Impact Report 2021 by SydneyDanceCompany

2021 Impact Report

Contents

About Us

Our History

Chair's Report

Executive Director's Report

Artistic Director's Report

How We Create Value

Dancer's Report

Performing

On Screen

On Stage

Connecting

Teaching

Investing

Placemaking

Vale Chrissy Sharp & Neil Balnaves

Our Supporters

Our Performance

Staff & Board

Our Partners

2021 Impact Report

About Us

Dance changes people. It’s more than simply witnessing something beautiful or engaging with culture. To experience dance is to be positively altered. In performances at venues ranging from The Joyce Theater in New York, to the Shanghai Grand Theatre, the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris and at home at the Roslyn Packer Theatre and Sydney Opera House, Sydney Dance Company has proved that there are no passive observers in a contemporary dance audience. The reward of transforming audiences, and the raw pride of sharing Australian art with the world, has driven our ensemble of 17 dancers, led by Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela, to become one of the world’s strongest forces in contemporary dance. Alongside Bonachela’s original works, our programs across recent years have featured guest choreographers such as Alexander Ekman, Jacopo Godani, Melanie Lane, Gideon Obarzanek, Gabrielle Nankivell and Cheng Tsung-lung, as well as collaborations with Sydney Festival, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Composing Women and composers Bryce Dessner, Nick Wales and the late Ezio Bosso. Sydney Dance Company has a broad community beyond the practice and performance of our Company dancers. We believe in the universality of dance, and with over 80,000 attendances annually, we have the largest public dance class program in Australia, ensuring that each and every one of us can connect with the grace, strength and creativity of dance. Our nationwide education program offers a strategic curriculum targeting primary and secondary students through to career focused study for PreProfessional Year dancers and university graduates. Since 1986 the Company has been a resident of the purpose-built studios at The Wharf in Sydney’s Walsh Bay Arts Precinct on Sydney Harbour. Sydney Dance Company – a legendary force in contemporary dance – celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019.

2021 Impact Report

Our History

1969

Suzanne Musitz founds the Company, then known as The Dance Company (NSW).

1976

Graeme Murphy is appointed Artistic Director. Public dance classes commence at the Company’s Woolloomooloo studios in the evenings after Company dancers finish rehearsals.

1975

Jaap Flyer is appointed Artistic Director.

1979

Murphy and his partner Janet Vernon introduce a defining name change to Sydney Dance Company and then lead it for a remarkable 30 years, creating 61 works for the Company.

1981

Murphy tours Sydney Dance Company internationally for the first time, starting in New York City. Several international tours follow; Sydney Dance Company is the first Western contemporary dance company to perform in the People’s Republic of China.

2007

After an international search, Tanya Liedtke is appointed as the new Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company. Prior to commencing in the role, tragedy unfolds with Tanya Liedtke dying in an accident.

1986

The Company takes up residence at purpose-built studios at The Wharf in Sydney’s Walsh Bay, minutes from the city’s famed Harbour Bridge and Opera House.

2009

Rafael Bonachela is appointed Artistic Director. Bonachela’s vision for the Company embraces a guiding principle that has seen the repertoire grow with the addition of commissioned dance works from Australian and international guest choreographers.

2021 Impact Report

2013

Sydney Dance Company wins a multitude of awards: Bonachela’s 2 One Another: Winner of 2013 Australian Dance Awards, Rafael Bonachela: Most Outstanding Choreography, dancer Charmene Yap: Most Outstanding Female Dancer, Sydney Dance Company: Most Outstanding Performance by a Company.

2015

Sydney Dance Company wins Helpmann Award, Best Choreography, Best Dance Work for Frame of Mind by Rafael Bonachela.

2014

The Pre-Professional Year commences: a unique program offering aspiring professional dancers aged 18 to 24 the opportunity to experience full-time training with Sydney Dance Company. New Breed completes its first year: A showcase of raw talent and fresh ideas from some of the country’s most gifted emerging choreographers, in partnership with Carriageworks and New Breed Principal Partner The Balnaves Foundation.

2018 2019

The Company moves out of the Wharf and into a temporary home in Ultimo while the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct is redeveloped.

Sydney Dance Company celebrates its 50th Anniversary. Rafael Bonachela celebrates his 10th year as Artistic Director, a decade in which he has created 23 original works, presented 30 commissions by guest choreographers from around the world, and taken the Company into new territory. His Artistic Directorship consolidates and builds on the Company’s reputation for showcasing boundary-pushing contemporary dance and reinforces its unrivalled position in Australia’s cultural landscape and international cultural leadership.

2020

In response to the Covid pandemic, Sydney Dance Company launches the Virtual Studio in six days after public health orders cancel large scale gatherings and in person dance classes, with classes streamed live into people’s homes seven days a week.

2021

Sydney Dance Company returns to the redeveloped Wharf Studios at the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.

2021 Impact Report

Chair’s Report

The year 2021 was one of contradictions, tremendous highs, and some bracing challenges for our organisation. We continued to push through the upheaval and dislocation of the pandemic with steadfast ambition and relentless drive. A defiant stance, through creative innovation and positive mindset, which set us apart in 2020, delivered further outstanding financial, operational and artistic outcomes. Sydney Dance Company continues to enjoy strength and stability. As the borders reopen, we are unleashing our artistry back into the world with intense passion and dedication. Before outlining more of this agenda and the achievements of the 2021 year, it behoves me to first speak of two colleagues we lost during this period. In our last Impact Report, we paid tribute to the late Carla Zampatti AC who was a long-time Board member and supporter of Sydney Dance Company. Among her myriad legacies to the creative industries will forever be the role she played in bringing our organisation back from the brink over a decade ago and helping lift it up to the heights of international acclaim and recognition. Having farewelled Carla in April, we faced yet more sadness in November with the death, after a long illness, of our very special Chrissy Sharp, fellow Board member and former acting Executive Director of Sydney Dance Company, Chrissy, was a giant of the creative arts who was rightly judged to be one of the finest administrators that Australia has produced. She carried herself with a warm and gentle élan which we will forever miss. She took on an acting Executive Director position at a crucial time as we negotiated the redevelopment of our headquarters and studios at Walsh Bay. Later, being appointed to the Board, she challenged our thinking and brought a truly global perspective to how we steward the organisation. We were also profoundly saddened by the sudden and tragic passing of visionary arts philanthropist Neil Balnaves AO in February 2022. Neil was one of Sydney Dance Company’s most generous and enthusiastic supporters, partnering with the Company for eight years in a commitment to emerging choreographers through the New Breed program. As a firm believer in the importance and impact of the arts on communities, he was a tireless and inspiring advocate and leaves a lasting legacy on an industry he cared so deeply about. While the sorrow of loss cuts deeply, we can also celebrate the lasting contributions of these members of the Sydney Dance Company family and the knowledge they will be a part of the company for eternity. Our compass through these past two years

has been to stay true to purpose while ensuring our business is sustainable. This continued to guide our decision-making and choices as, like all performing arts organisations, we navigated a difficult external environment. We thank all our supporters and donors who have stood with us to protect, nurture and keep the Company’s creative flames burning bright. Your engagement, care and affection for this great organisation is something we not only cherish but recognise in our commitment as a Board and management to diligent stewardship. Our time on stage in 2021 was impacted by lockdowns and restrictions. There is no complaint but simply a reality to which we had to engage and adapt. We feel fortunate that in a window in which larger gatherings were allowed, Sydney Dance Company was able to stage the February 2021 premiere at Roslyn Packer Theatre of the brilliant work Impermanence from our acclaimed Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela. With a remarkable score from Bryce Dessner, performed live by the Australian String Quartet, this is a soaring epic and true masterpiece. It sits proudly in the Bonachela repertoire. We are excited at the prospect of it travelling further afield in Australia and across the world. Reflecting our careful management and balanced approach, Sydney Dance Company posted an operational result of $624,291 and a total 2021 yearend surplus of $2,017,277 when including the impacts of lease accounting standards and Capital Campaign contributions. These positive outcomes reflect the efforts of our leadership team, the generosity of our donors and commitment of audiences, and the ongoing support of the Australia Council and Create NSW. Judicious management of costs, and the benefit of the Federal Government’s JobSaver program, allowed the Company to maintain employment levels and enter the coming transition years, in which we expect there will be a return to a normal cadence of performance and educational activities, with robust financial foundations. One of the great frustrations from the pandemic has been the fear of arrested momentum. We entered 2020 hitting new heights of recognition and our performances were in huge demand from the top theatres for contemporary dance across the globe. One such lost opportunity was a residency at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Sydney Dance Company is a truly international performing arts organisation and we play an important and powerful role in cultural diplomacy, ensuring Australia is seen for its sophistication onstage as much as its success on the sporting field. Fortunately, as I write this on a train between Lyon and Paris, we are now back on the global hustle with a prestigious tour of France with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

2021 Impact Report

One measure of the transformation and growth of the Company over the past decade has been its growing family of philanthropic donors and now we can add some new and exciting corporate sponsors in LG Signature and Cartier. These are international luxury brands that resonate strongly with our attributes of innovation, excellence, and enduring beauty. Their support allows us to continue to produce world-class art for Australians and the world. We are excited to have them join the Company family at a time when our growth trajectory is reestablished, and our ambition remains undiminished. A priority of any Board is succession. In the latter part of 2021, the Board recruited a new Executive Director following the appointment of Anne Dunn to the co-CEO role of the Sydney Theatre Company. In my time working with Anne, I am extremely proud to say she became a cherished friend. Her leadership alongside Raf has defined a golden period of resurrection, revitalisation and accomplishment. She leaves an organisation vastly transformed and firmly established as a leading international performing arts institution. We wish her the very best in her new role. We have welcomed Lou Oppenheim as our new Executive Director. Lou comes to us from the Sydney Opera House and brings an impressive pedigree in arts and management. Among her first tasks, with little chance to draw breath, was to join Raf on our landmark tour of France in March and April. A daunting first challenge at the helm and one she took on with aplomb. I look forward to our stakeholders getting to know Lou. She is already striking up a tremendous partnership with Raf and bringing new insights and knowledge to the Company. We are delighted to have secured her services and her strategic acumen will be invaluable as we look to the next horizon. We recently announced the elevation of Emma-Jane Newton to the role of Deputy Chair. As Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, Emma-Jane has played an essential part in defending the Company’s financial health and operational stability during the pandemic and helping navigate the difficulties of this time. In addition, Alexa Haslingden and Emma Gray, both incredibly accomplished executives and passionate advocates for the arts, have been appointed nonexecutive directors. As well as Emma-Jane, Alexa and Emma, I would like to thank our Board members for their diligence and commitment: Pamela Bartlett, David Baxby, Jillian Broadbent AC, David Friedlander, Mark Hassell, Sandra McCullagh, Catriona Mordant AM and Paris Neilson.    The outrageous talents of our dancers are matched only by the extraordinary commitment to excellence and fearless attitude they exhibit on stage.

