Youth Choreographic Residency

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Tracks Dance Studio, Harbour View Plaza, Darwin

Sept 28 - Oct 9

Youth Choreographic Residency

This new program, provided a unique environment to engage in creative thinking, moving, problem solving, and teamwork.

Aimed at secondary and tertiary level students, the Residency is ideal for people wanting to skill up to potentially enter the professional dance industry or prepare for auditions into further dance study.

Held over 8 days during the 2020 September school holiday break, the Youth Choreographic Residency was designed to expand dance versatility and vocabulary through daily master-classes and introduce tasks to unlock creativity.  Participants collaborated on group choreography and learnt the fundamentals to making solo choreography.

Youth Residents

Taylor Anderson, J. J. Banderjas and Sophia Hodges

J. J. Banderjas and Sophia Hodges where the 2020 recipients of the Grey Panthers Youth Development Fund Scholarship.

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Creative Leaders

Madeleine Brown

Madeleine is a professional commercial dancer with a Diploma of Elite Dance from Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance in Melbourne. In 2017  Maddy spent 6 months in Mumbai with a prestigious Bollywood Dance Company dancing in shows, large scale-events events, music videos and movies, while working with India’s best Choreographers and Directors. Maddy dance styles include Hip-hop, Commercial, Contemporary, Ballet, Tap, Jazz, Ballroom, Bollywood, Belly dance and Musical Theatre. She was Dance Captain for the TV show ‘The Big Music Quiz’ on channel 7 and a featured actress in the 2019 movie ‘Top End Wedding’.  https://www.madeleinebrown.net/

Jordan Bretherton

Jordan is a professional dancer and graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). Since 2017 Jordan has worked in Darwin with TRACKS Dance Company, SLIDE Youth Dance Theatre and more recently with NT Dance Company as a performer and choreographer. Jordan has completed studio residencies where he has developed his own work as well as choreographing group work. Jordan’s dance styles include Breakdancing, Hip-Hop, Contemporary and Ballet.

Both recipients were taught by professional dance artists Jordan Bretherton and Madeleine Brown. They were guided through master classes in various techniques and choreographic development workshops. The course culminated in a studio showing to family and friends.

Program

The Youth Choreographic Residency was designed to assist youth dance artists into the industry. This program held an immense amount of content, such as learning about the industry we are in, how to present yourself and what opportunities are in Darwin and beyond. Masterclasses of Contemporary, Hip-Hop, Ballet, Jazz, Bollywood and many more were offered, as well as learning how to develop your own style of movement and choreography by building on foundational improvisation tasks and skills. Using these skills, the young dancers had time to create their own solos with guidance from Maddy and Jordan.

Read more about what Madeleine and Jordan have to say about the course on the news page.

News Page

Company Partners

Tracks Inc is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body; and is proudly sponsored by the Northern Territory Government.

Supporting Partners

Charles Darwin University - Children's University

Tracks 2020

Artistic Co-Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
Company Director: Adelaide Wood
Administrator: Jessica Mellor / Jo Shearn
Production Manager: Duane Preston
Dance Animateurs: Kelly Beneforti and Jess Devereux
Bookkeeper: It Figures

Committee Members: Venaska Cheliah (Chairperson), Andrea Wicking (Vice Chairperson), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), David Taylor, Michael Grant, Ken Conway, Max Dewa Stretton, Rachael Wallis. David McMicken, Tim Newth, Adelaide Wood (Ex-Officio Members)

Public Fund Trustees: Maari Gray, Will Crawford and Lachlan Peattie

Patron: Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM, Administrator of the Northern Territory

 

Photos: 

Responses

"These are skills I wish we were taught during school, particularly at a younger age, so that when the time came to prepare for the 'outside world' / Dance career, we were ready." Madeleine Brown

"I want to give back to youth artists in Darwin and help them achieve their goals in this art form." Jordan Bretherton

Explore Further

Research and Development

Tracks 2020 Artistic Program

 

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