ENCOUNTER, in partnership with FORM Dance Projects and Sydney Youth Orchestras, presented in Sydney Festival 2020
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
GABRIELLE ROSE
Gabrielle is the Executive Director of FLING, following her tenure as Co Artistic Director with Rob McCredie since 2016, having joined the organisation in 2013. Her leadership is guided by a desire to create innovative, relevant and inspiring work, that supports artists in all stages of their career, enabling FLING to become a regional hub for independent dance. Gabrielle holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Performance Creation (Choreography) from the Victorian College of the Arts, a Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Education (Dance and Theatre Studies) from the University of New South Wales and was a participant in the Solo Performance Residency at Victoria University. In Australia, UK and Europe Gabrielle has presented her own choreographic work, facilitated learning and making processes, performed, and produced events that served as a platform for other artists. Gabrielle’s practice is influenced by artists she has trained and collaborated with including Rob McCredie, Kate Denborough, Rosalind Crisp, Andrew Morrish, Caroline Bowditch, Gunilla Heilborn, Helen Herbertson, Wendy Houston, Jess Devereux, and Samara Hersch. Gabrielle was the 2007 recipient of the Wilma Firth Award for outstanding achievement in Dance Education.
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
BETH LANE
Beth is the Creative Director at FLING Physical Theatre, and joined the organisation in 2021 in the role of Dance Development Officer. A graduate of the VCA/UniMelb, (Bachelor of Dance), she has worked as a dancer, rehearsal director and creator on a range of independent performance projects in Australia, NZ and Berlin. Beth is an established and sort after teacher in dance education, youth and community projects throughout Australia. Creating, teaching and facilitating program development has taken her into university, school, higher education and company spaces.
Beth worked with choreographer Russell Dumas ‘Dance Exchange’, maintained a regular studio practice with the Company and was exposed to the wealth of knowledge held by Dumas and his creative associates around the world.
Fascinated by the body, her teaching is influenced by a range of somatic movement practices. She facilitates spaces to move which are thorough and specific, playful and imaginative. She considered the experience of the nervous system at the centre of her practice when making, dancing and facilitating. She continues her own learning in somatic practice with practitioners Shona Innes and Wendy Smith.
Beth worked with choreographer Russell Dumas ‘Dance Exchange’, maintained a regular studio practice with the Company and was exposed to the wealth of knowledge held by Dumas and his creative associates around the world.
Fascinated by the body, her teaching is influenced by a range of somatic movement practices. She facilitates spaces to move which are thorough and specific, playful and imaginative. She considered the experience of the nervous system at the centre of her practice when making, dancing and facilitating. She continues her own learning in somatic practice with practitioners Shona Innes and Wendy Smith.
PRODUCER | OPERATIONS MANAGER
Anne Corcoran
After discovering backstage theatre in her teens Anne went on to train in Stage Management, Lighting and Sound at the then Centre for the Performing Arts in Adelaide. On graduating she travelled to Scotland where she spent 10 years working in lighting at Edinburgh Festival Theatre, touring with Scottish Opera and finally as Deputy Electrician/ Technical Training Tutor at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Relocating to the Bega Valley in 2005 with a young family Anne held a variety of jobs before joining the FLING team as bookkeeper in 2013. As Production Coordinator Anne now combines all her skills and experience to manage the smooth running of the office and support productions in anyway possible, from managing Front of House to Lighting Design and anywhere in between.
Relocating to the Bega Valley in 2005 with a young family Anne held a variety of jobs before joining the FLING team as bookkeeper in 2013. As Production Coordinator Anne now combines all her skills and experience to manage the smooth running of the office and support productions in anyway possible, from managing Front of House to Lighting Design and anywhere in between.
ASSOCIATE artist
Patrick meessmann
Growing up in the Bega Valley, Paddy thrived in his family connection to dance. His mother Colleen (Finneran) Meessmann, a local teacher and former dancer with Pina Bausch, instilled dance and creativity in daily life. Paddy joined Lee Pemberton at FLING Physical Theatre from the company’s beginnings.