We have focused intently on their wellbeing during this destabilising period – indeed, as we have for all members of staff – and they have acknowledged this with professionalism and adaptability. Witnessing the extraordinary reception they have just received in March 2022 headlining Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris and Lyon’s Maison de la Danse creates enormous pride for me as a Board member and an Australian who values artistic exceptionalism. The Board continues to exercise its responsibilities with a shared sense of purpose and recognition of the privilege of station. We believe the best days are still ahead as we cement our status on the global stage and pursue exciting ambitions in the elite dance training and education segment of our business. We look forward to your continued enjoyment of our performances and ongoing engagement with our organisation.   Brett Clegg Chair

2021 Impact Report

Executive Director’s Report

Sydney Dance Company moved into the renovated and renewed premises at its home on the Wharf at the beginning of 2021. It was a delight to have the team back together, operating out of one building and to begin to bed down the plans that the investment in our home would allow us to bring to fruition. As the studios filled with dancers and the new Neilson Studio welcomed its first audiences, we were pleased to be able to welcome the many donors and supporters who made it all possible through their support of the “Take a Step” campaign. The spirit of optimism born out of the excitement of the long-awaited return to the Wharf, was further buoyed by the prospect of a less disrupted year. In February the Company was delighted to be back on stage with the stunning work Impermanence, the fruit of a gorgeous partnership with the Australian String Quartet. 2021 also brought a welcome return to touring

with a visit to Adelaide Festival and standing ovations and much appreciation for the dancers and musicians. Challenges came our way with the ongoing presence of Covid disrupting many plans, but much had been learnt in 2020. The establishment of the virtual studios digital classes program in 2020 meant that when a shut-down happened in 2021 Sydney Dance Company was already in market and delivering classes to an existing participant group thereby minimising disruption and allowing the Company to continue to generate revenue across a period of extreme challenge for our industry. The dancers and staff of the Company were quick to adjust as we moved through the lockdown phase and we were able to stay productive and engaged despite the disruptions. If the spirit of Sydney Dance Company were to be embodied in a few words it might well be nimble

2021 Impact Report

and resourceful, and this was demonstrated over and again across 2021 as performances and tours were cancelled or rescheduled and Rafael and the producing and rehearsal team adjusted processes and outcomes to meet the situation. The education and training teams continued to evolve and respond with admirable grace as PPY continued on with an impressive full cohort in the first iteration of a new two year program - with year one focussed on Diploma accreditation and year two students focussed on attaining an Advanced Diploma. Congratulations to the team for their perseverance and adroitness. The combined efforts of the Sydney Dance Company team and Board, the support of our philanthropic and corporate partners and our Government partners, have ensured that the Company continues to perform well despite the operating challenges of the year. I am pleased to report an operating result of $624,291 and a combined surplus result of $2,017,277 when donations for the capital campaign are included. Government support has been vital over this time to assist in managing the volatile operating environment and we sincerely thank both the Federal and the NSW Governments for the additional support they have provided to see us through the risks of Covid. I want to extend my sincere thanks to the Board of Sydney Dance Company. 2021, like the prior year, was challenging and tumultuous, with an external operating environment which continued to push us all. Through it all the Board led with consistent and communicative calm and thoughtfulness and the commitment to the company was evident on so many levels. As I step away from Sydney Dance Company after 12 years at the helm I reflect with pride and gratitude at what we have collectively achieved, knowing that the Board have been an instrumental part of the success of not only 2021, but of the Company as it stands today. My personal thanks goes to Chair Brett Clegg who always made time, shared wisdom and guidance, offered opinions and equally was open to hearing others. We enjoyed a candid and constructive working relationship and one I valued greatly. I also want to take a moment to congratulate the team at Sydney Dance Company – it has been a pleasure to lead them and work alongside them not just in 2021 but for the many years prior. The dedication and commitment has been inspiring and the collective impact has been impressive. I particularly want to thank the senior leadership team of Lizzi Nicoll, Caroline Spence and Sean Radcliffe all of whom have thrown their energy and talent behind Raf, me and the Company each day – thank you.

My final note is one of appreciation and admiration for the dancers and artists of Sydney Dance Company whose work I have been inspired by consistently for many years. Working alongside Rafael for 12 years has been an honour and a genuine pleasure. We started as colleagues, became a team and remain as dear friends. Thank you Raf. I congratulate Lou Oppenheim on her appointment to the role of Executive Director of Sydney Dance Company and look forward to watching the continued success of the company under her leadership alongside Raf. Anne Dunn Executive Director

2021 Impact Report

Artistic Director’s Report

The year began in the newly refurbished Wharf. In 2017, as we began our detailed planning to leave, we took a huge leap into the unknown. We had vision, we had ambition, we had passion. Now, on our return, we are optimistic and grateful to be in such a beautiful space, built to enable us to increase our capacity to create and grow. Most importantly, the Wharf creates an environment in which the talent of the future can be nurtured and developed. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSW Government and our Capital Campaign donors for their passion and belief. As we continue to strive for excellence, we will do so in surroundings that will enhance our creativity, our capability and our capacity. I hope that you are as proud as I am of what has been achieved here. This is a building that is ready for the future, and so are we. The dancers and I had a very special experience creating a short film TOUCH inspired and created at the stunning Phoenix Central Park. It was incredible to have the opportunity to bring to life a creative response to the sinuous lines and surprises around each corner of this breathtaking building. After months of lockdown, this film collaboration with Phoenix Central Park, Entropico and Phoebe Twigg was centred around the first moment that the dancers were able to make contact again. It was a privilege to at last bring Impermanence to the stage in Sydney in February 2021, as well as the Adelaide Festival, Canberra, regional Victoria and destinations in regional NSW, after a longer than usual path to fruition. We once again experienced the surge of excitement of audiences standing in appreciation of our creative work. We felt the buzz in the foyer after the show and the impact our performances had in big cities and small towns. How time with our dancers or our teaching artists, in workshops in the towns and local schools, or an artist talk on stage after the show, could spark connection, inspire dreams, careers and open doors to possibilities, or just move you for a while. Our heartfelt thanks to those who contributed to the commissioning and touring programs that brought Impermanence to the stages, and to our entire donor family – our Partners. Your incredible generosity and your belief in our vision is humbling and we are so very grateful to you all. I was also incredibly touched by the generous bequest from our supporter, volunteer and friend of many years, the late Carina Martin – Carina was one of us and her gift has made a transformational difference to Sydney Dance Company.

I would like to thank Four Winds Festival Creative Director Lindy Hume, Executive David Francis and the team at the festival who made us feel so welcome. It was wonderful to perform Cinco, a work created in 2019 as part of Sydney Dance Company’s 50th Anniversary season, with live music provided by the wonderful Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s Fellows String Quartet. It was also a time of grief and loss as we said goodbye to my dear friend and Sydney Dance Company’s great supporter, Carla Zampatti AC. Throughout the year I felt compelled to make work in her honour; my digital work Years, conceived during the pandemic when everyone was at home, pushed us into new territory, as she always did. She held us up to Australia and the world and opened her heart and her home, making us always welcome and encouraging us to move forward. Another great loss was Chrissy Sharp. Chrissy was an astute arts leader on the Board and in the Executive. She had such passion and belief in the Company and what it could do. She will be sorely missed in our community. During the times we could not perform, we were determined to continue to connect. We created high-quality dance classes you could take at home, anywhere and anytime. Through valuable RISE funding from the Australian Government, we recorded over 100 dance classes during 2021, evolving our digital offering with our Classes On Demand platform. While the Company dancers were working across the business, teaching, completing data research, creating marketing content, developing learning resources and supporting the administration teams, we were also beginning to create our new digital work Years. This collaboration with Collider, filmed at our new Studio 5: Neilson Studio, set to Stephen Emerson's reimagining of Bach's 'Goldberg Variations' and performed with celebrated Australian pianist Sonya Lifschitz was streamed in early November across Australian and European time zones, presented as part of the Who are we now? The UK/ AU Season in partnership with Southeast Dance and Brighton Digital Festival, with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. It included a special introduction Q&A with me and our esteemed International Patron and Ambassador to the UK/AU Season, Dame Darcey Bussell DBE. Years was made possible by the generous support of our Artistic Director's Commissioning Partner, the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, Associate Partner, Kawai, and a group of commissioning supporters, and was dedicated to the

2021 Impact Report

late Carla Zampatti AC; I am deeply grateful to have been able to create and share this very special work. 2021 saw the expansion of the Pre-Professional Year into two cohorts. Despite the disruptions, the Pre-Professional Year dancers continued their training online, making tremendous, exciting work from home. They produced 53 films from all parts of Australia while working towards their graduation performance season PPY Revealed. Another highlight of the year was welcoming Angela Goh, a Create NSW Beyond the Studio Fellow, to work alongside us in 2021. The fellowship supports emerging leaders in dance in NSW to undertake self-directed professional development and it provided a wonderful opportunity for us to connect with the independent dance sector. I take this moment to acknowledge our dear friend and generous supporter, the late Neil Balnaves AO. Since 2014, Neil’s commitment to nurturing the future of contemporary choreography has been demonstrated through his visionary support of New Breed. New Breed is long-standing and greatly cherished. This is an incredible and inspiring space for choreographers, dancers and audiences, and we are very appreciative of this collaboration with Carriageworks and The Balnaves Foundation. The visionary leadership of the Trustees has created an invaluable resource with which to nurture 34 Australian choreographers over the last eight years. Moreover, their generosity in providing additional support allowed us to extend the season this year. With another year of disrupted performance seasons, we thank them for their leadership in bringing artists and audiences together, just as it should be, as the year came to a close. I would also like to thank and acknowledge the support of the Federal Government through the Australia Council of the Arts and the NSW Government through Create NSW for their generous and unwavering support for Sydney Dance Company and the broader arts community over the last two years. The word ‘unprecedented’ has been overused, but these have been unique circumstances for us all and we are incredibly grateful to both of our government funding partners for their guidance, counsel and assistance as we navigated uncharted territory. Their collective belief in the importance, value and power of the arts is heartening and enormously appreciated. 2021 also saw the departure of my longtime leadership partner Anne Dunn. Over the past 12 years Anne and I have worked to build the capacity

of the Company. Anne has been instrumental in placing us in the tremendous, stable and secure position we are in today. I would like to thank her for her true leadership and friendship over the years; it has been an honour and a privilege. As I sit here today, I am excited to have the opportunity to work alongside Lou Oppenheim, recently appointed Executive Director. Lou has an extraordinary arts management background and brings with her great knowledge and strong leadership skills. She has already stepped up and we are finding our beat together. We look forward to an exciting future. Rafael Bonachela Artistic Director

