Sydney Dance Company Annual Report 2017 by SydneyDanceCompany

Sydney Dance Company

Annual Report 2017

Contents

4 – 5 6 – 7 8 – 9 10 – 33 34 – 35 36 – 39 40 – 41 42 – 49 50 – 51 52 – 55 56 57 58 – 61

Contents

Chair’s Report Executive Director’s Report Artistic Director’s Report 2017 Repertoire Performance Schedule 2017 Reach Global Footprint Education & Outreach The Company Sydney Dance Company Partners Sydney Dance Company Sponsors Financial and Operational Performance Key Performance Indicators

Chairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

Annual Report 2017

Chair's Report

It has been a very big year for Sydney Dance Company. Artistically, the Company continues to go from strength to strength. The year began with Nude Live, our Sydney Festival production with the Art Gallery of New South Wales. To see the way in which art and dance can be brought together to create a much deeper appreciation of each form was remarkable to experience. Full Moon, the company’s first collaboration with a Taiwanese choreographer, Cheng Tsung-lung, the revival of Rafael Bonachela’s masterpiece 2 One Another, and our national and international tours to Shanghai and the United States were greeted with acclaim. I was especially delighted to see Gabrielle Nankivell’s Wildebeest develop from showing in New Breed to touring internationally. The quality of the company’s work, coupled with the prestige of the performing arts venues we were invited to perform in, continues to build our brand as one of the world’s leading contemporary dance companies. Sydney and Australia are fortunate to have such a wonderful company representing them overseas. We are recognized and admired across the world. The Sydney Dance Company’s support for talented new choreographers has continued. New Breed, our program for up-and-coming choreographers, supported by the Balnaves Foundation and presented in conjunction with Carriageworks, goes from strength to strength.

This is my first year as Chair after six years on the Board and it is a privilege to support the stewardship of the company into the future. One does not do this alone, of course, and I would like to acknowledge the support of all our Sydney Dance Company board members who have shown real leadership in their support. In particular I wish to thank Andrew Messenger our former Chairman for his ongoing support, and the former Chair Julian Knights for his work with the Capital Campaign committee. Thank you to our amazing Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela and wonderful Executive Director Anne Dunn, the talented dancers, and the staff of Sydney Dance Company for their commitment and exceptional performance. I would also like to thank the Minister for the Arts Don Harwin and key Government stakeholders for their support and to acknowledge the visionary thinking around the redevelopment of the Wharf complex and its recognition of the arts as fundamental to the health and wellbeing of our community. And finally our gratitude to the audiences and everyone who has enjoyed a Sydney Dance Company class or workshop for contributing to 2017 as one of the company’s most memorable years.

Karen Moses Chair

Behind the scenes, we continue to gain momentum in a challenging environment. In 2017, we focused on sustaining our business ahead of our temporary move away from our home on the Pier, one we’ve occupied since 1985, while renovations take place. We have been immersed in planning approvals, and the sourcing of new locations and studios for the interim, and the design of the new facility. 2017 will be seen as a formative year in our history, one that has set the company up for its next 50 years in a new world-class home in a thriving arts precinct. Our Capital Campaign has been very successful, and we ended the year having raised $6.7 million of our initial $7 million funding target. We finished the year with an operating surplus and with a step up in contribution to the capital campaign net of costs incurred. We have significant challenges ahead of us as the consequences of the move away from the wharf and the return crystalise. The ongoing support of all of our donors and the government will be vital. I thank all of the donors supporting us through this very exciting time of transition. I’d like to recognise and honour those donors and sponsors who have supported the company in the past and who have done so much to secure Sydney Dance Company’s future. In particular, I would like to pay tribute to our cornerstone donors: the Neilson Foundation; The Wales Family Foundation; Simon Mordant, AM, and Catriona Mordant; Jane and Andrew Clifford; Julian Knights, AO, and Lizanne Knights; and Carla Zampatti, AC. Annual Report 2017

Chair's Report

Executive Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

Annual Report 2017

Executive Director's Report

In 2017, Sydney Dance Company achieved a year of expansion and artistic excellence on the world stage. I’m very proud of what we have achieved. It was a year when we continued a market development focus on North Asia with Sydney Dance Company’s first commission of a choreographer from the region, performances in Shanghai and a three month placement of our Producer Dominic Chang at the Shanghai International Dance Centre. We commissioned a new work from Cheng Tsung-lung of Taiwan’s Cloud Gate 2 - our first project with an Asian choreographer – which resulted in the critically acclaimed and quite extraordinary Orb, presented in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra in a double bill with Rafael Bonachela’s equally wonderful Ocho. In addition to 105 scheduled performances at 22 venues in Australia in 2017, including the 100th performance of 2 One Another, Sydney Dance Company continued its commitment to bringing the best of our work to the international stage: to the prestigious Shanghai International Festival of the Arts, and to the eastern seaboard of the United States. For me, Shanghai was one of the highlights of the year. Not only did it showcase the breadth of talent in the company with presentations of Rafael Bonachela’s 2 One Another, Lux Tenebris and Alexander Ekman’s Cacti, it also highlighted the company’s capacity for outreach. Our free performance to an audience of steelworkers as part of the Shanghai Festival’s outreach program – many of whom were seeing contemporary dance for the first time – was something that cements for me the role of dance as a cultural ambassador on many levels. The company expanded into new territories locally, too. Antony Hamilton’s Crazy Times was our first work for primary school-aged students and we took it from its premiere season at the Sydney Opera House to school halls in Western Sydney and Western Australia. We explored new space in Nude Live, our first-time (and wonderfully successful) collaboration with the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the Sydney Festival. Sydney Dance Company continues to be a leading engine of employment in Australia’s arts and culture sector. Our productions employed 26 dancers (17 company, nine associate) in 122 performances to a combined audience of more than 39,000 in Australia and 10,400 overseas. We commissioned eight new works. Twenty-four dancers completed our Pre-Professional Year in 2017 and we can’t wait to see what they do next.

