Sydney Dance Company.

Also known as
Sydney Dance Company. (1979-)
Libraries Australia
http://nla.gov.au/anbd.aut-an35232605
NLA Persistent Identifier
http://nla.gov.au/nla.party-489455

Biographies

Sydney Dance Company began life as the Dance Company (NSW). Originally a dance-in-education group, it was founded in 1965 by Suzanne Musitz (Davidson) under the name Ballet in a Nutshell and later Athletes and Dancers. By the 1970s it had become a full-time performing group with federal and state government support and was led by Musitz until 1974. In 1975 and 1976 the company was directed by Dutch-born choreographer and dancer Jaap Flier. Graeme Murphy was appointed artistic director of the company at the end of 1976. The name change to Sydney Dance Company took place in 1979.

Under Murphy and his associate director Janet Vernon, Sydney Dance Company has consolidated its position as a major Australian contemporary dance company. The company made its first overseas tour in 1980 when it travelled to Italy. A tour to the United States, England and Hong Kong followed in 1981. Since then Sydney Dance has undertaken over 25 international tours throughout the United States, Europe, South America, New Zealand and Asia. The company also tours nationally.

Under Murphy's directorship, Sydney Dance Company's repertoire was made up predominantly of original works by Murphy often with original Australian music and design. Highlights of the Murphy repertoire for Sydney Dance Company, and its predecessor the Dance Company (NSW) when under Murphy's direction, include Poppy (1978), the company's first full length work, Rumours (1978-1979), Sheherazade (1979), Viridian (1980), Daphnis and Chloe (1980), An Evening (1981), Homelands (1982), Some Rooms (1983), After Venice (1984), Boxes (1985), Nearly Beloved (1986), Shining (1986), Late Afternoon of a Faun (1987), Vast (1988), a Bicentennial project made in collaboration with the Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Australian Dance Theatre, Kraanerg (1988), Song of the Night (1989), Soft Bruising (1990), King Roger (1990), Bard Bits (1991), Piano Sonata (1992), Synergy with Synergy (1992), Beauty and the Beast (1993), The Protecting Veil (1993), Fornicon (1995), Berlin (1995), Free Radicals (1996), Salome (1998), Air and Other Invisible Forces (1999), Mythologia (2000), for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Arts Festival, Body of Work (2000), a retrospective program, Ellipse (2002), Shades of Gray (2004) based on the Oscar Wilde story of ageing as told through the character of Dorian Gray, and in 2005 Grand, which premiered at the Sydney Opera House on 28 May 2005 and which was dedicated to Murphy's mother who died in 2004. In May 2006 Murphy premiered The Director's Cut, a triple bill consisting of a revival of his early work, Glimpses, and two new works, Gossamer with choreography by Narelle Benjamin, and Cut in which Murphy draws on signature choreographic phrases to explore and recut. Murphy and Vernon's farewell tribute to Melbourne in 2007 was entitled Ever after Ever and comprised a new work Short Stories choreographed to Carl Vine's Anne Landa Preludes as well as a selection from Tivoli, Air and Other Invisible Forces, Ellipse and Berlin.

Since its inception Sydney Dance Company has also always presented the work of choreographers other than Murphy, both Australian and non-Australian, and has also staged choreographic workshop programs for which company members have created original works. Australians whose work has been presented by Sydney Dance Company include Graeme Watson, Paul Mercurio, Gideon Obarzanek, Stephen Baynes, Don Asker, Stephen Page, Kim Walker, Barry Moreland, Ian Spink and Garth Welch. Non Australians whose choreography has been staged by Sydney Dance Company include Louis Falco ( Black and Blue in 1984), Ohad Naharin ( Tabula Rasa in 1988 and Arbos in 1989), Ralph Lemon ( Happy Trails in 1989), Douglas Wright ( Gloria in 1993) and Stephen Petronio ( Underland, a commissioned work for which the company received an Australian Dance Award for outstanding performance in 2003).

Murphy and Vernon resigned from their positions in July 2006, and in May 2007 it was announced that Tanja Liedtke would be the new artistic director. However on August 17, 2007, prior to taking up the appointment, Liedtke tragically died in an accident. The company was without an artistic director in 2008, when it presented three world premieres from guest choreographers Meryl Tankard ( Inuk 2), Rafael Bonachela ( 360 Degrees), and Aszure Barton ( Sid's Waltzing Masquerade).

