Australian Dance Theatre Will Host Inaugural ADT:RAW Showcast

Australian Dance Theatre is throwing open the doors to The Odeon to independent dance artists with ADT:RAW, a rapid-fire dance catalyst that will spark the beginning of ten new projects at the cutting-edge of contemporary practice.

Nine South Australian dancemakers or collectives will be given $300 and three hours of studio time to begin development on a new, and untested, choreographic idea. Then, they’ll boldly take to the stage to present short showings to an audience at a free event on Saturday 9 November.

“Embarking on creating a new dance work is always incredibly exciting,” says Australian Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Daniel Riley, “there’s so much energy and nervousness in those initial moments. ADT:RAW is a supportive opportunity for artists to take a risk and throw caution to the wind, capture those initial sparks of inspiration, and take it to an audience.”

The program will feature South Australian artists Rikki Wilson, Zoë Dunwoodie, Alix Kuijpers, Alison Currie and Sol Ulbrich, Of Desert and Sea (Collective),Gabrielle Nankivell, Samuel Harnett-Welk, Kinetik Collective and Amelia Watson, with each bringing a distinct and engaging project to the program.

“We were really blown away by the quality of every application,” says Australian Dance Theatre’s Artistic Associate Brianna Kell, “and by the calibre of the work proposed by each applicant. There are some incredible makers here in South Australia.

“ADT:RAW sees emerging and established artists working alongside each other and embraces cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural dance works in development. There’s going to be kinetic sound sculptures, a work examining connection to Country, an interrogation of the inaccessibility of  the model of Western dance and even an exploration of the shared magic between dancer and audience.”

ADT:RAW will also give South Australian artists the opportunity to build national connections by working alongside celebrated artist Jenni Large (Body Body Commodity, WET HARD LONG), who will be taking part in the program and presenting work-in-development of her own.

“Australian Dance Theatre is an Internationally recognised company, based here on Kaurna Yerta, Adelaide, and we want to continue to use our platform to give South Australian artists opportunities for exchange with artists from all over the country,” says Kell, “we’re stoked to have Jenni Large be part of the program and can’t wait to see the connections our ADT:RAW artists forge.”

The ADT:RAW studio blocks will run from 28 October – 8 November, with a series of free showings being held at ADT’s home, The Odeon on 9 November. Tickets are available now.

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