2017 was a watershed year in many ways, not least because it marked the beginnings of the revamp of the Wharf, our home for the past quarter century. I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone: all of the donors and government funding partners involved in the Capital Campaign - an outstanding success – and those whose time and energy is consumed with our move from the Wharf and the continuance of business over the projected two years of renovation. I would like to thank our new Chair, Karen Moses, and the Board of Sydney Dance Company for their guidance and support in 2017. I would also like to thank our Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela who, with our enormously talented and hard-working company of dancers, inspires us every day. And special thanks goes to the hard work of the company’s administrative and production staff who work tirelessly behind the scenes. The support of our Government funding partners is extraordinarily important and I thank the Australian Government for the support they give us through the Australia Council for the Arts. The NSW Government’s support through Create NSW is highly valued and their collaboration and support of the Walsh Bay renewal project will create lasting impact for Sydney Dance Company and the cultural life of Sydney for many years to come. I would also like to acknowledge the contributions and expertise that both the Education Advisory Panel and Dance Noir Fundraising Committee give to Sydney Dance Company. Special thanks goes to the donors and supporters of the Take a Step - Capital Campaign. The leadership shown has been extraordinary and deeply appreciated. Finally, I would like to acknowledge our loyal audiences and our emerging audiences. Our culturally curious audience drives us to greater and more inventive artistic endeavours each year. We are thrilled to serve and inspire them. These are exciting times for the Sydney Dance Company. It is a privilege to be part of such an energetic, passionately committed and talented organisation. We are all very much looking forward to 2018 and onwards to our 50th birthday celebrations.

Anne Dunn Executive Director

In 2017, our dance classes at the Wharf employed 67 teachers, who between them got over 70,000 people moving. Ten teaching artists were employed to take our workshops to regional schools. The financial accounts for 2017 show a surplus result of $722,946 and total revenue of $11,979,176. This healthy surplus is a result of the increase in development income for the Capital Campaign. As Sydney Dance Company moves forward with detailed plans for temporary relocation and building works, this exciting project will also create significant business challenges.

Annual Report 2017

Executive Director's Report

Artistic Directorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Report

Annual Report 2017

Artistic Director's Report

For me, 2017 was a year of breaking new ground. The works we presented were themselves proof of that. Think about Nude Live, a production in which our dancers co-existed with masterpieces of art. We didn’t set out to consciously break new ground and yet it happened. For me personally, as a choreographer, to have the opportunity to feed from those artworks and work outside of the comfort zone of the stage was really a highlight. Seeing it with the audience was one of the most moving experiences I’ve had. Nude Live won the 2017 IMAGine Award for ‘Engagement Programs: Large Organisations’. One show that we did set out to break new ground with was our first ever commission to take to schools, Crazy Times. Sydney Dance Company had a history of taking ballet into schools, before it became a contemporary dance company. Now, as we prepare to turn 50, we have returned. To have Antony Hamilton, whose work is so cutting-edge, make a show to take into 21 schools was incredible. Like Nude Live, it was the experience of sharing it that was most powerful for me. You felt the heartbeat of the dancers and their bodies and I loved seeing the kids respond to it. They connect with dance in such an honest way, without preconceptions. They immediately and instinctively go with it and that is very beautiful. We toured to the United States in February 2017 with Frame of Mind, Raw Models and Wildebeest. The tour included our first visit to Boston and a return to New York, where, once again, we played at the most prestigious dance theatre, The Joyce. It was so gratifying to see the audience response to the company. To hear people gasp. Wonderful. And after the shows, so many people remarked on how diverse our company is. That, of course, is a reflection of Australia, something we are proud of, and will continue to foster. Returning from the United States, we went straight into Orb, our first season in Sydney, a double bill of Ocho and Full Moon, two world premieres. Sharing the stage with Taiwanese choreographer Cheng Tsung-lung was very special for me, as was working with theatre specialists David Fleischer (design) and Damien Cooper (lighting). I have admired their work in Sydney theatres for so long and together they took me to new places. Our regional tour was a special one. We were so proud to take the same works that we took to New York to places like Dubbo, Darwin, Bendigo, Port Pirie and Mount Gambier. As always, we were very focused on outreach in local schools and it’s always great to see family audiences coming to our work, something you don’t see so much in the cities. In September, we had held our Dance Noir fundraiser, our way of raising funds and also saying thank you to the people who support us through the year. It’s all choreographed by our dancers while they are on tour with every foyer and every back stage area used to create great entertainment. So much fun.

Playing at the Shanghai International Arts Festival in China was incredible. We performed 2 One Another in three venues in total, one of which was an open-air performance in a park; another first for us. We also performed the double bill Countermove showcasing my own work, Lux Tenebris and the work of choreographer Alexander Ekman, Cacti, at the Shanghai Grand Theatre and Wuxi Grand Theatre. We rounded off the year with New Breed. It is so meaningful for emerging choreographers to work with the dancers of the Sydney Dance Company and the work they make is astonishing. I was so impressed by the quality of the work these young artists made in just two weeks and it was thrilling to see the audience’s response. We finished the year on a high with our PPY Revealed season; 24 graduates, four new commissions plus a piece of mine 2 in D Minor. It has proven a great platform and resource, the place where we can identify the next generation of intelligent and professional contemporary dancers. I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding results we received in the Dance Australia 2017 Critics’ Choice Awards. Critics from publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and Dance Australia nominated Sydney Dance Company and our choreographers and dancers as their top picks in up to eight different categories. As Deborah Jones from The Australian stated – “The entire Sydney Dance Company – so formidable right now”. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people I work with at Sydney Dance Company, those behind the scenes as well as those in the spotlight. Their passion and dedication makes my job here such a pleasure. To our Board and all of our wonderful donors and sponsors – thank you. I’m so happy to have a personal relationship with all of you and I’m overwhelmed by your incredible support. A huge thank you to the Neilson Foundation, The Wales Family Foundation, Simon and Catriona Mordant, Jane and Andrew Clifford, Carla Zampatti and Julian and Lizanne Knights. I know I say it all the time but thank you so much to our dancers. Their input, commitment, focus and brilliance makes me feel so privileged. And one more thing. I became an Australian citizen in 2017. I am enormously proud to call myself Australian now and to represent Australia around the world with this great contemporary dance company.

