Program Overview

February 2021

BlakForm is a BlakDance response to COVID-19

BlakForm is a development platform for established First Nations dance makers.

BlakForm is a groundbreaking career development platform supporting established First Nations dance makers. BlakForm was created through over 120 sector consultations undertaken in 2020 and is BlakDance’s strategic response to both the adverse impacts, and opportunities to reimagine practice, presented by COVID-19. BlakForm is supported by the Federal Government’s RISE funding.

BlakForm is an innovative First Nations led platform that enables eight of Australia’s leading First Nations dance makers with time and support to drive the development of their work – from their artistic practice, to building their profile, to embedding market development strategies in their work. This combined development will support these artists’ work to reach more audiences and communities locally, nationally and globally.

BlakForm is made up of four distinct but interrelated components: 1. Online learning to build new skills and capacity in professional practice, co-designed and led by industry leaders Kirk Page and Paul McGill 2. A choreographic development lab, in partnership with Jasmine Gulash and Claire Hicks of Critical Path 3. Seed funding for the development of new work 4. A showcase of the works in development to market representatives

BLAKFORM 2021 FACILITATORS

Kirk Page - CoDesigner and Facilitator Kirk’s is Mulandjali and Badu Island, Torres Strait. Formerly the Associate Artistic Director at the Northern Rivers Performing Arts (NORPA) Company, Lismore NSW, Kirk is now creative producer on a range of First Nations dance and physical theatre productions. Kirk trained at the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association NAISDA and egan his professional career with Bangarra Dance Theatre in 1995. Kirk has worked in film, television and theatre. Kirk recently directed Djurra ( LORE ) a Bundjalung Dreaming Story “ My artistic practice as a physical theatre performer, actor, dancer, singer, teacher has had me work in the professional industry - commercial and independent over the last 24 years. My practice has developed from the need to be employable, relevant and constantly evolving still. I am intrigued by the body and how it can tell story, its history and its future. As a movement based practitioner this project would have me extending on my physical skill set as an interpreter of ancestor and history.”

Paul McGill - CoDesigner and Facilitator Paul has strong market development experience with both small to medium artistic companies, independent artists as well as a major performing arts companies as well as coaching and mentoring experience. Past roles include the first Director, International Market Development at Circus Oz (2002 – 2008) and overseeing a highly successful period for Circus Oz internationally as well as as an independent producer for a number of years. Qualifications: University of Melbourne – BSc (Majoring in Biotechnology, Economics, Finance and Accounting) and GAICD Paul leads the Maakan Advisory practice and is a highly experienced strategic advisor bringing in excess of 25 years of strategy, governance, financial and operational experience to all his roles.

Jasmine Gulash - Jasmine is a descendant of the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi) people in South-East Queensland. She has been working in the First Nations Contemporary and Cultural dance space for over 30 years as a dancer, educator, choreographer, tour manager, director and creative producer. Jasmine’s learnings and practises have been enriched by the opportunity of work alongside some of the most talented emerging and established First Nations artists on Country.

Claire Hicks - In her role as Director of Critical Path, Claire has been working with artists, artform and audience development for over 20 years. As an independent producer and curator, her work includes dramaturgy, discourse & writing projects. She has programmed and produced theatre venues, international collaborations, touring work, international festivals, and a range of development programs.

BlakForm Online Learning Course Guest Speakers

Nancy Bamaga - Nancy Bamaga is a Torres Strait Islander woman with extensive knowledge and experience in Indigenous community cultural development, and the retailing of Indigenous art and craft. She has been involved in the arts industry since 1992, promoting arts industry development in Queensland.

Carla McGrath - Carla McGrath is a proud Indigenous Australian woman whose family comes from Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. Raised on the Australian mainland, Carla retains strong family and community ties to the Torres Strait. Carla is a consultant specialising in community engagement and consultation, facilitation, for-purpose organisational sustainability, and program design, development and facilitation.

Lydia Miller - A Kuku Yalanji woman from Far North Queensland, Ms Miller has a wealth of experience in the arts and cultural sector spanning some 30 years as a performer, artistic director, producer, administrator, senior executive and advocate. Her professional performing arts career spans theatre, film, television and radio. She combines this artistic background with public policy and administration experience in the health, community services and criminal justice sectors.

Carolyn Tate - Carolyn Tate & Co. is an education and publishing company dedicated to unearthing a higher purpose in people and organisations. Carolyn believes that the purpose of business is to serve the greater good and that profit should be the by-product, not the single-minded goal.

Jacob Boehme - Jacob Boehme is a Melbourne born and based artist of Aboriginal heritage, from the Narangga and Kaurna nations of South Australia. With a 20 year history working in Cultural Maintenance, Research & Revival of traditional dance with Elders and youth from urban to remote Indigenous communities across Australia, Jacob combines dance (Diploma in Dance, NAISDA 2000) and playwriting (Masters in Writing for Performance, VCA 2014) to create multi-disciplinary theatre, dance, ceremony for stage, screen, large-scale public events / festivals.

