Class Teachers
Kristy Ayre - Contemporary
Since 2002, Kristy Ayre has performed regularly with Chunky Move in numerous works including Singularity, Tense Dave, I Want to Dance Better at Parties, and the solo GLOW in which she later took on the role of Rehearsal Director. As well as working with Gideon Obarzanek and Chunky Move, Kristy has performed in works for Lucy Guerin Inc, Prue Lang, Kim Itoh, Shelley Lasica, and Luke George.
In 2008, Kristy choreographed and performed her first solo work Rabbeat as part of Lucy Guerin Inc’s Pieces for Small Spaces and was alsonchoreographic assistant on Eddie Perfect’s Shane Warne the Musical. She teaches workshops and master classes on a regular basis both within Melbourne and around the world. Most recently Kristy performed in Luke George’s Now Now Now and showcased a short film as part of Private Dances at the Next Wave Festival in Melbourne.
Deanne Butterworth - Contemporary
Studied at Western Australian Academy for Performing Arts. Dancer, choreographer, teacher since 1994. Her performance work in Australia and abroad includes: - dancer in Shelley Lasica’s work since 1996; Danceworks Company & Sandra Parker Dance, (2001-2007); Balletlab (development 2006); Jo Lloyd (1999, 2001). Film projects- Fiona McDonald (2001); David Rosetzky (2008); Collaborative works: - with Jo Lloyd (2003, 2007); with Tim Harvey (2006-2007); Solo works supported by Australia Council, Arts Victoria, Dancehouse. Project Blah Blah development with Jo Lloyd January 2009 and a Residency at Bundanon Arts Centre planned for July 2009. Deanne has taught at Chunky Move, Dancehouse, Deakin University and Melbourne University Union Arts.
Jo Lloyd - Contemporary
Jo has been performing, choreographing and teaching throughout Australia and overseas since graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1995. Jo has presented work in Japan, Hong Kong, Adelaide, the Next Wave Festival and the Melbourne International Arts Festival. Jo has performed extensively in the works of Shelley Lasica, was a member of Danceworks (1998-2006) performing in many works by director Sandra Parker. Jo was a member of Chunky Move from 2003-2008, performing in Gideon Obarzanek’s work and with Prue Lang. In 2004 and 2005 Jo created and performed two works in Japan, as part of an Asialink residency and the Neon Rising Program. In 2008 Jo presented Apparently That's What Happened at the Meat Market, which was nominated for three Green Room Awards and an Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance. In 2009 she presented Melbourne Spawned a Monster in Dance Massive, the outcome of her Housemate Residency at Dancehouse and performed in Shelley Lasica's works Vianne and Full Colour. In 2010 Jo curated 24 Hours at Dancehouse and developed a new work Future Perfect. Jo has also worked with Frances, Natalie Cursio, video artist David Rosetzky and Back to Back Theatre. Recently Jo presented Project Blah Blah in Hong Kong, a duet created with Deanne Butterworth. Each fortnight Jo joins Gerard Van Gyck on Triple R for Dancing on The Radio, as part of Richard Watts’ program Smart Arts. Jo teaches regularly for Chunky Move, KAGE Physical Theatre and Dancehouse.
Tim Harbour - Ballet
Tim was a dancer with The Australian Ballet for 13 years and retired in 2008 as a Senior Artist to concentrate on Choreography. He made his choreographic debut in 2005 with Sunken Waltz for The Australian Ballet which was nominated as Best New Work in Dance Australia’s Critic Choice Awards. He followed this with Eve in 2006, Fielder in 2007 and Wa in 2008 all receiving wide critical acclaim. Wa has since been nominated 3 times in Dance Australia’s Critic’s Choice Awards for Best New Work.
2008 saw Tim create Schattenwelt for The Queensland Ballet, Ignis for The Australian Ballet School, Tocatta for The New York Choreographic Institute and Tenement for The Melbourne Ballet Comapny which has been long-listed in The Australian Dance Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography.
This year Tim created Fractal Joy for The West Australian Ballet, A Listening World for the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and Songs of Light for The Dancers Company.
This September Tim created Leaving Songs for New York based Morphoses – The Wheeldon Company which will premiere in October at Sadlers Wells in London followed by performances at City Centre in New York.
Tim recently created his first main stage work for the Australian Ballet Halcyon premiering with the Edge of Night. Tim has been a guest teacher with many major Australian dance companies including the Australian Ballet, Sydney Dance Company, Australian Dance Theatr, Chunky Move, Bangarra Dance Theatre, the Queensland Ballet. Tim lectures at the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and Melbourne University.
Benedict Kazlauskas
Former Dancer with Queensland Ballet, WA Ballet and the Vienna State Opera Ballet, Ben performed in Germany for 8 years with various Musical Theatre Productions, in Berlin with Disneys Hunchback of Notre Dames, Stuttgart with Roman Polanski's Dance of the Vampires and The Phantom of the Opera.