Rafael Bonachela Artistic Director

We were very proud to bring back 2 One Another for our second Sydney season. This work has been performed around the world and we celebrated its 100th performance. Audiences loved seeing it a second time. Annual Report 2017

Artistic Director's Report

“Dance Australia 2017 Critics' Choice Awards Most Outstanding Dancer: The entire Sydney Dance Company ensemble – so formidable right now” — Deborah Jones, The Australian “Most Interesting Group or Artist: 'Sydney Dance Company, with its wonderful dancers, had a good year with more engaging repertoire, from a revival of 2 One Another and two new works in Orb to five emerging choreographers in New Breed.” — Jill Sykes, The Sydney Morning Herald

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

2017 Performance Repertoire

From new commissions to touring productions of award winning repertoire, Sydney Dance Company’s 2017 performance repertoire presented diverse creative voices and took audiences on transformative emotional journeys. The program sought to engage new audiences by creating works to be staged in venues beyond the traditional stages of theatres and gave many audience members their very first experience with contemporary dance. The year is perhaps best summed up as a year of collaboration and new challenges for Sydney Dance Company, from the exquisite beauty of Nude Live, a first time collaboration with the Art Gallery of NSW and Sydney Festival to Antony Hamilton’s Crazy Times presented in conjunction with Perth’s Co3 and created especially for young audiences of 8-12 year olds. Complementing these was the double bill presentation of Orb and the return of 2 One Another for its milestone 100th performance. We were delighted to share the much lauded Frame of Mind, and Wildebeest with our audiences right across Australia for our National tour and in the USA Frame of Mind, Wildebeest and Raw Models, whilst audiences in China had the opportunity to see Cacti, Lux Tenebris and 2 One Another. Across the year the dancers of the ensemble and the associate dancers delivered an impressive 18 different works across 122 performances and the dancers deserved every moment of applause they received for their extraordinary performances.

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Nude Live Art Gallery of NSW “The audience reaction was fascinating … a real coming together of performers and audience that generated a feeling of mutual trust … More than a viewing, Nude Live is an experience.” — Jill Sykes, The Sydney Morning Herald

Moving, breathing, alive and naked. An intimate experience created on six dancers responding to artworks that formed part of the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ major summer exhibition, Nude: art from the Tate collection. Highly physical and emotionally charged choreography by Rafael Bonachela, a unique performance that took audiences into an immersive, intimate world where art meets dance. Presented with Sydney Festival & Art Gallery of NSW Choreographer Rafael Bonachela Dancers Marlo Benjamin Izzac Carroll Fiona Jopp Olivia Kingston Zachary Lopez David Mack Oliver Savariego

Crazy Times Sydney Opera House and school tours “For us to have a choreographer of Antony’s stature working on a piece that will play in schools is wonderful for us. In many ways it is the highlight of the year.” — Rafael Bonachela

In a first for Sydney Dance Company, and in collaboration with Co3 Australia, Antony Hamilton’s Crazy Times took primary school audiences on a lo-fi, surrealist adventure, driven by the pulse of high-energy and mind-bending dance moves. Crazy Times premiered at the Sydney Opera House, followed by in-school performances in Western Sydney. Presented with Co3 Australia Choreography Antony Hamilton Dramaturge Matthew Whittet Lighting Design Ben Cisterne Costume Design Paula Levis Sound Composition Julian Hamilton

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Pedro Greig Photo: Anna Kucera

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Pedro Greig Photo: Pedro Greig

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Ocho Orb Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay, Sydney Arts Centre, Melbourne Canberra Theatre Centre “[A] potent, confronting look at the tensions between the individual and the tribe … thrillingly integrated to a pumping, pulsing electronica-led score … Bonachela has done Sydney Dance Company proud with this thrilling, visceral piece, exploiting every inch of his precise, virtuosic dancers.” — Clive Paget, Limelight

Rafael Bonachela’s Ocho, meaning eight in Spanish, marked his eighth year with the Company and showcased eight dancers. Fusing an industrial dreamscape with a surging electronic score by Nick Wales featuring haunting vocals by Aboriginal singer Rrawun Maymuru of the Mangalili clan, Ocho explored the infinite connections that exist between us all. Choreography Rafael Bonachela Composer Nick Wales Lighting Damien Cooper Costumes & Set David Fleischer Dancers Sydney Dance Company

Full Moon Orb Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay, Sydney Arts Centre, Melbourne Canberra Theatre Centre “It’s a splendid feast for eyes and ears with Fan Huaichih’s gorgeously flowing costumes, Lim Giong’s gleaming commissioned score and [Damien] Cooper’s magical lighting.” — Deborah Jones, The Australian

A magical work inspired by the moon and its place in mythology and everyday life created by the Artistic Director of Taipei’s Cloud Gate 2 in a landmark partnership with Sydney Dance Company. Choreography Cheng Tsung-lung Composer Lim Giong Lighting Damien Cooper Costumes Fan Huai-chih Dancers Sydney Dance Company

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Pedro Greig Photo: Pedro Greig

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Frame of Mind Frame of Mind National Tour “

…Bonachela’s Frame of Mind delivers an emotionally engaging and overarching choreographic mastery…electric” — Daily Review

A deeply personal work that resonated with audiences across the country, multi-award winning Frame of Mind explores the fragility and strength inherent in every day communication. Choreography Rafael Bonachela Designer Ralph Myers Costume Design Realisation Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Designer Benjamin Cisterne Music Aheym for String Quartet, Little Blue Something and Tenebre, written by Bryce Dessner Dramaturgical Consultant Samuel Webster

Wildebeest Frame of Mind National Tour ‘‘ … a potent blend of technique, daring and playfulness.” — The Sydney Morning Herald

