THE COMPLICATION OF LYREBIRDS COLLABORATORS

KAINE SULTAN BABIJ (Co-collaborator, Dancer)

Of Eastern Arrernte, Afghan and Croatian heritage, Kaine Sultan-Babij was born and raised in Whyalla, South Australia. The pursuit of artistic growth leads Sultan-Babij to the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), Sydney and the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA), Brisbane. Sultan-Babij has toured Australia, North and South America, Europe and Asia, showcasing Australian Indigenous Contemporary and Contemporary Dance. Based in Adelaide, Sultan-Babij is Resident Choreographer and Indigenous Contemporary Dance Tutor at Kurruru Arts and Culture Hub.

CARLY SHEPPARD (Dramaturg)

Carly Sheppard is a cross-disciplinary performance artist whose work negotiates across dance and theatre performance, sculpture, drawing, voice and installation. Sheppard’s work predominantly explores the experience of being a part of the Indigenous diaspora of Australia. Some of Sheppard’s own work thus far include White Face for Next Wave Festival 2014; Moving House for Brown Cabs Scratch Series at Footscray Community Arts Centre 2015 and Womenjeka Festival at Footscray Community Arts Centre 2016; Nah Nuthin for Pieces for Small Spaces at Lucy Guerin Inc, Crackers n Dip with Chase n Toey, Arts House 2018.

NARETHA WILLIAMS (Sound Designer, Composer)

Naretha Williams is a composer, sonic dramaturg and experimental artist. A First Nations Wiradjuri woman of mixed lineage. Williams’ process-based work intersects installation and contemporary music, exploring themes around identity, place and the unseen.

Williams’ diverse musical interests span narrative score through to contemporary electronic music and she is engaged across the sector as a sound designer and composer, often working in contemporary dance and theatre. She is the 2019 winner of the Music Victoria Award for ‘Best Experimental or Avant Garde Act’ and released her first LP Record BLAK MASS on Heavy Machinery Records in 2020.

CRIS DERKSEN (Composer, Musician)

Canadian Tkaronto Based (Toronto) Cris

Derksen is an internationally renowned Indigenous Cellist and Composer. Originally from Treaty 8 in Northern Alberta, Derksen has paved their own sonic path braiding Classical Electronic Indigenous music. As a composer she has her foot in many worlds working in Choral, Symphonic, Film, TV, Theatre, Dance and Fashion. As a performer Derksen performs nationally and internationally. Recent destinations include Hong Kong, Australia, Mongolia, Europe, Mexico and a whole lot of Canada; the place Derksen refers to as home.

SAMUEL JAMES (Video Artist)

Samuel James has worked as a projection designer for contemporary performance and dance for twenty years. James has worked on over 200 projects from new media installations on residencies in regional Australia and Europe and theatre and dance works in the Australian festivals. James has won ‘Best Australian Dance Film’ at the Australian Dance Awards (2006) for Nun’s Night Out with choreographer

Julie Anne Long and received commissions from Reeldance (Vivaria 2009), Artspace

Sydney (Amygdala: Fear Conditioning 2010), Performance Space (The Cracks 2010) and Campbelltown Arts Centre (Dream Shelving 2012). James completed an MFA Research at COFA in 2012.