2021 Impact Report

How we create value

Performing

Investing

Work provided for

19,231 total attendances

181 people

Place

Our onlin

up 1

27%

administrators

works

performances

73% artists

341,

YouTube

23 performances were cancelled including a national and an international tour

$624,921

operational surplus

71,3

83,3

world premieres

13 25

choreographic and music commissions

regional workshops and presentations

4 January return to the Wharf

3,108

Connected people through I Want to Dance with Somebody

2021 Impact Report

at virtua

Key Activities

emaking

Connecting

ne community

digital workshops

10% from 2020

,592

e views

375

Website page views

Teaching

4,658 hours watched

Facebook followers

300 Instagram followers

up 14% from 2020

TikTok

31K Followers 308K Likes

41K 2K

ttendances al and In-Studio

schools

locations

Expanded our schools program In School

LinkedIn followers

Weibo followers

works shared for film Touch and Years

9,810

53 digital works created by Pre-Professional Year

3,273 points of

engagement

Pre-Professional Dancers

2021 Impact Report

Dancer’s Report

After successfully returning to the stage at the end of 2020, we embraced 2021 with fresh energy and enthusiasm. Impermanence captivated our Sydney audiences in February, with our shared experiences of the Covid pandemic fuelling the work’s central theme of existential fragility. Shortly after, we travelled to Adelaide to continue Impermanence’s success as part of the Adelaide Festival. Being from Adelaide, this was a real treat, personally, as I was finally able to reconnect with family and friends in person. Mum of course came to every show to offer support. April saw a remount of Bonachela’s Cinco for Bermagui’s Four Winds Festival. It was a day filled with live dance and music which invigorated all in attendance, and we could not have had a more joyous time. On hearing the devastating news of Carla Zampatti's passing that day, we were honoured to dedicate our performance to her. A further reopening of state borders allowed the ball to continue rolling with a regional tour of Impermanence beginning in May and continuing through to June. We reconnected with our communities in Warrnambool, Frankston, Mildura, Bendigo, Canberra, Newcastle, Tamworth, Port Macquarie and Nowra. Many workshops were held in each location, and local dancers were beyond excited to learn about our movement creativities and repertoire. It was a joy to be back out on the road, the enthusiasm refuelling our passion for what we do. However, we were soon struck by another blow. A second Covid lockdown in Sydney was announced, halting the remainder of our tour to NSW, Tasmania and Northern Territory. An eerie sense of déja-vu dawned as we headed back into our homes and returned to working via our screens. Fortunately, we were no strangers to this process, and could smoothly transition into redeployment. Daily class and rehearsals continued, but of course lockdown would not be lockdown without its impeccably sour timing. An extended four months indoors meant a cancellation of our Sydney season of ab [intra]. So we continued assisting our admin team wherever possible, forever expanding our online reach by teaching public classes

and creating our Classes on Demand platform, and connecting with the Pre-Professional Year students to develop and create digital works, to name just a few of our efforts. Not being able to go to the Studios was again very difficult for us dancers, but fear not, we exclaimed; we shall be ready to return to the stage whenever and however possible! Further repertoire memory sessions were then scheduled. Albeit frustrating, the time in lockdown was certainly spent creatively. Another season of New Breed was proposed and independent choreographers Jasmin Sheppard, Lilian Steiner, Rhiannon Newton and Company dancer Jacopo Grabar announced. The beginnings of research and development were warmly embraced, and new curiosities and imaginings spurred some ridiculously cool ideas. The prospect of going back on stage was exciting. Continuing the creative enthusiasm, Rafael proposed a new project, Years. A dive through his personal archives of past creations and task work footage generated 32 solos, inspired by the music chosen, Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The result was an iconic music and dance collaboration set to an arrangement by pianist Stephen Emmerson. Still on Zoom, we were sent various video clips of movement, some of which were of Rafael himself from many years prior, and past dancers he had choreographed on. In a few of the clips we could see the dancers quickly capturing movements on film between rehearsals or before shows onstage. It was a rather titillating view as we dancers know that inspiration can be provoked and in need of documenting at any point in time! The movements were then collectively reworked at home in numerous ways, and a work was born. During this time, Covid vaccinations became readily available and when given the all-clear, we slowly returned to Studio. Many protocols allowed for a safe return: masks, thorough cleaning, physically distanced rehearsals and consistent RAT testing. What a buzz it was to be back! All of us had a renewed sense of purpose and it was great to get busy again. We continued working on Years, and it was all coming

2021 Impact Report

together. As we were unable to have an in-person audience, Years was created for film. A return of film director Clemens Habicht provided a keen eye and an understanding of how this work could be shown, allowing for a 360° view. Add to that the gorgeous costuming of Bianca Spender, and the live accompaniment of Emmerson and fellow pianist Sonya Lifschitz, and Years was a beautiful work to behold. During the first weeks back in Studio, the dancers were filmed in Studio 5: Neilson Studio, our new working performance space, and soon after streamed live worldwide to rejoicing viewers. A highlight most definitely. National borders began reopening and soon all four New Breed 2021 choreographers joined us in the Studio to continue their creations. I have always enjoyed a fresh creative process and this one did not disappoint; we were taking each work to new dimensions. New Breed officially opened at Carriageworks in late November and it was an awesome return to the stage. You could really feel the excitement. And what a season to kick off live performances again, with some beautiful, funny, touching and emotional works by all four choreographers.

Amid the New Breed season, we began another exciting project: Decadance by Ohad Naharin, originally created for the Batsheva Dance Company. We were very lucky, and incredibly privileged, to have Batsheva stagers Rachael Osborne and Ian Robinson come out and instruct us in the Gaga technique. This work continued through the rest of the year and it was a really different and inspiring way to dance, a process we versatile dancers absorbed like sponges and looked forward to performing at Sydney Festival in January 2022. In the time spent somewhat alone in lockdown, and away from live performance, we reflected on what makes us feel alive and what keeps us going. We are the beating heart of dance, its spirit and soul, and to be together once again with our communities, is a wondrous thing.

2021 Impact Report

Jesse Scales

Dancers 2021

Juliette Barton (until March 2021)

Isabella Crain

Sabine Crompton-Ward

Davide Di Giovanni

Dean Elliot

Jackson Fisch

Riley Fitzgerald (until July 2021)

Jacopo Grabar

Liam Green

Luke Hayward

Telea Jensen (Trainee)

Dimitri Kleioris

Rhys Kosakowski

Chloe Leong

Jesse Scales

Emily Seymour

Mia Thompson

Chloe Young

2021 Impact Report

Performing

2021 Impact Report

Creating and performing contemporary dance works and bringing them to audiences across Australia and the globe enables connections to the world around us. It allows for reflection on the experiences shared by all people. The creativity and power of the works resonates with, and impacts, audiences in theatres from regional towns to capital cities. After having to cancel performances in 2020, we finally premiered Rafael Bonachela’s Impermanence, working alongside artistic collaborators Bryce Dessner and the Australian String Quartet, and then touring across Australia while this was still possible. Bonachela’s collaboration with composer Bryce Dessner in the creation of Impermanence was initially inspired by a consideration of life’s ephemeral nature when the two spent time together in Paris in 2019, shortly after the Notre Dame fire. They reflected on how easily things fall apart; from structures we imagine to be eternal, and human relationships, to the fragility and impermanence of human life, and the planet. The Covid pandemic only added depth to these reflections and encouraged them to extend both Dressner’s score and Bonachela’s choreography to create a full-length work that not only responded to the initial stimulus, but also included the shattering change to the fabric of our lives that had affected us all. Having worked with the incredible Australian String Quartet for a number of years, this was the first time we co-commissioned a score. Alongside creative collaborators Aleisa Jelbart (Costume Designer), Damien Cooper (Lighting Designer) and David Fleischer (Stage Designer), and of course our extraordinary dancers, it was enormously rewarding to perform

Impermanence with them in Sydney and on the National Tour. Although the tour was sadly cut short due to lockdowns, the work’s correlation with contemporary themes resonated with the audiences we reached in Warrnambool, Frankston, Mildura, and Bendigo in Victoria; Newcastle, Tamworth, Port Macquarie and Nowra in NSW; and Canberra in the ACT. Across 26 Performances, Impermanence was seen by over 15,000 people in Australia. Alongside National Tour we delivered sneak peeks and Q&A's to enhance and enrich the live performance experience. Although we could not perform internationally, remaining in Australia allowed us to participate in Australian festivals, and connect to our global audience through a new digital work Years. In March we performed Impermanence at the Adelaide Festival to a total audience of over 3,500. It was an enormous privilege to deliver three performances with the Australian String Quartet there, since Adelaide is the quartet’s home. In April we performed Bonachela’s Cinco outdoors at the Four Winds Festival at Bermagui in regional NSW. Initially premiered in 2019, Cinco uses Ginastera’s String Quartet No.2 Op.26, composed in five parts, and performed by five dancers. Set to esteemed Australian musician Stephen Emmerson’s reimagining of Bach’s 'Goldberg Variations' as a dialogue for two pianos, Years is a film that meditates on the layers of legacy that shape our past and future. Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela, featuring solos from our dancers, and conceived as an online, filmed work when theatres were closed, it delves deep into the essence of movement and musicality. Widely admired for its beauty, invention and architecture, Bach’s 'Goldberg Variations' is universally recognised as a landmark in Western music; a spiritual, intellectual, and powerful masterpiece. In partnership with renowned collaborators Bianca Spender (costume) and Clemens Habicht (director), Years saw Bonachela reflect on echoes of the past to find clarity at the heart of a turbulent world. With key support from Artistic Director's Commissioning Partner, the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, Associate Partner, Kawai, and a group of highly engaged donors, the work connected with audiences from across the globe and was premiered as part of the Brighton Digital Film Festival, in partnership with the UK/AU Season, with introduction by Rafael Bonachela and Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, Sydney Dance Company’s International Patron.