First appearing on stage as part of the inaugural New Breed season, Wildebeest is now a featured component of Company repertoire. Wildebeest showcases the power of dancers as individuals and strength en masse. Choreography Gabrielle Nankivell Sound Designer and Composer Luke S Miles, Motion Laboratories Lighting Benjamin Cisterne Costumes Fiona Holley

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

2 One Another “Akin to fireworks exploding… An omnipotent emotional journey that puts the audience in the driver’s seat.” — Vanessa Keys, Daily Telegraph

This revival of Bonachela’s 2012 work, in many ways his masterpiece, thrilled audiences anew and celebrated a rare milestone in Australian contemporary dance – the show’s 100th performance. Choreography Rafael Bonachela Production & Costume Design, Creative Direction of Screen Content Tony Assness Original Music Nick Wales Lighting Design Benjamin Cisterne Text Samuel Webster Costume Design Consultant Peter Simon Phillips Costume Maker Fiona Holley Screen Content Designed & Produced by Iloura  Executive Producer Alastair Stephen Design Director Finnegan Spencer Producer Simone Clow Lead 3D Artist Kanin Phemayothin Dancers Sydney Dance Company

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Pedro Greig

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

“Throughout the program, the Sydney Dance Company dancers perform with absolute engagement and prowess, ensuring the best possible rendition of each choreographer’s vision.” — Elizabeth Ashley, Dance Informa Well worth seeing… “ Extraordinary… powerful… memorable” — The Sydney Morning Herald “What a great night of dance: all of it brand spanking new, performed by some of the best movers on the planet and offered at $35 a ticket.” — The Australian Full of a wonderful sense “ of adventure, but also with the choreographic and theatrical nous to pull off an eclectic and consistently satisfying night of dance.” — TimeOut

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

New Breed Carriageworks, Sydney

Presented in conjunction with Carriageworks and supported by the Balnaves Foundation, New Breed provides an opportunity for emerging choreographers to explore their choreographic ambition, and to create and present work with the support of Sydney Dance Company.Â In its fourth iteration, New Breed 2017 is an important incubator for the next generation of choreographic talent in Australia. Sydney Dance Company is proud to support the talent development of the creative leaders of the future, and to contribute to the diversity of ideas that continue to flourish in the independent sector. Choreographers Cass Mortimer Eipper and Nelson Earl Petros Treklis Tyrone Robinson Melanie Lane

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

WOOF New Breed

Choreography Melanie Lane Music Original composition by Clark Costume Realisation Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Design Verity Hampson Dancers Sydney Dance Company

[Bio] Curious New Breed

Choreography Tyrone Robinson Music LSDXOXO Arca Lighting Design Verity Hampson Dancers Chloe Leong Davide Di Giovanni Nelson Earl

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Pedro Greig Photo: Pedro Greig

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Pedro Greig Photo: Pedro Greig

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

The Art of Letting Go New Breed

Choreography Petros Treklis Music Rachmaninoff & Prokofiev: Cello Sonatas performed by Yo-Yo Ma & Emanuel Ax Costume Realisation Wendy James Lighting Design Verity Hampson Dancers Bernhard Knauer Charmene Yap Holly Doyle Josephine Weise Latisha Sparks Sam Young-Wright Todd Sutherland

Bell Jar New Breed

Choreography Nelson Earl Cass Mortimer Eipper Music Marco Cherâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Gibard Costume Design Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Design Verity Hampson Dancers Cass Mortimer Eipper Nelson Earl

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

“Seeing this group of accomplished dancers as they step out into the world is incredibly reassuring: the art form will surely flourish.” — Jill Sykes, The Sydney Morning Herald

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

PPY17 Revealed

In its 4th year, Sydney Dance Company’s PreProfessional Year (PPY) moved from a Certificate IV qualification to a Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance) in 2017. Twenty-four young dancers from Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New Zealand completed the course and a traineeship for the professional ensemble was offered to Chloe Young on graduation. PPY continues to play a vital role in Australian contemporary dance, training the next generation of dancers and choreographers, and providing a platform for bold new work and creative development. PPY17 Revealed, performed at Carriageworks December 2017, saw the program’s young dancers excel in works by Rafael Bonachela, Lucas Jervies, Richard Cilli, Rani Luther and choreographers Israel Aloni and Lee Brummer from Sweden. “Its cross-section of teachers and choreographers has again come up with a vibrant result, producing dancers with daring and character as well as technique,” wrote The Sydney Morning Herald’s Jill Sykes in her assessment of the showcase.

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

2 in D Minor PPY17 Revealed

Choreography Rafael Bonachela Music J. S. Bach, Violin Partita No.2 in D Minor Violinist Veronique Serret Electronics Nick Wales Lighting Design Verity Hampson Costume Realisation Fiona Holley Dancers Pre-Professional Year

To the foreign void your response PPY17 Revealed

Choreography Lee Brummer and Israel Aloni (il Dance) Music Design Me-Lee Hay Music Roly Porter, Rossak, In Systems, 4101 and Blind blackening; Mozart, Introitus-Requiem and Sequentia-Lacrimosa (...) Lighting Design Verity Hampson Costume Design Fiona Holley Dancers Pre-Professional Year

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Jhuny Boy Borja

2017 Performance

Annual Report 2017

Photo: Jhuny Boy Borja

2017 Performance

Annual Report 2017

Carte Blanche PPY17 Revealed

Choreography Richard Cilli Music Richard Cilli Composers Mika Vainio 9, Magneti, Mark Pritchard, ?; Bing & Ruth, Scrapes; Ben Lukas Boysen, Only in the Dark Lighting Design Verity Hampson Costume Design Fiona Holley Dancers Pre-Professional Year

Outside In PPY17 Revealed

Choreography Rani Luther Music Cye Wood Lighting Design Verity Hampson Costume Design Fiona Holley Dancers Georgie Bailey Alex Borg Mason Peronchik Laura Vlasic Alternative Dancers Ashley Joppich Aaron Matheson-Buick Alex Mencinsky Chloe Young

