Now in its second year, SDC’s artist residency at Carriageworks champions “fresh, authentic dance pieces.”

Sydney Dance Company have announced the four emerging choreographic talents for this year’s New Breed initiative. Now in its second year, the major three-year residency in partnership with Carriageworks in the Central Sydney suburb of Redfern, fosters cutting edge choreography from the next generation of Australian dance-makers.

This year Daniel Riley, Kristina Chan, Bernhard Knauer and Fiona Jopp have been selected to benefit from the programme, and will produce newly commissioned dance works to present at a special New Breed season at Carriageworks this December. First established with the generous support of the Balnavas Foundation in 2014, the New Breed initiative aims to support young dance artists as they develop “fresh, authentic dance pieces.”

“Over its 46-year history, Sydney Dance Company has earned a reputation as a breeding ground for future generations of Australian choreographic artists,” said SDC Artistic Director, Rafael Bonachela. “We are proud to further contribute to this legacy through what we believe is a truly unique program, and to further invest in what we believe is the very foundation of the future of Australian contemporary dance – it’s creators.”

The first year of the initiative in 2014 saw a sold-out season, providing an excellent professional springboard for the inaugural five young choreographers. Gabrielle Nankiveli, one of these five, was recently announced as the recipient of the 2015 Tanja Liedtke Fellowship, established in honour of the late dancer and choreographer. As part of this year’s residency, the four most recent New Breed artists will have the opportunity to experiment, practise, compile their ideas and transform them into live performances, while having the technical and practical support of the SDC.

SDC Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela

“Australia is lucky to be blessed with an extremely rich talent base of young dance creators. Yet in order for me them to grow in their careers and reach their full potential, they need the opportunity to practise,” says Bonachela. “New Breed is about giving some of these talented young artists the best possible opportunity to experiment. I have personally been inspired hearing of their ideas and have every confidence their works will resonate with dance audiences for the coming generations.”

The four choreographers selected for this season offer an eclectic fusion of cultures, upbringing and dance experiences. Daniel Riley, from New South Wales, is a member of the Wiradjuri clan and has gained extensive choreographing experience creating works for Stephen Page’s Bangarra Dance Theatre and Third Row Dance Company in the UK.

Hong Kong born dancer, choreographer and 2011 Helpmann Award-winner, Kristina Chan, will be working specifically with the male dancers of SDC for her new work to explore the pressures society places on men.

Raised in Dresden Germany, Bernhard Knauer, a student of the Palucca School, has a classical training with a background in ballet.

Queenslander and SDC dancer, Fiona Jopp is developing her choreography for the first time in New Breed after years of dancing.

The 2015 New Breed initiative will also see Riley, Chan, Knauer and Jopp collaborating with a host of independent designers and musicians to complete the creation of their works. Independent designers, Matt Marshall and Aleisa Jelbert, and musicians/composers Nick Thayer, James Brown, Jürgen Knauer, Toby Merz and Alizia Merz have been announced as the principal collaborators for the new works, presented this December.

New Breed 2015 premieres at Carriageworks from 8 to 13 December.