In November 2008, Bonachela was announced as the incoming artistic director. His policy of presenting commissioned works alongside his own new and preexisting works was put in place. Early guests included Kenneth Kvarnstrom, Adam Linder, Jacopo Godani and Emanuel Gat . In the first three years of his directorship, Bonachela's works received three awards. In the 2011 Australian Dance Awards Amy Hollingsworth won the outstanding performance by a female dancer award for the solo Irony of Fate (2005), and Bonachela the outstanding achievement in choreography award for 6 Breaths (2010). In 2010 the company was also nominated for its performance of We Unfold (2009) and Richard Cilli won the Helpmann Award for best male dancer in that work.

Related people and organisations

Resources for Sydney Dance Company.

Resources by Sydney Dance Company. (59)

  1. Sydance Company
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Book, Periodical, Archived website : 1988-2012 ]
    View online
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 85.288)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 85.288)

  2. Sydney Dance Company magazine
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Periodical : 1998-2012 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 49.43)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 49.43)

  3. Sydney dance news
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Periodical : 1989-2012 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 41.223)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 41.223)

  4. Annual report / Sydney Dance Company
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Article : 1900-2006 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 29.273)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 29.273)

  5. Records of the Sydney Dance Company
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Unpublished : 1976-2001 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 25.759)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 25.759)

  6. Boxes / directed for television by Geoffrey Nottage ; produced by Sydney Dance Company
    Australian Broadcasting Corporation
    [ Video : 1985-1986 ]
    At 12 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.305)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.305)

  7. Collection of posters from Sydney Dance Company and Dance Company (NSW)
    Murphy, Graeme, 1950-
    [ Poster, chart, other : 1976 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 17.349)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 17.349)

  8. The Sydney Dance Company in Cafe and Boxes
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Video : 1985 ]
    At UQ Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.62)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 16.62)

  9. Rumours [Graeme Murphy ; performed by the Sydney Dance Company]
    Murphy, Graeme, 1950-
    [ Video : 1981 ]
    At Australia Council
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.813)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 12.813)

  10. Cafe; Boxes / Sydney Dance Company; directed for television by Geoffrey Nottage; Executive Producer Michael Donovan
    Australian Broadcasting Corporation
    [ Video : 1985-1995 ]
    At 9 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.56)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 10.56)

More...

Resources about Sydney Dance Company. (297)

  1. Sydance Company
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Book, Periodical, Archived website : 1988-2012 ]
    View online
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 82.769)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 82.769)

  2. Sydney Dance Company magazine
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Periodical : 1998-2012 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 47.422)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 47.422)

  3. Sydney dance news
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Periodical : 1989-2012 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 38.022)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 38.022)

  4. Annual report / Sydney Dance Company
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Article : 1900-2006 ]
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 28.059)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 28.059)

  5. Sydney Dance (Company)
    Horizon
    [ Article : 1981 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 25.409)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 25.409)

  6. Records of the Sydney Dance Company
    Sydney Dance Company
    [ Unpublished : 1976-2001 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.877)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 24.877)

  7. Sydney Dance Company
    [ Video : 1900 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 21)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 21)

  8. Sydney Dance Company
    National Theartre Trust (Singapore)
    [ Poster, chart, other : 1987 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.569)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.569)

  9. Boxes / directed for television by Geoffrey Nottage ; produced by Sydney Dance Company
    Australian Broadcasting Corporation
    [ Video : 1985-1986 ]
    At 12 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.214)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 20.214)

  10. The Sydney Dance Company
    Sykes, Jill
    Dance Magazine
    [ Article, Photograph : 1980-1981 ]
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 19.291)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 19.291)

More...

No user comments for this organisation

Add a comment


Show comments and reviews from Amazon users

Possibly related

Digitised newspapers and more

Searching...

Minimise

Diaries, letters, archives

Searching...

Minimise

Archived websites (1996 – now)

Searching...

Minimise

Pictures, photos, objects

Searching...

Minimise

Books

Searching...

Minimise

Music, sound and video

Searching...

Minimise

People and organisations

Searching...

Minimise

Journals, articles and data sets

Searching...

Minimise

Maps

Searching...