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Versailles PPY17 Revealed

Choreography Lucas Jervies Music Adam Ster, with excerpts from Lacrimosa (...) recorded by Marc Anderson Lighting Design Verity Hampson Costume Design Fiona Holley Dancers Georgie Bailey Jasmine Bard Alexander Borg Cody Lavery Aaron Matheson-Buick Alex Mecinsky Mason Peronchik Chloe Young

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

Photo: Jhuny Boy Borja

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance

2017 Performance Schedule

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance Schedule

7 – 23 January Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney 22 performances, Nude Live

12 July Capital Venues, Bendigo, VIC 1 performance, Frame of Mind

27 October Jing’an Park, Shanghai, China 1 Performance, 2 One Another

23 – 24 February Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania, USA 2 performances, Wildebeest, Raw Models, Frame of Mind

14 July Frankston Arts Centre, Frankston, VIC 1 performance, Frame of Mind

29 October Baoshan Culture Center, Shanghai 1 Performance, 2 One Another

28 February University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA, 1 performance, Wildebeest, Raw Models, Frame of Mind 4 – 5 March Celebrity Series of Boston, Massachusetts, USA 2 performances, Wildebeest, Raw Models, Frame of Mind 7 – 12 March The Joyce Theater, New York, New York, USA 7 performances, Wildebeest, Raw Models, Frame of Mind 14 – 18 March Sydney Opera House 9 performances, Crazy Times 29 April – 13 May Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay, Sydney, NSW 14 performances, Orb 17 – 20 May Art Centre Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 6 performances, Orb 25 – 27 May Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra, ACT 4 performances, Orb 23 – 24 June Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, NSW, 2 performances, Frame of Mind 28 June Capitol Theatre, Tamworth, NSW 1 performance, Frame of Mind 1 July Dubbo Regional Theatre, Dubbo, NSW 1 performance, Frame of Mind 5 July The Art House, Wyong, NSW 1 performance, Frame of Mind 8 July Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre, Wagga Wagga, NSW 1 performance, Frame of Mind Annual Report 2017

19 July Theatre North, Launceston, TAS 1 performance, Frame of Mind 21 – 22 July Theatre Royal, Hobart, TAS 2 performances, Frame of Mind 2 August Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Mt Gambier, SA 1 performance, Frame of Mind

30 October City Theatre, Shanghai, China 1 Performance, 2 One Another 30 Nov – 9 Dec Carriageworks, Sydney 9 Performances, New Breed 13 – 15 December Carriageworks, Sydney 3 Performances, PPY17 Revealed

5 August Northern Festival Centre, Port Pirie, SA 1 performance, Frame of Mind 5 August Middleback Theatre, Whyalla, SA 1 performance, Frame of Mind 12 August Chaffey Theatre, Renmark, SA 1 performance, Frame of Mind 17 – 19 August Her Majesty’s Theatre, Adelaide, SA 3 performances, Frame of Mind 23 August Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs, NT 1 performance, Frame of Mind 26 August Darwin Entertainment Centre, Darwin, NT 1 performance, Frame of Mind 5 – 14 October Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay, Sydney, NSW 10 Performances, 2 One Another 22 – 23 October Shanghai Grand Theatre, Shanghai, China 2 Performances, CounterMove 25 October – 10 November Western Sydney Schools 21 Performances, Crazy Times 26 October Wuxi Grand Theatre, Shanghai, China 1 Performance, CounterMove

2017 Performance Schedule

2017 Reach

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance Schedule

2017 Figures

International performances

New music commissions

Mainstage Australian performances

105

Australian towns and cities visited (not incl. Sydney)

New works

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance Schedule

Attendance

49,514 16,715 70,118 Audience members

Annual Report 2017

Young people engaged

2017 Performance Schedule

Dance class attendees

Social Media

YouTube views: 492,548

85% increase

Facebook likes: 78,454

6.8% increase

Instagram followers: 45,700

21.3% increase

Twitter followers: 13,740

5.7% increase

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance Schedule

Global Footprint

USA

Massachusetts New York

11 Performances 3 Works

Pennsylvania

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance Schedule

CHINA 6 Performances 3 Works

Shanghai

NSW (excl. Sydney) 4 Performances 2 Works

Sydney 76 Performances 16 Works

Northern Territory 2 Performance 1 Work

South Australia 7 Performances 1 Works

Melbourne

Canberra

8 Performances 2 Works

4 Performances 2 Works

Queensland Tasmania

6 Performances 2 Works

3 Performances 2 Works

Annual Report 2017

2017 Performance Schedule

“We have a large male cohort in the group and having a male dance artist working with them was fantastic. This is an opportunity that the boys often don't get particularly in the contemporary dance area.” — Teacher, Parra Hills High School, SA (2017 National workshop tour)

Annual Report 2017

Education & Outreach

Annual Report 2017

Reaching out to the Australian community, to people aged 5 to 85, and to people who just love to move, Sydney Dance Company continues to expand is program of activities to engage more people in dance.

Education & Outreach

Community, Access and Training

Annual Report 2017

Education & Outreach

2017 saw over 70,000 people attending 3,776 adult drop-in classes, enlivening the Wharf beyond measure with their energy and spirit and providing a vital contact point for Sydney Dance Company to the community. The expansion of short courses provided those who have never danced before or are new to a particular style the opportunity to learn in a supportive environment. Importantly, 2017 saw the pilot of Make Your Move, an inclusive contemporary dance program for adults with restricted mobility developed with experts in exercise physiology, neuroscience, dance health, and occupational therapy. Generously supported by the Jibb Foundation this program delivered results for the participants beyond expectations and will roll out to more community groups in 2018. “A program like this is incredibly important because otherwise you can feel excluded and isolated when your mobility is restricted. You need safe and supportive spaces where you can test the waters, experiment a bit, push yourself a little, and try new things.” — Participant, Make Your Move pilot, 2017 In 2017, school holiday workshops extended Sydney Dance Company’s reach to Penrith, Campbelltown, Bondi and Glebe and a new beginner’s workshop for children aged five to seven was run for the first time. Youth Term Classes, now in their second year, mirror the rehearsal and creative development process of the professional ensemble. In 2017, 223 young dancers participated in the eight weekly session program.