2021 Impact Report

The year culminated with our two seasons of commissioned works: New Breed and PPY Revealed, both performed at Carriageworks. Together these two programs support the investment of Sydney Dance Company in producing the next generation of Australia’s contemporary dancers and enabling emerging Australian choreographers to realise a full production of their work. The eighth edition of our New Breed season saw the presentation of works by four emerging Australian choreographers at Carriageworks and thanks to our New Breed Principal Partner, The Balnaves Foundation, the season was extended to 15 performances and reached an audience of over 3,300. The four choreographers of New Breed 2021, Jasmin Sheppard Lilian Steiner, Jacopo Grabar and Rhiannon Newton brought their diverse backgrounds, experience and inspiration to explore thought-provoking, challenging and stimulating themes for their works. New Breed 2021 also saw two new scores composed, one of which was the result of our partnership with the Sydney Conservatorium of Music’s Composing Women program.

PPY21 Revealed, the graduation performance for both cohorts of the Pre-Professional Year, was powered by four new works and one remount of excerpts from Rafael Bonachela’s repertoire. The creation and preparation for the 49 young dancers included everything contemporary: disparate worlds colliding and slowly becoming entwined through the creative process, rehearsal, workshopping, constant re-thinking and re-articulating. For the young dancers in rehearsals, each day is about finding new points of discovery in their dancing and scores, and new levels of intensity in Bonachela’s repertoire. Falling into holes of improvisation and crawling out of them, discovering small pockets to burrow into and emerge from, changed and transformed. The students ask: what do these works mean to us? How do these dances carry importance and significance? By performing them, how do we represent respect shown publicly? Gradually revealed, their performances mark the end of one journey for each of them, leading onto fresh and new beginnings.

2021 Impact Report

“New Breed has once again provided a much needed choreographic platform for exploration and opportunity. Taking on diverse subject matter, the works are thought-provoking yet entertaining, and full of risk.” Fjord Review (New Breed, 2021)

2021 Impact Report

On Screen

Discover more 24

2021 Impact Report

Space | Action: TOUCH Digital Film January release “Phoenix is an inspirational space, which embodies the nexus between architecture and creativity. Working with the Sydney Dance Company dancers to bring to life a creative response to Phoenix Central Park was a delight. Contemporary dance reflects the new, the future, the vanguard and it was incredible to have the opportunity to make a short film driven by the sinuous lines and surprises around each corner of this breathtaking building.” Rafael Bonachela, Artistic Director

After months of lockdown , this film collaboration with Phoenix Central Park, Entropico and Phoebe Twigg was centred around the first moment that the dancers were able to make contact again. It was an incredible opportunity to bring to life a creative response to Phoenix Central Park on film as part of the Space | Action series. From rigid grasp to feather’s caress, in Touch, Australia’s movement maestros the Sydney Dance Company lent their limber bodies to a liquid exploration of space and movement. This was the first time since the pandemic’s outbreak that the dancers were allowed to embrace during performance. Rediscovering touch with and within Phoenix's walls.

Production Company

Entropico

EP & CD

Erin Moy

Director

Claudia Brand

Producer

Jemma Cole

DOP

Tom Black

Music

ptwiggs

2021 Impact Report

Years Digital Film

Discover more Total performances 1 (live) Sydney Digital release: 4 – 6 November (Australia & UK) Brighton Digital Film Festival: 10 July Live in Studio 5: 21 and 23 October Choreographer

Rafael Bonachela

Director

Clemens Habicht

DOP

Florian Emmerich

Costume

Bianca Spender

Musicians

Stephen Emmerson and Sonya Lifschitz

Music

‘Goldberg Variations’, BVW988 composed by Johann Sebastian Bach and adapted by Stephen Emmerson

Produced by

Sydney Dance Company and Collider Films

Set to esteemed Australian musician Stephen Emmerson’s reimagining of Bach’s 'Goldberg Variations' as a dialogue for two pianos, Years is a meditation on the layers of legacy that shape both our past and our future. Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela, featuring solos from the incredible dancers of Sydney Dance Company, and conceived as an online work, Years delves deep into the essence of movement and musicality. Widely admired for its beauty, invention and architecture, Bach’s 'Goldberg Variations' is universally recognised as a landmark in Western music; a spiritual, intellectual and powerful masterpiece. Emmerson’s adaptation is a “powerful exposition” (The Sydney Morning Herald) and the counterpoint-rich interpretation will be performed with celebrated Australian pianist Sonya Lifschitz. In partnership with renowned collaborators Bianca Spender (costume) and Clemens Habicht (director), Years sees Bonachela reflect on echoes of the past to find clarity at the heart of a turbulent world.

Executive Producer Olivia Hantken Producer

Zaina Ahmed

2021 Impact Report

On Stage

Discover more 28

2021 Impact Report

Impermanence

“arguably the single best piece created by and for an Australian dance company for many years” – Adelaide Advertiser “A hypnotically beautiful work, stunningly performed by the Company's 17 dancers to music that is visceral and moving” – Limelight

A visceral and thrilling exploration of the juxtaposition of beauty and devastation, Sydney Dance Company’s full-length work, Impermanence is Rafael Bonachela’s newest creation. Contemporary composer, Bryce Dessner has created a new score full of emotional power. Best known as a founder of American rock band The National and for his film scores for The Revenant and The Two Popes, Dessner was initially inspired by the tragedy of the Australian bush fires and the Notre-Dame fire in Paris. The full power of Sydney Dance Company’s ensemble is joined live on stage by the Australian String Quartet. This is an epic, driven performance that packs an emotional punch. Experience the power of dance and music performed live together, laden with meaning, fleeting and vulnerable, and from devastation find energy, urgency, radiance and hope.

Total performances 26 16 Cancelled Performances 16 – 27 February Roslyn Packer Theatre, Sydney 13 Performances 10 March – 19 June National Tour 13 Performances Adelaide Festival, SA Warrnambool, VIC Frankston, VIC Mildura, VIC Bendigo, VIC Canberra, ACT Newcastle, NSW Tamworth, NSW Port Macquarie, NSW Nowra, NSW Choreographer

Rafael Bonachela

Composer

Bryce Dessner

Lighting Designer Damien Cooper Stage Designer

David Fleischer

Costume Designer Aleisa Jelbart Australian String Quartet

Dale Barltrop – Violin I Francesca Hiew – Violin II Christopher Cartlidge –Viola (Guest) Michael Dahlenburg – Cello

Enabled by the National Tour, the Australian String Quartet were able to present nine ASQ performances and deliver three music masterclasses throughout regional Australia.

2021 Impact Report

Cinco

“Unflinchingly speedy choreography…a dazzling technical display of flexibility.” – The Sydney Morning Herald “Showcases the inimitable, mature, magisterial Bonachela God-given gift to ignite spine-tingling lyricism with brazen strength.” – Sydney Arts Guide

Total performances 1 Four Winds Festival 4 March Barragga Bay NSW Choreographer

Rafael Bonachela

Music

Alberto Ginastera String Quartet No.2 Op.26

Costume Designer Bianca Spender Lighting Designer Damien Cooper

Much of Bonachela’s oeuvre in his 10 years as Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company has explored and played with numbers. Ginastera’s String Quartet No.2 Op.26, composed in five parts, presented a ready name and approach for this new work in 2019, the Company’s 50th year. Using five dancers, Bonachela explored the duality and opposition in the texture of the music. At times melancholic and pensive and at others insistent and urgent, the movement was paced to the emotive states he encountered in listening to the work. Cinco featured the design of long-term Bonachela collaborator Damien Cooper and costume by renowned Australian fashion designer Bianca Spender, who brought her defined sensibility to the stage, clothing the dancers in twists and falls to match their own physical grace. In March 2021, Cinco was performed at the Four Winds Festival, a debut for Sydney Dance Company, in the natural bush amphitheatre Sound Shell within the pristine landscape of NSW Far South Coast.

2021 Impact Report

New Breed

Total performances 15

Carriageworks 25 November - 11 December

Supported by the Balnaves Foundation

New Breed is our annual celebration of the best emerging Australian choreography, in partnership Carriageworks and generously supported by The Balnaves Foundation. Showcasing a rich diversity of choreographic ideas, four talented choreographers created new works on Sydney Dance Company dancers for New Breed 2021.

Given Unto Thee

It's Springtime Again

Choreographer

Jasmin Sheppard with the dancers

Choreographer

Lilian Steiner with the dancers

Music

Paranormal Pipe Dream – Naretha Williams Servitor for the Stolen – Naretha Williams Collective Consequences – Naretha Williams #10 - Aphex Twin

Composer

Fiona Hill, played live by Fiona and the dancers

Costume Designer Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage

The Gift of a Warning

Costume Designer Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage Sydney Symphony Orchestra Fellowship Miles Mullin-Chivers, Cello Emily Newham, French Horn Audio mix

Bob Scott

Recording Engineer

Sean Carey Max

Choreographer

Rhiannon Newton

MSP programming Fiona Hill

Music

Peter Lenaerts

Additional software programming and support: Benjamin Carey

Costume Designer Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage Rehearsal Director Richard Cilli Rehearsal Associate

Juliette Barton

Dramaturg/ Outside Eye

Angela Goh Create NSW Beyond The Studio Fellow

Stereotipo Choreographer

Jacopo Grabar

Costume Designer Aleisa Jelbart Lighting Designer Alexander Berlage

2021 Impact Report

PPY21 Revealed

Total performances 3 Carriageworks 15 – 17 December

Eden

Modern Analogue Archive

Choreography

James Vu Anh Pham

Music

Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune – Claude Debussy Shahmaran – Sevdaliza

Additional Sound Design

Jack Jenkins

Lighting Design

Alexander Berlage

Costume Design

Annie Robinson

Occasions

Direction and Choreography

Gabrielle Nankivell

Composer

Luke Smiles / motion laboratories

Lighting Design

Alexander Berlage

Costume Design

Annie Robinson

Excerpts from Frame of Mind Choreography

Rafael Bonachela

Music

Aheym – Bryce Dessner Tenebre – Bryce Dessner

Choreography

James Batchelor

Composer

Morgan Hickinbotham

Published by Chester Music by kind permission of the Wise Music Group

Lighting Design

Alexander Berlage

Performed by Kronos Quartet

Costume Design

Annie Robinson

Associate Designer Eliza Cooper

Folk Choreography

Omer Backley-Astrachan

Music

Silouan’s Song – Arvo Pärt

Lighting Design

Alexander Berlage

Costume Design

Annie Robinson

Lighting Design

Alexander Berlage

Costume Design

Ralph Myers

Costume Realisation

Annie Robinson

2021 Impact Report

Connecting

“I’ve always loved Ramon’s Jazz classes, but it has been really great to discover new teachers like Vi. His Body Conditioning classes are terrific. I also like that I can try something new.” Jenni B Classes On Demand subscriber 36

2021 Impact Report

In 2021 we connected with audiences and the community in new ways and through new partnerships, evolving our virtual and in-person dance programs to deepen connections with existing communities and, importantly, reach new ones.

