Nature". AusStage. Retrieved 7 January 2022.


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