“Crazy Times was FANTASTIC! Such a great experience for our kids which has also opened up a fabulously creative dialogue among staff in thinking and planning for next year.” — Assistant Principal, Willmot Public School, October 2017 Extending Sydney Dance Company’s professional training opportunities, the Company opened its doors to tertiary dance students across the region. In 2017, 11 tertiary dance students from WAAPA, New Zealand School of Dance, Adelaide College of the Arts, Queensland University Technology and Australian Ballet School took up secondment places with the Company. A further 29 tertiary dance students and recent graduates participated in a Professional Intensive week at Sydney Dance Company learning repertoire, undertaking improvisation classes and creative task work. Sydney Dance Company continues to provide access to programs through a range of scholarships and subsidies. Three scholarships were provided for the Pre-Professional Year, through the generous support of the Doug Hall Foundation, The Wales Family Foundation and Mary Zuber. Subsidised workshops for regional schools was supported through the Thyne Reid Foundation and Nicole Fitzsimons Foundation, and the Education Fund allowed schools with financial barriers to attend matinee performances. Complimentary venue hire was also extended to a range of not-for-profit, industry partners and independent artists for the development of new work, industry forums, training and dance research.

Sydney Dance Company continues to extend its education program into schools with 156 workshops reaching 4,793 students across Australia in 2017. For students and teachers, particularly those in regional areas, meeting professional dancers, watching them work, and being able to ask questions proved utterly eye-opening. As part of its regional tour, Sydney Dance Company delivered 122 workshops and community engagement activities in 16 locations to 3,407 participants. 10 Teaching Artists were engaged across the program. “This was an amazing opportunity for our remote students who rarely get access to professional works and teachers from the industry – thank you!” Teacher, St Phillips College, NT (2017 national workshop tour) Five matinee performances for secondary schools were delivered in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and Adelaide reaching a combined 3,222 students and teachers and providing behind-the-scenes insights into the creative development process. In a first for Sydney Dance Company, Crazy Times was the first new commission for primary school audiences. Choreographed by Antony Hamilton, and dramaturgy by Matthew Whittet, Crazy Times was performed in collaboration with Perth-based contemporary dance company Co3. It premiered at the Sydney Opera House in March 2017, it toured to nine schools in Western Sydney and 12 in Western Australia. In some performances, more than 400 young primary school kids bopped along to the energetic score and vibrant movement of the dancers. The Q&As that followed showed some wonderfully insightful revelations from the students as they reflected upon what they saw. Annual Report 2017

Education & Outreach

Annual Report 2017

From the Dancers

In this, my 10th year with Sydney Dance Company it is a privilege to be asked to contribute to the 2017 annual report with a dancers’ perspective. It was a year of so many personal and professional highlights. Early in January we returned from our annual leave and Christmas holidays to an intensive six-week preparation for a tour to America. With the support of our physiotherapist team and artistic staff we worked hard and fast to remount Wildebeest, Raw Models and Frame of Mind. The New York performances took place in that mecca of dance, The Joyce. This was my second time performing there with Sydney Dance Company but there was something different about this experience. The combined strength and artistry of my colleagues, my own personal tally of years of hard work and dedication, and the thrill of performing this specific program culminated in a true sense of pride and accomplishment that washed over me during those performances and the standing ovations that followed. To have experienced the intense burn of the endless hard work followed by the warmth and genuine appreciation of your audience is one of those special moments when you remember what it’s all about. Returning from the States we launched into creating Orb, a program consisting of two world premieres, Rafael Bonachela’s Ocho and Cheng Tsung-lung’s Full Moon. For Orb the company were split into two separate casts of eight dancers, with each dancer only performing one work in the evening. Intentionally or otherwise, Orb was a season that celebrated the individual artist amid the power of the ensemble. It was a wonderful moment for Sydney Dance Company, an opportunity for each of the 16 dancers to demonstrate their unique artistry, skill and finesse. 2017 also saw a return Sydney season of Rafael Bonachela’s 2 One Another, a work that has enjoyed a vibrant life across the globe since it premiered in 2012. This time around we were able to share the special occasion of the 100th performance with our home audience. For those of us who had been there for all 100 performances, it was a momentous occasion. 2 One Another’s journey continued with a trip to the Shanghai International Arts Festival where we performed it under the night sky to a very appreciative public. We finished up the year with the creation of four new works for Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed season. I was very fortunate to work with choreographer Melanie Lane on the creation of WOOF. New Breed is such a wonderful opportunity to explore new and interesting ways of working and the process of working with Melanie was a joy from beginning to end. It was mentally stimulating, physically challenging and I felt a real sense of unity with my colleagues. A perfect way to end an intense and rewarding year.

Juliette Barton Dancer, Sydney Dance Company

Annual Report 2017

From the Dancers

Company Dancers

Annual Report 2017

Clockwise from left Juliette Barton Izzac Carroll Davide Di Giovanni Holly Doyle Janessa Dufty Nelson Earl Cass Mortimer Eipper Bernhard Knauer Chloe Leong

The Company

Daniel Roberts Jesse Scales Latisha Sparks Todd Sutherland Petros Treklis Josephine Weise Charmene Yap Sam Young-Wright

Associate Dancers

Annual Report 2017

Clockwise from left Marlo Benjamin Isaac Di Natale Viola Lida Fiona Jopp Olivia Kingston Zachary Lopez David Mack Simon Plant Oliver Savariego

The Company

Sydney Dance Company

Board of Directors*

Management*

Chair Karen Moses

Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela

Pam Bartlett Peter Brownie Jean-Marc Carriol Brett Clegg Kiera Grant Mark Hassell Catriona Mordant Beau Neilson Chrissy Sharp Carla Zampatti AC Jane Freudenstein