The evolution of virtual dance classes for adults enabled connection with, and access to, dance. The classes provided people with a physical outlet during periods of isolation and when lockdowns, geographical or health barriers meant they couldn’t attend classes at the Wharf. •

Live online classes were a feature throughout 2021. Our Virtual Studio (964 classes and 22,431 participants) and Livestream Classes (128 classes and 514 participants), supported by LG SIGNATURE, allowed participants to view a live class taught in our Wharf Studios from their devices and join in from wherever they were.

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In June 2021, we launched Classes On Demand with a Free Access Day, which attracted 961 unique views of our library of pre-recorded classes. The launch proved timely as it coincided with the start of the Sydney lockdown. By year-end we had a total of 21,235 unique views of our Classes On Demand platform, and had built a library of 122 prerecorded classes taught by Sydney Dance Company dancers, our training faculty and our teachers. The development of Classes On Demand was supported by the Federal Government’s Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) grant funding.

“It is amazing and is getting me through lockdown! I am really enjoying Christen's classes and would love more of them.”

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As part of The Festival of Place, we partnered with NSW Government to present I Want to Dance with Somebody, a virtual community dance party for anyone, wherever they were, at the Sydney Festival. Participants learnt a dance routine through a series of free online dance classes, which culminated in an online dance-off with live music from Australian pop group, Haiku Hands. We had over 1,038 online attendances.

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Another 176 participants joined our R U OK? Day free livestream class, which was led by our Dance Class Manager, Ramon Doringo.

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Medibank and Sydney Dance Company joined forces in 2021 to help provide all Australians with free access to dance and movement. The strong relationship between health and dance has been celebrated throughout the year. Beginning with a Ballet class, led by Sydney Dance Company Head of Training Linda Gamblin, being shared via Medibank social media channels, the collaboration grew into a series of nine classes broadcast across both organisations’ social media channels on the last Wednesday of every month. Sydney Dance Company and Medibank look forward to continuing their goal of sharing the joy of dance with as many Australians as possible over the coming months and years. The classes, which ranged from Jazz to Contemporary and Hip Hop to Ballet, received over 35,000 views.

Melissa E Classes On Demand subscriber 2021 Impact Report

Delivering dance workshops and creative activities to children and young people around Australia provides opportunities for engagement, connection, social inclusion and fun, and overcomes barriers to access due to geography and transport, knowledge and financial means. •

In partnership with the NSW Department of Education’s Education LIVE initiative, and led by our Rehearsal Director Richard Cilli, Sydney Dance Company delivered two streamed workshops: A primary-aged workshop with a focus on creative movement, that attracted 16,000 views An HSC-targeted workshop, with a focus on using movement to boost mental health and increase productivity when studying, that attracted 6,600 views

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Thanks to the support of RISE funding, we were able to deliver 53 virtual workshops that reached 1,734 students in regional areas and national centres, such as Darwin, Cairns, Bendigo, Mildura, Dareton, Orange, Adelaide, Toowoomba, Bathurst and Shepparton, among others.

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Our 57 face-to-face workshops, held during our National Tour and in the Greater Sydney area, reached more than 1,470 participants.

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We designed, developed and released digital resource packs, aligned with secondary school curriculums, and made them available for schools to purchase to further enrich in-school learning. They provide rich context and background to the creative processes and professional work our artistic and production teams undertake when making works that tour the world.

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More than 600 students attended the School Matinee performance of Impermanence in February. The performance included pre-show demonstrations and discussions, and a post-show Q&A that enabled young people to experience and understand the work’s creative process, and to connect to contemporary dance.

2021 Impact Report

Our In-Studio classes provide an opportunity for people from all walks of life to connect to the Wharf Studios’ professional and industry leading environment, and become part of a community that supports physical activity, skills development and social wellbeing. During the year we held:

2,949 53,047

In-Studio classes with

attendances

School Holiday Workshops with

799

attendances by young people

42 668

Short Courses with

“My students will never forget the wonderful gesture you offered them through this fully subsidised virtual workshop. They came away inspired and felt very privileged to be taught by the Company dancers. We are ever so lucky to have such a wonderful dance company that represents us on the international stage that embodies our dance language as Australians so well. My students are avid Sydney Dance Company fans now, and feel part of your community of dancers.” Kariong Mountains High Schools dance teacher

attendances

individual Pilates sessions

45,218

Virtual, Livestream and On Demand classes

2021 Impact Report

Teaching

2021 Impact Report

In 2021 Sydney Dance Company’s advanced training programs expanded to reach more young dancers. We doubled the Pre-Professional Year cohort and formed two groups, delivering a two-year program covering the Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance) and the Advanced Diploma of Dance (Elite Performance). Our programs for younger people still in secondary school include the Senior Contemporary Dance Program delivered at The McDonald College in Strathfield, and the Youth Ensemble delivered at the Wharf. Both provide pathways to the PreProfessional Year and further industry training. This not only feeds the ‘ecosystem’ of contemporary dance and strengthens the sector in New South Wales and Australia, but also positions Sydney Dance Company on the international stage.

Discover more

2021 Impact Report

Our unique approach to dance training for young aspiring professionals facilitates stronger creative voices, and empowered and autonomous dancers, who have agency to shape and form the future of contemporary dance. In 2021, we expanded the reach of Sydney Dance Company’s teaching expertise and sector leadership through: Pre-Professional Year •

The expansion of the Pre-Professional Year (PPY) into two cohorts, and into a two-year course, created positive impacts in the industry, in our training culture and for individual dancers.

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We were able to employ more industry specialists, including choreographers and guest teachers, allowing us to continue to develop our innovative teaching practices.

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Spending two years in the course is of significant benefit to the dancers, allowing them to develop and expand their movement. Often young dancers come to the first year of the course and experience methodologies that are very different from those to which they were exposed in their previous training. It can take time to adapt to the course’s ethos.

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Dancers who returned to the course for a second year graduated with solid technical training and performance experience. More importantly they had developed a more refined approach to their own self-reflective dance practice and built confidence.

“The staff at Sydney Dance Company do a great job at prioritising our health and safety. They are always offering unconditional support, providing me with more confidence as a Wiradjuri man.” Jonah Johnston PPY Dancer 2021

2021 Impact Report

“The Pre-Professional Year expanded my understanding of movement, creativity, and my place within that. I’m grateful for the sharing of knowledge and ideas that are continuously being explored within the studio. Through the past two years we have worked with a range of teachers and choreographers giving us insight into different processes of creative development. Sydney Dance Company’s Pre- Professional Year is a melting pot for dancers who are willing to explore and re-define dance; it is exciting to see where these amazing artists will end up.” Hugo Poulet PPY Dancer 2020 and 2021 2021 Impact Report

Youth Ensemble

Youth Intensive

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Thirty-four young dancers aged between 13 and 18 years formed our two 2021 Youth Ensembles: Junior Youth Ensemble and Senior Youth Ensemble.

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Exposure to a range of contemporary dance practices through Youth Ensemble helps young dancers to develop industry-led artistic expertise in Greater Sydney and beyond.

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Eight Youth Ensemble dancers auditioned for PPY for 2022, strengthening the pathway from Youth Ensemble into full-time training, not only with the Company, but also with other courses around the country.

Fifteen dancers spent a week at Sydney Dance Company in January, working with our faculty and industry specialists. Dancers from Greater Sydney and interstate were able to explore contemporary dance and experience what training in the Pre-Professional Year program might be like. A Q&A with the Pre-Professional Year faculty was held to support and share information about potential pathways for young dancers.

2021 Impact Report

“Listening to Rafael and dancer Davide speak to the Youth Ensemble was so refreshing and honest as well as caring, passionate and inclusive. This experience has allowed the young dancers to dream again after a deflating and demotivating time through the pandemic.” Youth Ensemble 2021 parent

“Youth Ensemble has been such a stimulating environment for me to develop my contemporary technique and I loved developing friendships within a community of dancers like myself.” Youth Ensemble 2021 dancer

“Youth Ensemble has been great exposure for my daughter, she has made some great friends and worked with some wonderful Company dancers who have inspired her.” Youth Ensemble 2021 parent 2021 Impact Report

“The collaboration between Sydney Dance Company and The McDonald College has created an exciting program for students who want to delve deeper into contemporary dance. Learning from Sydney Dance Company teachers together with the chance to join the Pre-Professional Year students each week has made this a unique opportunity for students to experience the PPY program and explore their options of further training beyond school.” Lindsay Ellman-Brown McDonald College Programs Coordinator

2021 Impact Report

McDonald College Secondary Contemporary Dance Program •

Through the senior contemporary dance stream at McDonald College, senior high school students gain insights into the professional world of dance through classes, workshops with industry specialists, and facilitated off-campus immersive excursions that expose them to the industry and help build knowledge.

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During periods of Covid lockdown, students were given the opportunity to learn from Sydney Dance Company through participating in classes via Zoom.

“The Professional Intensive gave me an insight into the creations and workings of being a professional dancer. Learning sections of Sydney Dance Company's repertoire challenged us physically and provided a glimpse into what dancing like a Company member is like. The classes also gave myself a chance to regain some dance training back into my body after a period off.” Professional Intensive participant

Professional development •

While lockdowns meant that fewer dancers were able to participate in week-long secondments with our dancers, 20 Pre-Professional Year dancers were able to spend a week with the Company, learning repertoire and gaining insight into the industry.

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Additional Level 3 Contemporary Dance classes were made available in the public class timetable.