Teaching pilates, movement and ballet at the National Institute for Cicus Arts, Ben recently staged and choreographed NICA's 1st and 2nd year performance Ariels Dream directed by Megan Jones. He currently completed a national tour of The Jungle Book with The
Australian Shakespeare Co. and is soon to commence rehearsals for the Melbourne season of The Wind in the Willows also with ASC. While perhaps turning his hand towards acting, singing and other stage crafts, Ben is grateful for his background in dance and believes combined disciplines such as musicality, strength, movement and self expression can
benefit anyone in anything they do.
Michelle Ledwith - Funk
With 8 years teaching experience Michelle has taught in various dance schools as well as running high school and primary school programs. Former co-owner of Bounce Funk dance Company in Perth, Michelle moved to Melbourne 3 years ago and has been teaching funk, hip hop and jazz at various venues since, from 8yr olds through to adults. As well as teaching she has worked as a dancer and choreographer in Melbourne, Malaysia and Maccau for companies such as Adidas, Excessive Productions and Sands Casino.
Adam Wheeler - Contemporary
Adam is the Artistic Associate of Stompin and in 2008 was the inaugural recipient of the Stompin Fellowship having made three works for the company 23 (2009) Uncover This (2008) and Bone Dry and Green (2006).
Adam is also the Artistic Director of 2ndToe Dance Collective, which provides young and emerging artists the opportunity to make dance work with professional artists. The collective have made several works together including Adam Turns 26 and Something Blew Stage 1. Recently the Collective have taken over the dance program at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar.
Adam is a graduate of the Victorian College of the arts and in his final year of study joined Chunky Move. From 2004-2009 he performed and taught for the company nationally, across the USA, Canada and New Zealand. He has also danced for Circa Nica and Jo Lloyd.
Adam’s passion for the development of dance with young people has seen him work with the Australian Ballet on their Out There Program (2006), work as choreographer and workshop leader at The Australian Youth Dance Festival (2009), choreograph for the AC Arts Graduation Showcase Season (2008) and was the Artistic Director of the Dance Fusion Program, St Michaels Grammar School (2003-2008). In 2010 Adam will make work with Steps Youth Dance Company, Qantum and Fling Physical Theatre.
Adam was shortlisted for two Australian Dance Awards in 2009 (Uncover This) and in 2003 he was the winner of the Most Outstanding Movement award, Melbourne Fringe Festival for 3 Day Growth. Other highlights include choreographing That Beep film clip for Architecture in Helsinki (2008).
He regularly teaches for Chunky Move, Youth Australian Ballet Inc., Dance World and schools across Victoria and Tasmania.
Roland Cox
Roland’s extensive dance career has seen him perform with many of Australia’s major dance companies including Sydney Dance Company, Australian Dance Theatre and The Australian Ballet for which he performed various Principal Roles. He has danced in works by celebrated choreographers such as Duato, Tetley and Tharp as well as having new choreography developed on him by Tanja Liedtke. He has also created work with several choreographers in France, Switzerland, Austria and the UK. His choreography has been presented by Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London and been nominated Most Promising Choreography in Dance Australia magazine. Roland was awarded the Khiterc’s Foundation scholarship by The Australian Ballet and has also been nominated Most Outstanding Dancer in Dance Australia.
James Welsby - Contemporary
James Welsby is a young Australian dance and media artist. He is a 2007 graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts - School of Dance. He is a current member of Buzz Dance Theatre in Perth, having recently performed in Behind The Veneer, Stop! Don't Blink, The 2010 Australian Dance Awards, and Big Stretch; a performance tour to regional and remote communities in Western Australia. James has also developed work and performed with BalletLab, Redspan Dance Company, and Cadi McCarthy and Company. He is co-director of Phantom Limbs which has recently been commissioned by Next Wave Art Festival for Private Dances, had a performance season of The Memory Progressive at fortyfivedownstairs, and commissioned Luke George to make a new work on the group. James' video works have been screened at the 23rd Singapore International Film Festival and 2010 ReelDance Film Festival (Top 10 Finalist and Winner of ReelDance "Encouragement Award 2010" - Saint Sebastian).
Luke George - Contemporary
A Tasmanian based in Melbourne, Luke began dancing with Stompin and trained at the VCA. Luke has danced with choreographers Phillip Adams (BalletLab), Jo Lloyd, Gideon Obarzanek (Chunky Move), Stephanie Lake, Frances d’Ath, Shelley Lasica, Jerril Rechter, ITOH Kim (Tokyo), Miguel Gutierrez (New York) and Deborah Hay (USA). As a choreographer Luke has created: NOWNOWNOW, LIFESIZE, Here–not now, Special Mention (with Bec Reid), and the Trike dance project (with Stephanie Lake and Frances d’Ath).Luke has received commissions by the Sydney Opera House, the Australian Regional Arts festival, Phantom Limbs dance company and he has choreographed for theatre projects with Malthouse Theatre (Michael Kantor), Back to Back, Arena (Rose Myers), the Encyclopedia of Animals and Ridiculusmus. Luke was Artistic Director of Stompin 2002-2008, Australia’s foremost youth dance company, during which he directed and choreographed 6 new works with hundreds of young dancers. His practice as performer, choreographer, collaborator, teacher and curator has taken him throughout Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. Recognition: Asialink Performing Arts Residency to Tokyo, Russell Page Fellowship for Contemporary Dance, Melbourne Festival Choice Award and Fringe Movement Award (Trike).