Executive Director Anne Dunn Deputy Executive Director Sean Radcliffe Producer Dominic Chang Loretta Busy (cover) Executive Assistant Tanya Veselcic

Patron Darcey Bussell DBE

Programming Coordinator Kerry Thampapillai

Ambassadors Judy Crawford Bee Hopkins Jules Maxwell

Accountant Melissa Sim Payroll Assistant Carina Mision Business Consultant Bruce Cutler Development Director Lizzi Nicoll Business Development Manager Kate Munnelly Philanthropy Manager Michelle Boyle Julieanne Campbell (maternity cover)

Annual Report 2017

The Company

Manager — Major gifts Susan Wynne Events Manager & Development Coordinator Rohan Morris Development Assistant Heloise Cahill Philanthropy Assistant Carina Martin CRM & Ticketing Manager Heath Wilder Marketing Manager Zena Morellini Marketing Coordinator Anne Brito Aishlinn McCarthy (maternity cover) Marketing Assistant Lisa Dowdall Publicist Alexandra Barlow Resident Multi-Media Artist Pedro Greig Director of Education & Outreach Caroline Spence Education Manager Katherine Duhigg Education Coordinator Emma Powell–El Gammal

The Company

Dancers’ Treatment & Care

Rehearsal Director Chris Aubrey

Company Doctor Dr. Michael Berger

Juliette Barton Izzac Carroll Davide Di Giovanni Holly Doyle Janessa Dufty Nelson Earl Cass Mortimer Eipper Bernhard Knauer Chloe Leong Jesse Scales Latisha Sparks Todd Sutherland Petros Treklis Josephine Weise Charmene Yap Sam Young-Wright

Sports Doctor Dr. James Lawrence

Production Production Technical Director Guy Harding Stage Manager Simon Turner

Physiotherapists Ashlea-Mary Cohen Marko Becejski April-Rose Ferris Company Teachers Simonne Smiles Lisa Griffiths Cathie Goss Kristina Chan Andrea Briody Emily Amisano Sara Black Brook Stamp Lucas Jervies Noah Gumbert Rani Luther Eileen Hall Philipe Klaus (accompanist) Pre-Professional Year

Production Technician Tony McCoy

Course Supervisor Linda Gamblin

Head Mechanist John Shedden

Course Director Shane Carroll

Mechanist Joshua Opokua

Dance Studios

Wardrobe Maintenance Wendy James Costume Cutter Sheryl Pilkington

Public Programs Manager Polly Brett Director, Dance Classes Ramon Doringo Customer Service Assistant Alys Gwillim * As at 31 December 2017

Annual Report 2017

The Company

Sydney Dance Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Partners provide the vital support we need to commission new works, share them with audiences around Australia and overseas, grow our education program and support emerging talent. We would like to thank all those who have contributed to our Commissioning Fund, Touring Fund, Education Fund and Partner Program. We would also like to thank all of our Partners who wish to remain anonymous.

Platinum Partners Robert Albert AO & Elizabeth Albert The Balnaves Foundation Crown Resorts Foundation Julian Knights AO & Lizanne Knights Judith Neilson AM The Neilson Foundation Gretel Packer Packer Family Foundation Thyne Reid Foundation The Wales Family Foundation Carla Zampatti Foundation Performance Partners $20,000+ Liliana Caputo and Jason Pantzer Manuela Darling-Gansser and Michael Darling John and Frances Ingham Sarah and Robby Ingham Sandra McCullagh (in tribute to my mum) Ian and Wendy Macoun Susan Maple-Brown AM and the late Robert Maple-Brown AO Rob and Cath Mead Karen Moses Beau Neilson and Jeffrey Simpson Kerr Neilson Nelson Meers Foundation Erin Ostadal and the late Billy Ostadal Roslyn Packer AC Turnbull Foundation Emma Zuber Studio Partners $10,000+ The Agnew Family Pam and Doug Bartlett Colin Bell and Donna-May Bolinger Black Diamondz Property Concierge Paul Brady and Christine Yip Jillian Broadbent AO and Olev Rahn Peter and Liz Brownie Annual Report 2017

Janice and Tony Burke Andrew Cameron AM Brett Clegg and Annabel Hepworth Jane and Andrew Clifford Jade and Richard Coppleson Cullman Family Fund Dr Michelle Deaker Susie Dickson and Martin Dickson AM David Fite and Danita Lowes Richard and Jane Freudenstein Kiera Grant Andrew and Emma Gray Doug Hall Foundation Mark Hassell Jules Maxwell Mr and Mrs McCullagh Memo Corp Australia Pty Ltd peckvonhartel architects Rebel Penfold-Russell OAM John Prescott AC and Jennifer Prescott Kellie and Warryn Robertson CA Scala and DB Studdy Morna Seres and Ian Hill Dick and Pip Smith Alden Toevs and Judi Wolf Turner Alastair J M Walton Barbara Wilby and Christopher Joyce Yang Yang Duet Partners $5,000+ Arab Bank Australia Juliet Ashworth Australia China Art Foundation Jean-Marc and Kirsten Carriol Peter Chadwick Judy Crawford Mike Dixon and Dee De Bruyn James and Jacqui Erskine Paul and Roslyn Espie George Frazis Kay Freedman and the late Ian Wallace Ian Galloway and Linda Treadwell Rose Herceg Fraser Hopkins Jackson Family and Friends Tina and Mark Johnson John Kaldor AO Dr Paul Kelly Marina and Richard Leong William Manning Alexandra Martin in memory of Lloyd Martin AM Carina Martin David Mathlin and Camilla Drover Jane McCallum Julie McNab Naomi Milgrom AO Paris Neilson and Todd Buncombe David Park Matthew and Fiona Playfair Peter Reeve and Jaycen Fletcher Ruth Ritchie Family Fund Rossi Foundation Penelope Seidler AM Peter and Victoria Shorthouse Bianca Spender Leslie Stern Lorraine Tarabay and Nick Langley The Company