Minimise

Lists

Searching...

Minimise
  1. Padma Menon Dance Theatre (1993-1998)
    ... Padma Menon Dance Theatre was established initially as Kailash Dance Theatre in ...
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.022)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.022)

  2. Gorham, Kathleen Ann (1928-1983)
    ... grew up at Bankstown, Sydney, and was educated at Bethlehem College, Ashfield. She ...
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.021)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.021)

  3. Bangarra Dance Theatre Australia
    ... section of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games opening ceremony in which the company ...
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.021)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.021)

  1. Merce Cunningham Dance Company Australian tours (1976 - )
    Merce Cunningham Dance Company Australian tours (1976 - )
    Created by NLAdance, 5 items.

    The company led by American modern dance pioneer Merce Cunningham first toured Australia in March 1976 under the name Merce Cunningham and Dance Company. The tour began in Sydney, continued on to A...

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.277)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.277)

  2. Berioska Dance Company of Moscow Australian tours (1966 - )
    Berioska Dance Company of Moscow Australian tours (1966 - )
    Created by NLAdance, 6 items.

    The Berioska Dance Company of Moscow, also known as the Berioska Dance Company of Russia during its second tour to Australia in 1977, first toured to Australia in 1966. Initially brought to Austral...

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.224)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.224)

  3. Indian Dance in Australia
    Indian Dance in Australia
    Created by NLAdance, 34 items.

    Since the late 1940s Australian audiences have been exposed to the highly stylised features of Indian dance, themes of Hindu mythology and the epic legends of the Ramayana and Mahabharata that are ...

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.128)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.128)

  1. [Portrait of two unidentified balle...
    McMurdo, Don, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1976-1998 ]
  2. Portrait of unidentified ballet dan...
    McMurdo, Don, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1978-1998 ]
  3. Portrait of Kim Walker in Daphnis a...
    McMurdo, Don, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1976-1998 ]
  4. Portrait of an unidentified dancer ...
    McMurdo, Don, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1978-1998 ]
  5. Portrait of Garth Welch and Paul Me...
    McMurdo, Don, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1978-1998 ]
  6. Portrait of Ross Philip in Daphnis ...
    McMurdo, Don, 1...
    [ Photograph : 1976-1998 ]
  1. Sydney Dance Company ; Melbourne debut season, 1980 / Sydney Dance Company
    [ Book : 1980 ]
    Languages: Undetermined
    At Deakin Uni Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.833)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 9.833)

  2. Fireworks Dance Company
    Fireworks Dance Company
    [ Archived website : 2006 ]
    View online
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.157)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.157)

  3. Expressions Dance Company
    Expressions Dance Company
    [ Archived website : 2000 ]
    View online
    At 3 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.115)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.115)

  4. Chrissie Parrott Dance Company
    Chrissie Parrott Dance Company
    [ Book : 1994 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.06)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.06)

  1. Sensing [created by Graeme Murphy : performed by the Sydney Dance Company]
    [ Video : 1993 ]
    At City of Sydney
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 2.321)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 2.321)

  2. Dein Perry's Tap Dogs
    Sydney Theatre Company
    [ Video : 1996-2000 ]
    At 30 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.236)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.236)

  3. A Common wealth : Torres Strait Islands cultural dance group / producers, Peter Bull, Brian Clarkson
    Queensland. Department of Education. Production and Publishing Services Branch
    [ Video : 1984-1986 ]
    At 13 libraries
    A Common wealth : Torres Strait Islands cultural dance group / producers, Peter Bull, Brian Clarkson
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.921)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.921)

  4. Five dances by Martha Graham / Martha Graham Dance Company
    Martha Graham Dance Company
    [ Video : 1995 ]
    At 4 libraries
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.895)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.895)

  1. [Sydney Dance Company : programs and related material collected by the National Library of Australia]
    [ Published : 1900 ]
    At National Library
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.474)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 13.474)

  2. Proposal for an Australian national contemporary dance theatre : report following a secondment from the Department of Foreign Affairs to the the Sydney Dance Company, May 1979-July 1987 / by R. J. Allen
    Allen, R. J
    [ Unpublished : 1981 ]
    At Nat Gall Aus Res
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.652)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.652)

