5. How has Australian Dance Theatre changed as a company since its foundation in 1965?
Australian Dance Theatre, established in 1965 by Elizabeth Cameron Dalman, is the longest standing contemporary dance company in Australia, recently celebrating 50 years. Whilst the company has created a remarkable 50 years of innovative and original work, many state that the concepts and ideas have vastly changed from the company Dalman established. Over the last five decades, Australian Dance Theatre has continued to develop, with the evolution of six individual artistic directors, who produced work in their distinct style, developing unique aesthetics. Adelaide born, Dalman had a vision to introduce Australian audiences to the possibilities of contemporary
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Alongside Taylor came an invigorating and individual approach to this developing art form, expanding the vocabulary of movement aesthetics that had not been explored in previous years with the company. This exhilarated Australian audiences, gaining global recognition and featured in 11 international festivals within Taylor’s nine years of directing. Not only did Taylor produce a personal repertoire of new works, he invited guest English choreographers, who he had previously worked with in the Rambert …show more content…
"There 's this really subtle moment I look out for every time. But people come to the show and they don 't even see it. That 's why a lot of people come back a second time and say, 'oh you 've changed it. ' And I say 'No I haven 't changed a thing, you 're looking at it differently."
Meryl Tankard was artistic director of the company for 8 years. In 1999 Garry Stewart became Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre, replacing Tankard, the theatre becoming concerned that she was devoting a significant amount of time touring overseas, instead of engaging the audiences of her homeland.
Garry Stewart, an intelligent mind, whose unique incorporation of photography, video, robotics, and other multimedia advances, developed a distinctive identity that the company is renowned for; the dancers capabilities to exceed 'the boundaries of the body and its modes of expression. '
Classes in break-dancing and gymnastics are part of the dancers training, to create fast and physically demanding bodily movement; captivating the audiences with appreciation for their expertise. ‘Athletic, high energy and an explosive style’ are qualities that demonstrate the distinct aesthetics of Australian Dance Theatre today, Dalman seeing it as being ‘very Australian, linked to our