Australia’s premier centre for independent contemporary dance Dancehouse has announced the appointment of new Artistic Director and CEO Angela Conquet.
Angela comes to Dancehouse and Australia from her work as Artistic Director for Dance at Mains d’Oeuvres Paris – a major multi-arts cultural centre and a pioneer amongst independent art spaces in France. She has a passion for contemporary dance and a compelling vision for its development grounded in a track record of innovative and successful initiatives. At Mains d’Oeuvres, Ms Conquet created a highly acclaimed creative laboratory and incubator for dance artists, and developed a role as a facilitator weaving inventive links between artists and their cultural contexts.
Angela brings a rich range of proven skills – arts leadership, curatorial, organisational and financial. However, perhaps what makes her such a good fit for Dancehouse is her drive for recognising and supporting dance artists who take creative risks, and her bold and creative approach to linking artists with performance contexts and communities.
The legacy of outgoing Dancehouse director David Tyndall is a strong and vibrant organisation, now nearly twenty years old, seeking to further shape the future of Australian dance through initiatives local, national and international. Ms. Conquet’s vision and her capacity to create international links and collaborations will provide new opportunities for dance artists and new directions for Dancehouse.
Angela Conquet says: “I strongly believe that choreographers/dancers can enable social and cultural discourse by triggering critical reflection, as our society is reflected in their moving bodies. I am convinced that Dancehouse has a key role to play in presenting the best of new Australian dance, nurturing Melbourne’s artists, developing new audiences, but more importantly, in bringing a vision of our world nourished by poetic intelligence and in pushing creative living.”
Helen Simondson, Chair of the Dancehouse Board says: The Dancehouse board is very excited about the appointment of Angela she comes to the job with great credentials having been Director of Dance in a venue that has a similar mandate to Dancehouse and she also brings significant International networks which will be of great benefit to the Australian independent contemporary dance sector.