Catapult Dance - Transforming the Dance Scene

WORDS LIANE MORRIS

Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub is fast transforming the local dance landscape in the Newcastle, Central Coast and Hunter regions through its innovative approach to professional development, collaboration, and multi-disciplinary contemporary dance and arts practice, gaining national and international reach and recognition of excellence.

"In the past year alone, we've employed artists across all our programs on 162 professional contracts and held over 60 performances and events," said Cadi McCarthy, Catapult Founder and Artistic Director.

"We've engaged both professional and emerging artists and helped to develop, present and produce 37 new works in addition to running our residency programs, intensive workshops, masterclasses and community classes."

Highlights of 2022 include:

• Drift – Commissioned as the opening performance of the new MAP MIMA venue at Lake Macquarie.

• Scar – A dance on-film exhibition commissioned by The Lock-Up and created by Cadi McCarthy & Ashley de Prazer.

• The Awkward Tour – an accessible contemporary dance-theatre production for audiences across regional NSW.

• Terra Firma – QL2 and The Flipside Project Collaboration – Canberra, creating a new work, Shifting Ground, directed by Cadi McCarthy.

• Connecting Stories – Collaboration Australian Dance Party, Catapult, QL2 & The Flipside Project – a new cross-generational, crossregional project. • Sue Healey Dance on Film QL2 Canberra and The Flipside Project

• Human Remains at Maitland Regional Art Gallery - with choreography by Omer Backley-Astrachan.

• At The Beach – celebrates our iconic beach culture and family camping holidays through dance, text, gesture and thigh-slapping wit.

• Jasmin Sheppard Propel Choreographic Residency

• Grappling For the Edge – New Annual Festival and Civic Theatre Subscription Season

• Creations: Deborah Kelly – New Annual Festival

• Faultlines: Mikayla Nangle, Jack Tuckerman & Hamzah Mas – Propel Choreographic Residency in partnership with The Lock-Up.

With 2022 not quite over, there is still plenty of dance to enjoy over the summer, with the next event being the Catapult Film Event on Saturday, 17 December, featuring films Meeting Place, Alumni and Dance Terrain. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.au.

Early in the new year, don't miss At the Beach at Map Mima: Lake Macquarie, Friday, 13 to Sunday, 15 January. Tickets will go on sale soon. And if you're inspired, sign up for classes in 2023.

Catapult is supported by The Australian Council for the Arts, and Create NSW.