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In January 2021, 12 dancers participated in our week-long Professional Intensive, learning repertoire and participating in classes with Rehearsal Director Richard Cilli and other industry specialists. Focus was on supporting dancers in navigating what the arts sector looks like in a ‘postCovid’ world and creating networks for professional dancers in Sydney.

2021 Impact Report

To improve learning outcomes and connections between students and industry experts we increased our capabilities through:

Updating teaching skills to develop Conditioning studio lessons for physical and digital • On our return to the Wharf in 2021, we welcomed a Strength and Conditioning Studio Manager to the pedagogy team to enable us to offer personalised individual •

We conducted training for our teaching artists and Company dancers to build their confidence in delivering safe and engaging content in both faceto-face and virtual environments.

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In 2021, PPY dancers created 81 films, two of which were made in collaboration with industry specialists, with the remaining 79 being created by the dancers themselves. These films helped them discover their creative identities, and improved the technical skills required to create, produce and distribute their own work. We also helped our graduating dancers develop skills that they can use in the industry’s expanding digital space.

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We found that the hybrid model of virtual and inperson training was of great benefit to dancers who were geographically isolated, as well as those with alternative learning styles. The hybrid model was also used for Company rehearsals as well as PPY and Youth Ensemble learning. Our digital sessions were recorded and have been archived.

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During lockdown, we connected PPY dancers via Zoom with GUTS dance (NT), The Farm (QLD), Hofesh Shecter (UK) and Dance North (QLD). This was a useful way to trade skills and information while also broadening industry knowledge for young dancers and preparing them to transition into the industry.

Pilates and conditioning programs for the Company dancers, PPY dancers, staff and public.

Shifting culture for a contemporary landscape •

For both employees and training participants across all programs, our teaching ethos now incorporates Mindful leadership, Illuminating effective language to produce success, Training the person holistically, Creating a collaborative and compassionate environment to produce art for everyone, and Increasing social capital.

2021 Impact Report

Access to professional industry environment •

Across all our advanced training programs we offer multiple opportunities for young dancers to engage with industry specialists and established arts practitioners. This expands their industry networks and sense of belonging.

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During periods when they had to be redeployed because of Covid, Company dancers contributed to the development of School Resource Packs and delivered virtual workshops for schools across the country.

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Daily, PPY dancers occupy the same training space as those in the Company, giving them the opportunity to observe professional dancers in a professional setting. PPY first-year dancers are rostered in to join the Company for morning class, giving them an opportunity to see how their skills translate to the professional environment. PPY second-year dancers join the Company for week-long secondments, allowing them to see first-hand how a professional rehearsal and creative process happens.

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Company dancers also delivered face-to-face workshops while on National Tour.

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The artistic team has significant input in training programs, creating a pathway from youth programs through to professional training.

2021 Impact Report

Investing With 25% of our income raised through philanthropic support from individuals and foundations, the generosity of Sydney Dance Company’s Partners has a huge impact on our capacity to deliver exceptional contemporary dance experiences. Donations through our annual Partner Program and other targeted funds enable us to create and commission new work – the very essence of the Company – share this work on tour across Australia and around the world, and invest in the future of our artform through education, outreach and training opportunities for young, aspiring dancers.

2021 Impact Report

In 2021, the investment from our Partners enabled us to:

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Commission and present new work to inspire and challenge our artists and audiences. This included Impermanence, a collaboration of live music and dance between two outstanding Australian performing arts companies performed on stage, and Years, recorded with live music, created during lockdown and streamed globally for free.

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Extend our reach through a national tour of Impermanence and global streaming of Years. Although we were unable to travel physically for much of the year, we were able to maintain a national and global presence.

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Build capacity through our Rehearsal Associate and Training Associate roles to support the professional ensemble, our Pre-Professional Year cohort and other advanced training programs. These positions provide a professional development and career opportunity beyond the stage for retiring dancers.

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Inspire the audiences of the future through education and outreach activities in metro and regional areas. Our Virtual Season for Schools, an online workshop series, enabled us to continue to engage with the youngest members of our dance community across the country, removing geographical barriers and inspiring dance experiences.

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Nurture the dancers of the future by providing training opportunities for aspiring professional dancers (four PPY scholarships, one Fulltime Traineeship with the Company and PPY secondments to work with the ensemble during key rehearsal and performance periods).

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Support professional development opportunities for emerging and mid-career independent dance makers, to create and present their work to audiences, presenters, programmers and our industry network. These opportunities included on-stage seasons New Breed (working with the professional ensemble) and PPY21 Revealed (working with PPY Years 1 and 2), as well as digital creations.

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Support our dancers to perform at their peak through a framework of artistic and physical and mental health support.

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Complete the final stages of our Wharf Studios refurbishment project, as part of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. As well as receiving gifts through our Take a Step campaign, we also launched our Take a Seat campaign, aligned to our new theatre space, Studio 5: Neilson Studio.

2021 Impact Report

In 2021, the impact of our Partners’ support was felt by:

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Our New Breed audiences, experiencing a diverse range of Australian choreographic voices and new artistic concepts from emerging and mid-career dance makers.

Our artists, who continue to be challenged and inspired and who are supported to perform at their peak by artistic, physical and mental health professionals (Rehearsal Director, Rehearsal Associate, GP, physio, in-house Pilates instructor and psychologist) and who create and rehearse in world-class facilities.

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Our PPY21 Revealed audiences, witnessing the next generation of dance artists on the cusp of their professional careers, performing new work by independent dance makers and repertoire by Rafael Bonachela.

The next generation of dance makers, commissioned to create and present work as part of our New Breed season with Company dancers, supported by our artistic, production and administration teams.

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The PPY graduate who was offered a full-time traineeship with the professional ensemble, a lifechanging career opportunity.

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The young aspiring dancers who received fee scholarship support to complete a year of our PreProfessional Year program, an intensive professional and personal development opportunity preparing them for a career in dance.

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The graduating PPY Dancers who were able to perform in their graduation show, PPY21 Revealed, a significant assessment requirement for the Diploma/ Advanced Diploma in dance, and, for most, their first professional performance.

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Our mainstage audiences, experiencing the much-anticipated world premiere season of Rafael Bonachela’s Impermanence at the Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay and as part of Adelaide Festival.

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People of all ages in regional communities across Australia, who engaged with Sydney Dance Company in person (on tour to regional Victoria and some locations in New South Wales before lockdown began in June) or virtually through our online workshops.

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Global audiences, streaming Rafael Bonachela’s Years for free in 40 countries.

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Young people who engaged with our range of education and outreach activities, discovering dance, forging connections and exploring selfexpression through creativity for the first time.

2021 Impact Report

Placemaking

2021 Impact Report

The Sydney Dance Company Wharf Studios in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct reopened to the public on 4 January 2021 after being closed for two-and-a-half years for refurbishment. The investment from the NSW Government and support from Capital Campaign donors has helped maximise the space and create state-of-the-art facilities. This has enabled: The dance and performing arts industry to have a place to meet, collaborate and work/train. •

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The five dance studios, Boardroom/Studio 6 and the new fully equipped Conditioning Studio not only give us the space to expand our activities and programs but to invite more members of the small to medium and independent dance sector to use the facilities. Providing access to subsidised spaces for the sector supports the creation of new work, employment of artists, and encourages audiences to engage with the sector. For example, in December 2021 Grey Rhino, a new independent work by artists Charmene Yap and Cass Mortimer Eipper, was supported through subsidised studio hire over a three-week period before being presented at Carriageworks as part of Sydney Festival 2022.

Connecting with our arts neighbours on Wharf 4/5 •

Sharing the Wharf with our arts neighbours Bangarra, Sydney Theatre Company, Gondwana Choirs, Sydney Philharmonic Choirs and the Song Room allowed us to create a presence in Sydney for the community to experience and participate in arts making and viewing. This is strengthened with Pier 2/3 coming online at the start of 2022 and bringing Bell Shakespeare, Australian Theatre for Young People and the Australian Chamber Orchestra to the precinct.

•

Opening of Studio 5: Neilson Studio, a new theatre space that includes a 79-seat retractable seating bank, state-of-the-art technology and access to the Clegg Foyer and Bar, allowed us to host a series of events and performances throughout the year that attracted new audiences, and enabled us to reconnect with supporters and support the independent dance sector.

The physical space provides opportunities for the convergence of ideas and creativity. Having creation, • rehearsal, training and participation all under the one roof leads to incidental connection and sparks collaboration.

•

Mr Jones Café at the heart of the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct and at the entrance to Sydney Dance Company creates a hub for the arts sector to meet and for people from the community to enjoy a coffee before or after rehearsal or class.

•

The facilities at the Wharf allow us to form digital places for connection, too. With the investment in hybrid teaching formats, we can now connect our studios to the world. Students can take a livestreamed class from their home, and school groups across Australia can experience a workshop from the Studios right on Sydney Harbour.

Our Studio 5: Neilson Studio is a space that supports the presentation of dance at all levels. Activity here included a live virtual rehearsal viewing, with introduction by Rafael Bonachela, during preparations for our Impermanence season, a performance of our own work Years by Rafael Bonachela, delivering work-in-progress showings of Pre-Professional Year creative developments, and local Sydney-based dance studios performing their end-of-year showcases.

•

We can share spaces and work to feed a vibrant cultural precinct. For example, on 19 June a series of six concerts of young choirs were hosted by Gondwana Choirs in Studio 5: Neilson Studio which allowed us to connect with another resident arts company by helping facilitate one of their annual choir receptions.

•

One example of community engagement was Happenings, a one-night live music and performance event in April that drew audiences from the LGBTIQA+ and creative communities across Sydney. Supporting musicians and artists to present their work and giving guests an inclusive and enjoyable experience allowed us to connect and engage with existing and new audiences.

2021 Impact Report

Vale Chrissy Sharp

2021 Impact Report

We commemorate a much loved member of our Sydney Dance Company family – Board Director and former Acting Executive Director Chrissy Sharp.

