Five rising-star choreographers have been commissioned to create new works for the company.

Carriageworks and Sydney Dance Company, in conjunction with The Balnaves Foundation, have announced the five rising-star choreographers commissioned to create new works as part of the New Breed initiative, a programme that supports the next generation of Australian dance creators.

“For almost half a century, Sydney Dance Company has been the home of contemporary dance in Australia, with a strong dedication to nurturing the next generation of Australian choreographic artists,” Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela said. “We are proud to further contribute to this legacy through a unique programme, and to invest in what we believe is the very foundation of the future of Australian contemporary dance – its creators.”

^{Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed 2017 choreographers. Photo: supplied.}

In the fourth year of the programme, the five choreographers chosen are Javanese Australian choreographer and performer Melanie Lane, Perth-based performance artist Tyrone Robinson as well as Sydney Dance Company dancers Cass Mortimer Eipper (who created a piece, Dogs and Baristas, for the first New Breed season in 2014), Nelson Earl, and Petros Treklis. Eipper and Earl are collaborating on the first New Breed co-creation. The choreographers will work with Sydney Dance Company dancers to create their new works, and will be supported by all departments of the Company.

The four new works will be presented at Carriageworks at the end of the year. “Carriageworks’ ongoing partnership with Sydney Dance Company to present this unique programme reaffirms our commitment to showcasing new work from Australia’s most innovative emerging choreographers, performed by some of the finest contemporary dancers in Australia,” said Carriageworks Director Lisa Havilah.

Victoria Balnaves of the Balnaves Foundation confirmed the foundation’s ongoing support of the initiative. “The Balnaves Foundation has a strong focus on fostering the young talent we have in Australia and we are proud to support New Breed, in partnership with Sydney Dance Company and Carriageworks, for a further three years,” she said. “New Breed provides a platform for emerging choreographers to push the boundaries and explore their creativity in wild and imaginative ways, helping them to grow and inspire. It’s wonderful to see the recent success of previous New Breed choreographers and we have no doubt this year’s artists will be equally impressive.”

Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed 2017 will be at Carriageworks, Sydney, November 30 to December 9.

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