A graduate of the VCA/UniMelb (Bachelor of dance), Paddy has worked professionally as a performer and dance educator across Australia. He was a member of The Australian Ballet’s Dance Education Ensemble, delivering the ‘Out There’ program, designed and mentored by Helen Cameron. He has co-directed dance programs, devised performance, and worked as an artist in residence in schools throughout Australia. Paddy has performed with Opera Australia as a dancer and actor, worked with Delia Silvan on ‘La Pellegrina’, directed by Rodney Hall for Woodend Winter Arts Festival. In creative collaborations, he has designed and created set and costuming, choreographed and presented work independently at ‘You are Here” in Canberra, PAVE in Emerald and Dunedin Fringe in New Zealand. Paddy is excited by the potential in dance to open a dialogue and pass information through bodies. He is looking forward to reconnecting with his home community to share his passion for movement, creativity and body awareness. |
guest artist
Rob McCredie
The FLING Company at Four Winds Festival, Image Ben Marden
FLING BOARD MEMBERS
Jenni Johnston - Chair
Jenni currently works for Southern NSW Local Health District. With tertiary qualifications in allied health and public health, she brings to the FLING Board her previous experience on committees for community service organisations and statewide health networks. Jenni has a passion for research and is interested in translating her skills to the arts sector through the overlap of the impact of the arts on health. She see's the outputs of FLING in the social capital it brings to the community, and is keen to continue and build on the work of previous FLING Board members in establishing FLING as an integral part of the youth dance ecosystem of rural and regional Australia.
Matt Alterator - Deputy Chair
Matt is a Koori man who has dedicated his career to working with Aboriginal communities. He has worked in diverse remote and urban Indigenous communities across Australia. Matt's moral purpose is to see the future built with a deeper understanding of and support for Australian Aboriginal cultures. Matt has established strong relationships with communities, schools and various government sectors. Matt embraces the opportunity to support others to create greater connections with their local Aboriginal community.
Peter Harvey - Treasurer
Peter Harvey has had extensive experience in working with people with disability and the Community and has a keen interest in promoting inclusion for people with disability in the community. Previously he has held volunteer and committee roles within community groups such as the Eclipse Film Society, Tathra United Football Club, Mumbulla School Employment Committee, The Far South Coast Football Association and The Bega Valley Data Collective.
Marianna Ypma - Secretary
Marianna is a business person, educator and advocate of kids' freedom of self-expression. She grew up in the Bega Valley in a time when performance opportunities and the arts culture were lacking, so was delighted, when she returned with young family, to discover a strong and established arts organisation in FLING. Marianna lives simply on life’s basics, happy to combine her indulgences of literature, music and theatre with her commitment to the FLING board.
Belinda Rosenbaum
Belinda is an artist with a background in design and arts administration. In 2016, Belinda initiated The Lonely Arts Club Pambula, and is engaged as a consultant in arts administration and visual communication for various businesses and organisations on the Sapphire Coast. This has seen her develop and co-coordinate Panboola Wetlands annual art festival Ephemeral, and engaged by the Wanderer festival in 2023 to develop and coordinate a new workshop - I Wear Wanderer - for its Lost Lands Program. Belinda also volunteers her time on creative teams, and as a performer, in community theatre productions - building invaluable connections with other artists and creatives in the Bega Valley.
Madison Phillips
Madison Phillips is a creative freelancer and marketing manager working on Djiringanj & Thaua Lands on the Sapphire Coast of NSW. Studying a Bachelor of Creative Arts majoring in Dance and minoring in Media Communications, she is a proud board member of Fling Physical Theatre. Madison works with Four Winds Concerts to champion exceptional music experiences in nature; bringing forward emerging young artists, First Nations voices and incredible professional musicians to regional areas.
Her freelance work via ‘Daily Ceremony’, a creative house for the rituals of life, specialises in brand storytelling, audience engagement, marketing and photography. Daily Ceremony blogs have been read by over 5,000 people and speak to the ways we show up, the ways we give up and the ways we live it up. Madison aims to continue her volunteer work within the community, whilst building on her professional connections and being a lifetime believer in the powers of narrative to bring people together.
Danelle Ayres
Danelle danced her way through life from a young age on the far south coast, traversing the region with the South Coast Regional Performing Ensemble. Danelle holds a Bachelor of Dance from the University of Western Sydney, a Post Graduate Diploma in Choreography from the Victorian College of the Arts, and a Diploma of Community Development from Victoria University.