Madeline Krenek - Contemporary
Madeleine is originally from New Zealand where she danced for Hagley Dance Company, Showbiz Christchurch and Performing Arts in Schools Company. Since graduating from the VCA Madeleine has worked with choreographers Russell Dumas (Huit a huit), Carlee Mellow (Without Pretence and Simmer), Jo Lloyd (Future Perfect development), Rebecca Jensen (Sound Story) and Stephanie Lake (The Pop Up Project). She has also performed in short works for With the Lot, curated by Kyle Kremenskothen and Lucy Guerin Inc. and Private Dances, curated by Natalie Cursio for the Next Wave Festival.
Madeleine is an Artistic Associate & founding member of 2ndToe Dance Collective and has performed in and co-choreographed three works, Adam Turns 26 and Something Blew Stage 1 and Something Blew. She teaches regularly throughout Melbourne for National Theatre Ballet School, Danceworld 301 and Patrick Studios Australia.
Fiona Bryant - Contemporary
Fiona was awarded a Diploma of Dance through the Queensland Dance School of Excellence before moving to Melbourne in 2001 to study her Bachelor of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts. She has since completed both a Postgraduate Diploma and Masters of Choreography with first class honours at the college. Fiona has performed in curated and independent seasons at Melbourne’s Dancehouse, The Melbourne International Arts Festival, Melbourne International Design Festival, The L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, the Melbourne Fringe Festival and Lucy Guerin Inc.’s Pieces for Small Spaces. In 2008 she and collaborator Kate Stanley received the Fringe Festival Best Movement Award and an Australian Dance Award nomination for the premier season of MAX. In 2009 she was a Next Wave Festival Kickstart artist and a key artist/researcher with Movement Research Melbourne. Last year Fiona and collaborator Kate Stanley premiered JOY in a sell-out season at the Next Wave Festival. Fiona was also one of 10 dancers Australia-wide selected to undertake the Deborah Hay Solo Performance Project, following which she performed her solo adaptation of Hay’s IN THE DARK at Dancehouse. Fiona will return to work with Hay in 2012 at her annual Solo Performance Commissioning Project having previously participated in 2008. In recent years Fiona’s undertakings have been supported by a number of prestigious grants and scholarships including a Melbourne Research Scholarship (2007-8) and both a City of Melbourne Young Artist (2010) and Australian Council ArtStart (2010) grant.
Banjamin Hancock - Contemporary
Benjamin is a Melbourne-based dancer who graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) with a Bachelor of Dance in 2008 and was the recipient of the inaugural choreographic award in his final year. As a performer, he has worked with a wide range of artists including Cobie Orger, Collaboration the Project, Francis Rings, Katie Noonan & The Captains, Lucy Guerin, Martin del Amo, Sue Healey, Supple Fox, and Vertical Shadows. Choreographic credits include Stain a solo project as part of Lucy Guerin Inc’s Pieces for Small Spaces 2009. Benjamin has also been awarded Best Male Dancer at Short Sweet + Dance festivals both in Sydney and Melbourne, for a solo choreographed by Martin Del Amo and another choreographed by himself. He also won the Australian Choreographic Competition in 2008 and 2010. Benjamin is also a founding member and Artistic Associate of 2ndToe Dance Collective which recently presented Something Blew in Melbourne in 2010.
Sara Black - Contemporary
Raised in Canberra, Sara Black was a 2002 member of the Australian Choreographic Centre’s Quantum Leap Youth Dance Company. In 2005 she completed her Bachelor of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts. Since graduating she has worked with independent artists Solon Ulbrich, Antony Hamilton, Neil Adams, Byron Perry, and Cadi McCarthy, as well as Lucy Guerin Inc, Not Yet It’s Difficult, and Chunky Move. Black was awarded Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production for GLOW at the 2008 Helpmann Awards and was nominated for a Green Room Award. She is a founding member of Rogue, a dance collective of 2005 graduates of the Victorian College of the Arts. Black has also performed in Chunky Move’s Black Marrow, Mortal Engine and Mix Tape.
Lee Serle - Contemporary
Lee completed a Bachelor of Dance at the Victorian College of the Arts (2003). In 2004 he began work with Chunky Move (Gideon Obarzanek) and Lucy Guerin Inc, collaborating and performing in numerous works for both companies, performing nationally and internationally with both companies. Lee has also contributed and performed the work of various independent choreographers including Antony Hamilton, Shelley Lasica and Byron Perry.
In 2010/2011 Lee was selected by the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Initiative to undertake a mentorship with legendary American choreographer Trisha Brown, performing, touring and developing a new work with the Trisha Brown Dance Company in New York City.
Lee’s choreographic credits include: A Little Murky for Lucy Guerin’s Pieces for Small Spaces, I Feel Love and On It Goes for the Next Wave Festivals, Untitled (short film), and Tilted at the Red Bean Studios in New York. Lee is in development of a new work to be presented in November at the New York Public Library.
Lee has performed in Chunky Move’s I Want to Dance Better at Parties, Mortal Engine, Two Faced Bastard and I Like This.