Sydney Dance Company Chair Brett Clegg said: Chrissy Sharp had stepped into the role of Acting “Chrissy brought great erudition to the Board and her Executive Director in 2016 on her return from Hong contributions were always delivered with charm and often Kong and took up a position on the Board in December a wry smile. Her incredible depth of experience and 2016. A former Chair of the Dance Board of the generous spirit was something we will always remember Australia Council for the Arts, the inaugural Director of and cherish. She was the greatest of arts administrators Melbourne’s Wheeler Centre for Books, Writing and and a kind and truly wonderful human being.” Ideas, General Manager of Sadler’s Wells Theatre in Former Executive Director Anne Dunn said: London, General Manager of Sydney Festival, Head “When I stepped away from Sydney Dance Company of Policy at SBS and most recently Chief Executive of on maternity leave, I could not have hoped for more Sydney Writers' Festival, Chrissy enjoyed an illustrious serendipitous timing than my maternity coinciding career across a variety of art forms. She was widely revered as the doyenne of arts management in Australia. with Chrissy and Michael’s return to Australia. To have someone of Chrissy’s calibre lead Sydney Dance Chrissy’s dry wit and piercing intelligence Company was an honour. And to enjoy her counsel and, were evident in everything she did. Her presence was more importantly, friendship, was a personal privilege.” formidable, her passion to drive the arts ever forward Chrissy was an inspiring, passionate and tenacious; but she was also a warm and caring leader, committed advocate for the arts, leading organisations, heavily invested in the wellbeing of the artists and the festivals and institutions in Australia and overseas. Her staff she nurtured. loss was deeply felt throughout the Company and the “Chrissy’s genuine love of artists and deep Australian and international arts communities. understanding of the industry made her an exceptional arts leader. I will miss her forthright opinions, sensitive understanding, pragmatism, uproarious laughter and her friendship,” said Rafael Bonachela, Artistic Director.

2021 Impact Report

Vale Neil Balnaves We commemorate a much loved member of our Sydney Dance Company family – celebrated arts philanthropist Neil Balnaves AO.

As one of Sydney Dance Company’s most passionate supporters, Neil Balnaves’ boundless commitment to nurturing Australian contemporary choreography has been demonstrated through his visionary support of The Balnaves Foundation for New Breed, Sydney Dance Company’s annual season of emerging choreographic talent. Since the inaugural year of the partnership in 2014, Neil’s enthusiasm for contemporary dance has been infectious; his interest in and curiosity for the shock of the new, his profound understanding of the environment required to foster creative talent and his belief in Rafael Bonachela’s artistic vision for Sydney Dance Company have been greatly appreciated by us all. His additional support for the Company during the pandemic helped us explore the possibilities of extended seasons. Through action, leadership and an unshakable belief in the intrinsic value of culture and the arts, Neil leaves an exceptional legacy. We are proud to have worked with him so closely and, through his generosity, to have been able to offer the opportunity to 34 young Australian choreographers to create new work. We were honoured that Neil was able to join us at the internationally renowned Joyce Theater in New York in 2017 to see Gabrielle Nankivell’s Wildebeest (New Breed 2014) grace the stage of the home of American contemporary dance, an outstanding work that his philanthropy made possible. Neil made a transformational difference to a variety of arts, Indigenous and medical charities across Australia and will be deeply missed.

2021 Impact Report

Our Supporters

2021 Impact Report

We would like to thank all our Partners for their generous support and acknowledge those who have given anonymously. Our Partners make it possible for us to create and present new work, inspire future generations of dancers and audiences, extend our reach and plan for the future. We couldn't do it without you!

Platinum Partners A special thank you to our Platinum Partners for their enduring commitment and passion for Sydney Dance Company. Robert Albert AO & Elizabeth Albert, The Balnaves Foundation, Jane & Andrew Clifford, Crown Resorts Foundation, Julian Knights AO & Lizanne Knights, Jules Maxwell, Andrew Messenger, Naomi Milgrom AC, Naomi Milgrom Foundation, The Neilson Foundation, Judith Neilson AM, Packer Family Foundation, Gretel Packer AM, Thyne Reid Foundation, The Wales Family Foundation, Carla Zampatti Foundation, Mary Zuber Take a Step & Take a Seat Campaigns The next step has been taken and our home has been transformed. We would like to thank everyone, both acknowledged and anonymous, for their visionary support of our Take a Step and Take a Seat (Capital) Campaigns. They have enabled the transformation of our physical space and ensured that our home of creativity and dance will stand strong for many more generations to come. Take a Step NSW Government The Neilson Foundation, The Wales Family, Jane & Andrew Clifford, Catriona Mordant AM & Simon Mordant AO, The late Carla Zampatti AC

Paul Brady & Christine Yip, Cullman Family Fund, Jane & Richard Freudenstein, Mark Hassell The late Carina Martin, In memory of Nora McCullagh, David Mathlin, Ezekiel Solomon AM, Judi Wolf & Alden Toevs Rafael Bonachela & Joe Lawler, Michelle & Logan Boyle, Jillian Broadbent AC & Olev Rahn, Peter & Liz Brownie, Tony Burke & the late Janice Burke, Benjamin Cisterne, Debbie Coffey, Alexandra Considine, Jade & Richard Coppleson, Chum Darvall AM & Sonja Woodwell, Anne Dunn & Patricia Buick, Donna & Carl Jackson, Tina & Mark Johnson, Longreach Ownership Trust, Michael Lynch & the late Chrissy Sharp, Macquarie Group Foundation, Rohan Morris, Lizzi Nicoll, Margaret Payn, Nick Read, Peter Reeve & Jaycen Fletcher, Leslie Stern, Victoria Taylor, Susan Wynne Take a Seat Robert & Libby Albert, David & Selina Baxby, Jillian Broadbent AC, Livinia Clegg, Janine Collins, Desmon Du Plessis & David Jonas, Anne Dunn & Patricia Buick Deborah & David Friedlander, Karen Moses, Paris Neilson & Todd Buncombe, Lizzi Nicoll, Emma-Jane Newton & Chris Paxton, Tim Rahn, Nick Read, Victoria & Peter Shorthouse, Catherine Smithson, Ruth & Bruce Smithson, Noel Staunton

Julian Knights AO & Lizanne Knights, Brett Clegg & Annabel Hepworth Pam & Doug Bartlett, Kiera Grant & Mark Tallis, The Alexandra & Lloyd Martin Family Foundation, Karen Moses, Emma-Jane Newton & Chris Paxton, Thyne Reid Foundation, Mary Zuber

2021 Impact Report

Our Supporters

Dancers’ Circle

2021 Annual Partner Program

To celebrate our milestone 50th anniversary in 2019, we are proud to have launched the Dancers’ Circle, which directly supports the growth and development of our ensemble of dancers, enabling pathways for their time with the Company and beyond.

Our annual Partner Program underpins all of our activities, enabling us to extend our reach, plan for the future, create and present new work and inspire future generations of dancers and audiences.

Patron: Julian Knights AO

Performance Partners

Kyril Agnew, Paul Brady & Christine Yip, Tony Burke & the late Janice Burke, Brett Clegg & Annabel Hepworth Manuela Darling, Margaret Gibbs, Andrew & Emma Gray, The Hansen Family, Julian Knights AO & Lizanne Knights, Roslyn Packer AC, In memory of Nola McCullagh, Lorraine Tarabay & Nick Langley, Rachel & Neil Sinden, Mary Zuber

Cullman Family Fund, Tim Fairfax AC, Andrew & Emma Gray, Susan Maple-Brown AM & the late Robert MapleBrown AO, Emma-Jane Newton & Chris Paxton

Bequests The Estate of C.R. Adamson The Estate of Patricia Cameron-Stewart The Estate of Janet Fischer The Estate of Patricia Leehy The Estate of Carina Martin The Estate of Lorelle Thomson The Estate of Peggy Watson (Raczkowska) 2021 Pre-Professional Year Doug Hall Foundation Scholarship The Wales Family Scholarships Mary Zuber Scholarship The Hephzibah Artist Development Program

Studio Partners Hayley & James Baillie, Pam & Doug Bartlett, Aniek Baten, Paul Brady & Christine Yip, Jillian Broadbent AC & Olev Rahn, Tony Burke & the late Janice Burke, Hilary Burton & Craig Goodman, Brett Clegg & Annabel Hepworth, Susie Dickson & the late Martin Dickson AM, Georgie & Guy Fergusson Kay Freedman & the late Ian Wallace, Deborah & David Friedlander, Rick Gove, Kathryn Greiner AO, John Griffiths & Beth Jackson, John Kaldor AO, In memory of Nola McCullagh, Catriona Mordant AM & Simon Mordant AO, Rebel Penfold-Russell OAM, Kellie & Warryn Robertson, Matt Shelmerdine, Pip & Dick Smith Foundation, Bianca Spender & Sam McGuiness, Leslie Stern, Alenka Tindale, Turnbull Foundation, Barbara Wilby & Christopher Joyce Duet Partners Arab Bank Australia, John Barrer, The Berg Family Foundation, Jane Bridge, Andrew Cameron AM & Cathy Cameron, Helen Eager & Christopher Hodges, Suellen & Ron Enestrom, James & Jacqui Erskine, Ian Galloway & Linda Treadwell, Girgensohn Foundation, Linda Herd, Fraser Hopkins, David Mathlin & Camilla Drover, Paris Neilson & Todd Buncombe, peckvonhartel architects, Sarah Rennie, The Rossi Foundation, Penelope Seidler AM, Victoria Taylor, Adam Worling Public Relations

2021 Impact Report

Dance Partners

Ensemble Partners

Michael Adena & Joanne Daly, Paul Bedbrook, Marco Belgiorno-Zegna AM & Angela Belgiorno-Zegna, Phillip & Catherine Brenner, Rochelle Collis, Anne Dunn & Patricia Buick, Robyn & John Fennell, Helen Forrester Bradford Gorman & Dean Fontana, Cheryl Hatch, HueWilliams Family, Allen Iu & Bernadette Walker Gabrielle Iwanow, Tina & Mark Johnson, David Jonas & Desmon Du Plessis, Les Kennedy, Susie Manfred & Hunter McPherson, Connie Mckeage, Karen Moses, Louise Olsen & Stephen Ormandy, Matina Papathanasiou, Dr Natalie E Pelham & Prof Carol Mills, Susan Perrin-Kirby, Peter Reeve & Jaycen Fletcher, Bernard Ryan & Michael Rowe, CA Scala & DB Studdy Cynthia Scott, Ezekiel Solomon AM, Cheryl M Spoor, Ray Wilson OAM, Kathy White