Following study Danelle worked on small independent contemporary dance projects in the early 2000's, collaborating and working with a variety of artists such as Antonio Vargas, Bilqis Hijjas and Jrisi Jusakos. Post dance, Danelle's career is in the local and state government environment sector, and for the last 20 years Danelle has specialised in people leadership, strategy development and implementation, community environment programs, community development, consultation and reporting. Danelle joined the FLING Board in 2022 to give back to the Bega Valley dance community and reconnect with her first passion - movement, dance and the arts.
Jenni Johnston - Chair
Jenni currently works for Southern NSW Local Health District. With tertiary qualifications in allied health and public health, she brings to the FLING Board her previous experience on committees for community service organisations and statewide health networks. Jenni has a passion for research and is interested in translating her skills to the arts sector through the overlap of the impact of the arts on health. She see's the outputs of FLING in the social capital it brings to the community, and is keen to continue and build on the work of previous FLING Board members in establishing FLING as an integral part of the youth dance ecosystem of rural and regional Australia.
Matt Alterator - Deputy Chair
Matt is a Koori man who has dedicated his career to working with Aboriginal communities. He has worked in diverse remote and urban Indigenous communities across Australia. Matt's moral purpose is to see the future built with a deeper understanding of and support for Australian Aboriginal cultures. Matt has established strong relationships with communities, schools and various government sectors. Matt embraces the opportunity to support others to create greater connections with their local Aboriginal community.
Peter Harvey - Treasurer
Peter Harvey has had extensive experience in working with people with disability and the Community and has a keen interest in promoting inclusion for people with disability in the community. Previously he has held volunteer and committee roles within community groups such as the Eclipse Film Society, Tathra United Football Club, Mumbulla School Employment Committee, The Far South Coast Football Association and The Bega Valley Data Collective.
Marianna Ypma - Secretary
Marianna is a business person, educator and advocate of kids' freedom of self-expression. She grew up in the Bega Valley in a time when performance opportunities and the arts culture were lacking, so was delighted, when she returned with young family, to discover a strong and established arts organisation in FLING. Marianna lives simply on life’s basics, happy to combine her indulgences of literature, music and theatre with her commitment to the FLING board.
Belinda Rosenbaum
Belinda is an artist with a background in design and arts administration. In 2016, Belinda initiated The Lonely Arts Club Pambula, and is engaged as a consultant in arts administration and visual communication for various businesses and organisations on the Sapphire Coast. This has seen her develop and co-coordinate Panboola Wetlands annual art festival Ephemeral, and engaged by the Wanderer festival in 2023 to develop and coordinate a new workshop - I Wear Wanderer - for its Lost Lands Program. Belinda also volunteers her time on creative teams, and as a performer, in community theatre productions - building invaluable connections with other artists and creatives in the Bega Valley.
Madison Phillips
Madison Phillips is a creative freelancer and marketing manager working on Djiringanj & Thaua Lands on the Sapphire Coast of NSW. Studying a Bachelor of Creative Arts majoring in Dance and minoring in Media Communications, she is a proud board member of Fling Physical Theatre. Madison works with Four Winds Concerts to champion exceptional music experiences in nature; bringing forward emerging young artists, First Nations voices and incredible professional musicians to regional areas.
Her freelance work via ‘Daily Ceremony’, a creative house for the rituals of life, specialises in brand storytelling, audience engagement, marketing and photography. Daily Ceremony blogs have been read by over 5,000 people and speak to the ways we show up, the ways we give up and the ways we live it up. Madison aims to continue her volunteer work within the community, whilst building on her professional connections and being a lifetime believer in the powers of narrative to bring people together.
Danelle Ayres
Danelle danced her way through life from a young age on the far south coast, traversing the region with the South Coast Regional Performing Ensemble. Danelle holds a Bachelor of Dance from the University of Western Sydney, a Post Graduate Diploma in Choreography from the Victorian College of the Arts, and a Diploma of Community Development from Victoria University.
Following study Danelle worked on small independent contemporary dance projects in the early 2000's, collaborating and working with a variety of artists such as Antonio Vargas, Bilqis Hijjas and Jrisi Jusakos. Post dance, Danelle's career is in the local and state government environment sector, and for the last 20 years Danelle has specialised in people leadership, strategy development and implementation, community environment programs, community development, consultation and reporting. Danelle joined the FLING Board in 2022 to give back to the Bega Valley dance community and reconnect with her first passion - movement, dance and the arts.
The FLING Company in Body and Environment, Image Andrew Norman