Victoria Taylor Judy and Sam Weiss Adam Worling Public Relations Di Yeldham Ursula Zaoui Dance Partners $2,000+ ADFAS Sydney Ralph Ashton Paul Bedbrook Andrew Bird and Alexandra Holcomb Bird John and Susan Blue Philip and Catherine Brenner Sue Cato and Vaughan Busby Professor Malcolm Coppleson AO Robert Crossman Vitek Czernuszyn and Deborah Thomas Jonathan Dempsey Jennifer Kwok Chris and Raquel Ellis Suellen and Ron Enestrom Annalise Fairfax Donella and Quintin Freeman Margaret Gibbs Belinda Gibson Girgensohn Foundation Julie Godfrey Bradford Gorman and Dean Fontana Judi Hausmann Gabrielle Iwanow John Griffiths and Beth Jackson David Jonas and Desmon Du Plessis Elias and Jana Juanas Les Kennedy Macquarie Group Foundation Susie Manfred and Hunter McPherson Andrew and Del McGuiness Ursula Moore and the late John Moore Rany Moran Ezekiel Solomon AM Mark Stanbridge Stedmans UBS Foundation John S Walton AM Sarah Whyte Maggie Wong Yates Family

Jennifer Deslandes Jane Douglass AM Carmel Dwyer Kate Fleming Jacqueline Galbraith and Michael Harvey Amber Gooley Rosemary Grant Ben Harlow John Head Rachelle Hofbauer Sue Hoopmann Melissa Hoyer Charles and Joey Hue-Williams Sarah Hue-Williams Michael Ihlein Allen Iu and Bernadette Walker Tony Jones Virginia Judge Josephine Key and Ian Breden Joanne Killen Carol Lewis and Ian Ashby David Lindberg Kate Richardson and Chris Marrable Heidi and Jordan Martin Robert McCuaig Michael and Deborah Mills Dr Gary Nicholls and Niall Barlow Jacqueline O’Brien Dr Lisa O’Brien Marion Pascoe Greeba Pritchard Dominique Robinson Geoff Selig Fiona Sinclair and Peter King Alida Stanley Thomas B Staunton Ross Steele AM Janine Stewart Howard and Mary Tanner Stuart Thomas Mike Thompson Sylvia Tooth Richard and Athena Wagner Ray Wilson OAM

Rehearsal Partners $1,000+ Lenore Adamson and the late Ross Adamson Antoinette Albert Jana Bartsch Berg Family Foundation Benmill Pty Ltd & JB No 3 Pty Ltd Carrie and Steve Bellotti Natalie Best Ceclia and Eckhart Bischoff Jane Bridge Antony Bullimore Wayne M Burns and Kean Onn See Dr Bruce Caldwell Catherine Campbell Michael Chisholm Janine Collins Alexandra Considine Rob Coombe Mark Coppleson and Victoria Morish Camilla and Rob Cropper

Ensemble Partners $250-$999 Annie and Doug Aitken ArchMove Collective Dr Cynthia à Beckett and Gordon Smith Marco Belgiorno-Zegna AM and Angela Belgiorno-Zegna Bill and Marissa Best Minnie Biggs David Bluff Bodycentric Sarah Brasch Jacqui Burton Matty Burton Stephen Chase and Colette Baini Min Li Chong Deeta Colvin Wendy and Steve Cooper Jane and Martin Cowley Davidov Partners Architects Paula Davies Dr Suresh de Silva and Dr Katja Beitat Mikaela Dery Tanya Diesel Catherine and Whitney Drayton

Annual Report 2017

The Company

Robyn and John Fennell Marilyn Anne Forbes Helen Forrester Elizabeth and Ben Gilbert Domenico Giuliano Gabrielle Gollan Rachael Haggett Helen and Gordon Heslop Michael and Stacey Hill-Smith Nabeel and Marian Ibrahim The Teresa Johnson Ballet School Christopher and Nicky Joye Robert Kidd Susan Kirby Kirsty Laird Simon Oaten Stephen O’Rourke Cathy J Poulden Jeannine Rheinberger Mark Royle Jann Skinner Norman R Scott Jillian Segal AM Emma and Duncan Snodgrass Adam Spencer Greta Thomas Guy Thompson David Thomson Bronwyn Tricks Bob and Lanné Tucker Natalie Vanstone Jennifer and Wayne White John and Gay Woods Alan and Flavia Young Matthew Yovich 2017 Pre–Professional Year Scholarships Doug Hall Foundation Scholarship The Wales Family Foundation Scholarship Mary Zuber Scholarship

Annual Report 2017

Take a Step Campaign Supporters Sydney Dance Company is very grateful for the leadership shown by the following donors in supporting our Capital Campaign. The Neilson Foundation The Wales Family Foundation Jane and Andrew Clifford Simon Mordant AM and Catriona Mordant Carla Zampatti AC Julian Knights AO and Lizanne Knights Pam and Doug Bartlett Kiera Grant and Mark Tallis Mark Hassell The Alexandra and Lloyd Martin Family Foundation Karen Moses Mary Zuber Peter and Liz Brownie Judi Wolf and Alden Toevs Paul Brady and Christine Yip Brett Clegg and Annabel Hepworth Jane and Richard Freudenstein Cullman Family Fund Sandra McCullagh Ezekiel Solomon AM Rafael Bonachela and Joe Lawler Michelle Boyle Janice and Tony Burke Alexandra Considine Jade and Richard Coppleson Anne Dunn and Patricia Buick Donna and Carl Jackson Tina and Mark Johnson Longreach Ownership Trust Macquarie Group Foundation Andrew Messenger Lizzi Nicoll Nick Read Margaret Payn Peter Reeve and Jaycen Fletcher Chrissy Sharp Leslie Stern Victoria Taylor Susan Wynne

The Company

Photo: Pedro Greig

Annual Report 2017

The Company