Andrew Adney, Lillian & Peter Armitage, Martin Aungle & Shelley Armsworth, Frank Barnes, Dr Cynthia a Beckett & Gordon Smith, Susie & Martin Beaver, Larissa Behrendt AO, Melinda Best, Matthew J.C. Blampey, Sarah Brasch, Alicia Brown, Judith Campbell, Stephen Chase & Colette Baini, Margaret Davies, Max Dingle OAM, David Emery & Eric Hudson, Bahar Etminan, Michelle Filler, Marilyn Anne Forbes, Jodi Gallagher, Andrea McEwan & Tarryn Handcock, Anna & Richard Green, Geoff Greenwell, Rachael Haggett, Danielle Herman, Kaye Hocking, Nabeel & Marian Ibrahim, Aleksandra Jaksic, Josephine Key & Ian Breden, Robert Kidd, Judi LeVine, Sharyn Minahan, The Murphy Family, Marion Pascoe, Clive Parsons & Sharon Ditmarsch, Catherine Parr & Paul Hattaway, Lidia Perri, Jodi Pettersen, Michael & Vivienne Pusey, Kate Richardson & Chris Marrable, Wouter Roesems, Mark & Jennifer Royle Marika Ruhala, Norman R Scott, Adrian Sironic, Caroline Spence, Christine Thomson, Anne Whitehead, Di Yeldham, Alan & Flavia Young, Silke & Christian Zentner

Rehearsal Partners Janet Abernethy & Richard Willis, Lenore Adamson & the late Ross Adamson, Samantha Bartlett, Mario Biancacci, Ben Brady & Valerie Norman, Jacqui Burton, Rob Coombe, Susie Davison, Dr Michelle Deaker, Susanne de Ferranti, Tanya Diesel, Annalise Faifax, Steve & Emma Fouracre, Kerry Gardner AM, Belinda Gibson, Amber Gooley, Ben Harlow, John Head, Dr Joseph Hkeik, Graham & Judy Hubbard, Lynton Jamieson, Elias & Jana Juanas, Virginia Judge, Vaughn & Helen Jurisich, Alicia K Kemp, Elizabeth Laverty, Marina & Richard Leong, Tanja Liedtke Endowment, Royston Lim, Patricia McCauley, Peter McGee, Greeba Pritchard, Mary Read, Jenny Rigg, Dominique Robinson, Bernard Rowley, James Sharp & Karl May, Dr Brindha, Shivalingam, Fiona Sinclair & Peter King, Jann Skinner, Stedmans, Stuart Thomas, Mike Thompson, Sylvia Tooth, David Wayne, John & Gay Woods

2021 Impact Report

Our Performance 2021 saw another set of extraordinary conditions with disruptions to performance schedules, touring, training and education programs, and open dance classes. However through Government support, the support from our donor base, reimagined performance seasons, touring and digital creations; training and classes delivery, and good fiscal management, we have been able to deliver a strong end of year result, positioning the organisation for future challenges and opportunities. Sydney Dance Company has recorded an operating surplus of $624,291 for 2021 and an overall surplus of $2,017,277. The overall result is inclusive of Capital Campaign contributions of $1,389,220, whereby Sydney Dance Company has raised funds to support its commitments and expenses relating to the revitalisation of its home at Walsh Bay. These commitments include a Tenant Works Contribution payable to the NSW Government over the next 10 years. Total income for the period was $13,151,150. This is made up of operational income of $7,701,862, infrastructure related income of $1,392,986 from donations for the Capital Campaign and government Covid stimulus including Jobkeeper and JobSaver of income of $1,184,546. Expenses for the year total $11,134,233. This consists of operational expenses of $6,509,654, including the expenditure of JobKeeper support on wages of $404,600 and infrastructure project related expenses of $227,115. The commencement of the lease at Walsh Bay had a significant effect on the Company’s Balance sheet and P&L at reporting date and will continue in future years due to the accounting required under “AASB 16 Leases”. Across 2021 Sydney Dance Company employed 127 staff and contractors. A full-time ensemble of 17 dancers was maintained and 80 staff accessed JobKeeper and JobSaver payments, including 35 casual teaching staff.

2021 Impact Report

Performances 2021 Sydney 33 Canberra 2 Melbourne 0 Other State Capital Cities 3 NSW Regional 5 Australia Regional excl. NSW 4 International 0

2020 17 0 0 0 0 0 0

2019 40 3 6 9 6 107

Paid Audiences 2021 Sydney 9,405 Melbourne 0 Darwin 0 Hobart 0 Adelaide 2,711 NSW Regional 2,982 Australia Regional excl. NSW 1,321 International 0 Total Paid Audience 16,419

2020 2,568 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2,568

2019 15,039 3,158 357 1,465 2,017 1,915 7,390 32,698

2,812

248

5,934

19,231

2,816

38,632

3 9 4 12 55

2 7 5 8 11

4 10 7 11 -

Education & Outreach 2021 Number of School Matinees 1 Attendance at School Matinees 628 Number of Workshops, Masterclasses 107 and In-school Performances (face to face and online) Attendance at Workshops, Masterclasses 3,273 and In-school Performances (face to face and online) Pre-Professional Year Students 49 Attendance in Open Dance Classes 99,011 Attendance at School Holiday Workshops 799 Reach of SDC activities 103,711

2020 0 0 242

2019 7 4,321 344

4,825

8,110

25 122,235 415 130,367

24 78,211 1,780 127,326

2021

2020

2019

$13,151,510* $11,134,233 $2,017,277

$11,268,662** $9,022,465 $2,246,197

$ 11,965,879 $ 11,140,740 $ 825,139

Total Performances

Unpaid Audience* Total Audience Number of seasons presented in Sydney Number of new dance commissions Number of new music commissions Number of different works in repertoire during the year Number of new dance works on film

Financial Results Income Expenses Surplus

*Income inclusive of $1,184,546 government COVID stimulus including JobKeeper and JobSaver and $1,392,986 Capital Campaign. **Income is inclusive of $2,173,650 JobKeeper revenue and $1,183,005 Capital Campaign revenue.

2021 Impact Report

Sydney Dance Company 2021

Board of Directors

Management

Brett Clegg (Chair) Pam Bartlett David Baxby Jillian Broadbent AC David Friedlander Emma Gray Alexa Haslingden Mark Hassell Catriona Mordant AM Sandra McCullagh Emma-Jane Newton Paris Neilson

Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela

Ticketing Specialist John Calvi

Executive Director Anne Dunn

Customer Service Manager Michael Sieders

Deputy Executive Director Lizzi Nicoll

Head of Training Linda Gamblin

Executive Assistant Andy Grant

Pre-Professional Year Course Coordinator Omer Backley-Astrachan

International Patron Dame Darcey Bussell DBE Ambassadors Judy Crawford Bee Hopkins Jules Maxwell Dance Noir Committee Co-Chairs: Pam Bartlett Peter Reeve Committee: Sally Burleigh, Jane Clifford, Debbie Coffey, Georgina Fergusson, Mandy Foley, Alexa Haslingden, Tina Johnson, Jan Logan, Jane McCallum, Christina Voitenko, Michelle Walsh and Judi Wolf.

Project Manager Nick Read

Training Associate Gabrielle Nankivell

Producer Dominic Chang Programming Coordinator Kerry Thampapillai Jacob Williams (Parental cover)

Learning Coordinator Alys Gwillim

Chief Financial Officer Sean Radcliffe

Education Strategic Advisor Helen Cameron

Financial Accountant Melissa Sim

Head of Philanthropy Michelle Boyle

Payroll Assistant Carina Mision

Philanthropy Manager Madeleine White

Chief Commercial Officer Caroline Spence

Philanthropy Coordinator Anya Platoskina

Director of Operations & Open Programs Polly Brett Kylie Tung (Parental cover)

External Affairs Assistant Amy Burrows

Dance Class Manager Ramon Doringo Conditioning Studio Manager Felicity McGee

Learning Manager Sam Dashwood

Corporate Development Manager Marcus Hurley Corporate Partnerships & Events Executive Lachlan Bell (March)

2021 Impact Report

The Company Head of CRM Heath Wilder

Rehearsal Director Richard Cilli

Company Doctor Dr. Michael Berger

Head of Brand, Audience and Sales Priscilla Hunt

Rehearsal Associate Charmene Yap Juliette Barton (Parental cover)

Sports Doctor Dr. James Lawrence

Marketing Coordinator Natalie Zagaglia Marketing Coordinator Adrienne Salmon Publicity Manager Alexandra Barlow Resident Multimedia Artist Pedro Greig Technical Director Guy Harding Stage Manager Simon Turner Technical Coordinator Tony McCoy

Dancers Juliette Barton Isabella Crain Sabine Crompton-Ward Davide Di Giovanni Dean Elliott Jackson Fisch Riley Fitzgerald Jacopo Grabar Liam Green Luke Hayward Telea Jensen Dimitri Kleioris Rhys Kosakowski Chloe Leong Jesse Scales Emily Seymour Mia Thompson Chloe Young

Physiotherapist Ashlea-Mary Cohen Company Teachers Iohna Mercer Cathie Goss Joshua Consandine Felicity McGee Create NSW Fellow Angela Goh

Production Electrician Ren Kenward Production Technician James Lister Head of Wardrobe Annie Robinson Wardrobe Makers Sally-Anne Andrews Azure Schofield

2021 Impact Report

Our Partners The contribubtion of our partners and sponsors is essential to the operation of Sydney Dance Company. We are grateful for their investment in our vision in 2021.

Government Partners

Contact

Sydney Dance Company is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australian Council, its arts and funding advisory body.

Sydney Dance Company is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

New Breed Principal Partner

Principal Media Partner

Artistic Director's Comissioning Partner (Years)

Major Partner

Photo Credits

Rafael Bonachela Daniel Boud Pedro Grieg Clemens Habicht Bianca De Marchi Wendell Teodoro

Foundation Partners

Company Partners

Government Supporters

Associate Partners M A J O R

S P O N S O R

Supporters

CAPI, Committee for Sydney, Demi Barre, Medibank, Stedmans, Tattersalls Club Hyde Park, UTS Business School 68

For more information, please contact Marcus Hurley Corporate Partnership Manager marcush@sydney dancecompany.com

2021 Impact Report

sydneydancecompany.com @sydneydanceco

Phone: 61 2 9221 4811 Address: GPO Box 1598 Sydney NSW 2001 Visit: Wharf 4/5, 15 Hickson Road, DAWES POINT, NSW 2000 Email: sdc@sydneydancecompany.com ABN: 59 002 707 897

Impact Report 2021

Articles inside

Placemaking

Investing

Teaching

Executive Director's Report

Artistic Director's Report

About Us

Chair's Report

Performing

Connecting

Our History