  3. Records of Company B at Belvoir Street Theatre
    Company B (Sydney, N.S.W.)
    [ Unpublished : 1982-1994 ]
    At National Library
    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.407)

    This resource may be of limited relevance to your query (score: 0.407)

  1. The Prisoner
    ITC Entertainment Group
    [ Video, Map : 1967-2008 ]
    At 15 libraries
    The Prisoner
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.082)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.082)

  2. Traders and soldiers in Russian America.(the Russian-American Company instituted enlightenment ideals in dealings with Alaskan Native Americans)
    Sipes, Ernest
    History Today
    [ Map, Article : 1998 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.035)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.035)

  3. The destruction of Mahers Road Beecroft: a casualty of the F2 freeway in Sydney, Australia
    Read, Peter
    Journal of Urban History
    [ Map, Article : 1998 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.021)

    This resource may only be vaguely related to your query: matching terms may only have been found in the full text contents of the resource (score: 0.021)

  1. Going Places With ROBIN AMADIO A new season for the Sydney Dance Company
    The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) Wednesday 17 March 1982 p 82 Article Illustrated
    ... Sydney's Hunter Taylor Gallery. IA new season for the Sydney Dance Company oying McDonald's 10th birthday ... Graeme Murphy has led the Sydney Dance Company as artistic director with dancer Janet Vernon as his ... debut with the company this season, and will dance in Graeme's new ballet "Hate", part of the second ... 735 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 2.799)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 2.799)

  2. BROADCASTING FEATURES FOR TO-DAY. 4QG.—8.0 p.m.: From 2FC, Sydney, the Humphrey Bishop Revue Company present "Dad's Windfall," a topical revue; 9.0, the wrcstling from the Bohemia ...
    The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933 - 1954) Saturday 20 January 1934 p 21 Article
    ... BROADCASTING FEATURES FOR TO-DAY. 4QG-8.0 p.m.: From 2FC, Sydney, the Humphrey Bishop Revue Company present "Dad's Windfall," a' topical revue; 9.0, the wrcstling from the Bohemia Stadium. 4BC.-1.0 ... recital; 8.45, concert programme. 4BK-8.0 p.m.: During the evening programme dance numbers will be ... 319 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.062)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 1.062)

  3. Billiards And SnooWEATHER MAP Williams And Ryan In Victorian Golf Final MELBOURNE, September 5. Qualifying Round For Associates' Championship SYDNEY, September 5. Matthews Beaten I...
    The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Thursday 6 September 1934 p 5 Article
    ... September 5. Qualifying Round For Associates' Championship SYDNEY, September 5. Matthews Beaten In Amateur ... TODAY Autopay In Sydney SYDNEY, September 5. TURF TOPICS Governor To Attend Races RECENT FORM FARLURE ... September 5. Custodian's Puzzling Lameness SYDNEY, September 9. Sydney Jockey Injured SYDNEY, September 5. ... 6584 words
    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.339)

    This resource is likely to be relevant to your query (score: 0.339)

  1. Website: Sydney Dance Company
    www.sydneydance.com.au
    Matching pages:
    View 48 matching archived pages
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.463)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.463)

  2. Website: Dance informa
    www.danceinforma.com
    Matching pages:
    • Sydney Dance Company in 09 - 25/6/2009
    • ... Sydney Dance Company in 09 [Dance Informa Feb/Mar 09]   Sydney Dance Company unfolds a new season...
    View 534 matching archived pages
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 1.232)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 1.232)

  3. Website: Sydney 360
    www.sydney.com
    Matching pages:
    View 782 matching archived pages
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 1.055)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 1.055)

  1. Newsletter (Sydney Dance Company. Friends)
    Sydney Dance Company. Friends
    [ Periodical : 1985-1989 ]
    At 2 libraries
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 44.037)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 44.037)

  2. Sydney Dance Company
    Goldman, Phyllis
    Back Stage
    [ Article : 2004 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.635)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 11.635)

  3. Sydney Dance Company.(Review)
    Goldman, Phyllis
    Back Stage
    [ Article : 2000 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.303)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 6.303)

  4. Choreography down under.(dance work 'Free Radicals' by Sydney Dance Company)
    Tenaglia, Susan
    World and I
    [ Photograph, Article : 1998 ]
    View online (conditions apply)
    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.425)

    This resource is very relevant to your query (score: 5.425)