Hosted by Elle Evangelista with panellists: Heather Mitchell AM, Danielle Micich and Kelly Dezart-Smith.

Tickets: Free. Click here to book.

Date: Thu 24 Aug, 6pm

Run time: 60 mins

Location: Track 12, Carriageworks

Panellists

Danielle Micich

Danielle is a highly awarded choreographer, director, intimacy director and performer of dance theatre and is currently Artistic Director of Force Majeure. She makes new work for festivals, theatre productions, opera and film, alongside site-specific and community work. After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts and relocating to Perth as a company dancer for 2 Dance Plus, she was appointed Artistic Director of STEPS Youth Dance Company. Her independent work extends nationally and internationally, working with companies such as Sydney Theatre Company, Belvoir, Black Swan State Theatre Company, Perth Theatre Company, Night Train Productions, Steamworks Arts Productions, Dwhani Dance Company (India), Barking Gecko Theatre Company, Pinchgut Opera and Monkey Baa Theatre. As an intimacy director she has worked across live performance, film and television, with her credits including BUMP (Roadshow/Stan), SET PIECE (Performing Lines) Titus Andonicus (Bell Shakespeare) and Berlin Syndrome (Cate Shortland/ Aquarius Films). She is currently Artistic Director of Force Majeure based at Carriageworks in Sydney. Danielle’s ambition is to contribute to making new Australian work through storytelling that reaches audiences by exploring themes and issues relevant to contemporary culture; reflecting, embracing and challenging community attitudes and ideals.

Heather Mitchell

Heather Mitchell is one of Australia’s most respected actresses across film, television and theatre.

Heather recently completed production on Peter Farrelly’s feature RICKY STANICKY opposite John Cena and Zac Efron and can be seen in the second season of the acclaimed Binge series LOVE ME, alongside Hugo Weaving. Her performance in the first season earned her the Silver Logie Award for Most Outstanding Supporting Actress and an AACTA Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama.

Heather recently starred as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Sydney Theatre Company’s sold-out one-woman play RBG: OF MANY, ONE, which earned her the 2022 Sydney Theatre Award for Best Performer in a Leading Role.

She received a Best Lead Actress Award at the 2011 and 2012 New York City International Film Festival for her performance in the short film, AFTERGLOW and Glenn Stewart’s THE RED VALENTINE.

In 2020, Heather was made a member of the Order of Australia at the Australia Day Honour’s “for significant service to the performing arts, and to the community.” Her highly anticipated memoir, EVERYTHING AND NOTHING, has just been released by Allen & Unwin.

Kelly Dezart-Smith

Kelly Dezart-Smith is a producer, curator and writer living on Gadigal country. They work at the intersection of contemporary art, nightlife and culture. Their creative practice aims to centre and celebrate narratives of individuals and communities who are systematically marginalized. Their hope is through the sharing of the latter stories and artworks we can move towards a more just, equitable and caring world.

Dezart-Smith is part of the inaugural Parallel Curatorial Fellowship. A dynamic group of curators and art practitioners that are looking at structural change with, beside and beyond the museum. They are also the former curator of the live art, music and performance evening at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, MCA Late.

Dezart-Smith has been a contributor to the publications Archer Magazine, SF Bay Guardian, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s Open Space, and the previous co-editor of the online culture magazine 4U MAG.

Elle Evangelista

Elle Evangelista loves dancing.

Elle is an Artistic Associate at BELVOIR and choreographed The Cherry Orchard, Boomkak Panto and The REP Season. She is choreographer for Bell Shakespeare’s production of Twelfth Night and in 2022, she was Movement Director for the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s children’s production of How To Catch a Star. She is currently working with DRILL on their upcoming work AGE.

Elle was Youth Company Rehearsal Director for The Last Season (Force Majeure, Sydney Festival 2021). Elle’s performance credits include GIF of Dance (Matt Cornell), FLOCK (Force Majeure), Out of Earshot (KAGE Physical Theatre), the national tour of The King and I (Opera Australia), Keir Choreographic Award 2016 and MURA BUAI (Ghenoa Gela). Elle was Performer and Rehearsal Director for KAGE Physical Theatre’s international tour of Caught in the Middle. She has been awarded residencies to create new work by Ausdance NSW, DirtyFeet, Critical Path, March Dance, Brand X and Supercell Festival of Contemporary Dance. From 2019 – 2021, Elle was an Artist Representative on the Board of Critical Path.

Elle has a Bachelor of Arts in English from UWA and a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from WAAPA. She is proud to have an ongoing career in the arts, navigating the complex structural and cultural barriers that exist with this decision.

Elle was raised in Boorloo/Perth by her Filipino and Burmese family and currently lives on Garigal Land in Sydney. Away from the stage and studio Elle really, really, enjoys knitting. She became a Mum in 2022 and asks the question “How do you keep your creative practice AND your child(ren) alive?” on her podcast MUM in development.

Tickets: Free. Bookings open soon.

Date: Thu 31 Aug, 6pm

Run time: 60 mins

Location: Arts House