Kath Melbourne - Kath works across the creative industries, government and not for profit sectors. She provides high level strategic, business and operational advice and brokers collaborations, partnerships and stakeholder relationships. She is particularly skilled in industries which have high levels of emotional investment and those in which innovation and creative thinking are essential for success.

Margo Kane - Cree-Saulteaux performing artist, Margo Kane is the Founder and Artistic Managing Director of Full Circle: First Nations Performance. For over 40 years she has been active as a performing artist and community cultural worker. Moonlodge, her acclaimed one-woman show, an Aboriginal Canadian classic, has toured for over 10 years nationally and internationally. The Sydney Press (AU) during The Festival of the Dreaming praised it as being ‘in the top echelon of solo performance.’ She developed and runs the annual Talking Stick Festival and an Aboriginal Ensemble Performing Arts Program in Vancouver.

Keith Barker - Keith Barker is an Algonquin Métis playwright, actor, and theatre director from Northwestern Ontario, and the current Artistic Director at Native Earth Performing Arts. He was a finalist for the Governor General’s Award for English Drama in 2018 for his play, This Is How We Got Here. Keith received a Saskatchewan and Area Theatre Award for Excellence in Playwriting and a Yukon Arts Award for Best Art for Social Change for his play, T he Hours That Remain. Prior to taking the job at Native Earth, Keith served as a Theatre Program Officer for the Canada Council for the Arts.

Ed Bourgeois - Mohawk-descendant performer/playwright and arts administrator, Ed has served as Managing Director of PAʻI Foundation (Honolulu, HI), General Director of Anchorage Opera, and Director of Programs at the Alaska Native Heritage Center. He established the Alaska Native Playwrights Project, which trained emerging Native playwrights in Alaska and on Pine Ridge Reservation (SD), and produced ʻAu I Ke Kai (Crossing the Distant Seas), bringing together Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian performers for the Talking Stick Festival (Vancouver, BC) and Moʻolelo Storytelling Festival (Honolulu).

Dolina Wehipeihana - Ngāti Raukawa, Ngati Tūkorehe, Dolina works at PANNZ and Kia Maru. Dolina is also an independent producer through her company Betsy & Mana Productions. She has produced for artists White Face Crew, co-produced the national tour of Mei-Lin Te Puea Hansen’s T he Mooncake and the Kumara (co-produced with The Oryza Foundation for Asian Performing Arts), and Kirk Torrance’s F lintlock Musket. As a producer she has also worked with Indian Ink, NZ Dance Company and was Creative Producer for Atamira Dance Company from 2002 – 2010.

Catherine Jones - Catherine Jones is the Director of the APAM Office. Prior to taking up the role at APAM Catherine was the General Manager of Arts House, Melbourne’s centre for contemporary and experimental performance for three years. Before joining the City of Melbourne Catherine held Executive positions in some of Melbourne’s leading contemporary performance companies including Chunky Move, Malthouse Theatre and Arena Theatre Company.

Kath Papas - Kath is a creative producer and arts consultant. With special passions for dance and for fostering diversity, she thrives on working collaboratively with artists and organisations to realise exciting projects which push boundaries and break new ground. Based in Melbourne, Australia, her work spans regional, national and international spheres. Kath is producer at APAM for Ilbijerri First Nations lead APAM.

Norman Armour - Norman Armour is a Vancouver-based live performing arts specialist with over 30 years of experience. His career has included work as a festival director, curator, theatre producer, stage director, and interdisciplinary artist. In 2005, he co-founded the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, serving as its Artistic and Executive Director for 14 years. Norman currently works with the Australia Council for the Arts as an International Development Consultant for North America (Canada, USA).

Katrina Schwarz - Katrina Schwarz is a Curator, Writer and Editor, based in London,missing Sydney and working globally. Katrina is newly appointed International Development Consultant - Europe · Australia Council for the Arts

Fenn Gordon - Fenn Gordon moved from New Zealand to Australia in 2007 to join Performing Lines as the producer responsible for international projects. In late 2017 she returned to independent practice in the contemporary performing arts sector with her own company Tandem, working between Australia and New Zealand specialising in strategic development, producing and international touring.

BlakForm Artists 2021

Carly Sheppard, Tagalaka, Kurtjar, Wallangamma + BlakDance Producer As a cross-disciplinary performance artist and proud Tagalaka, Kurtjar, Wallangamma woman, Carly Sheppard’s work negotiates across dance and theatre performance, sculpture, drawing, voice and installation. Carly's most significant and recent work Crackers And Dip With Chase And Toey, premiered in 2018 at Arts House, Melbourne.

Joel Bray, Wiradjuri + Lucie Sutherland, Producer An artist living on Kulin country in Melbourne, Joel Bray is a proud Wiradjuri man who trained at NAISDA and WAAPA before pursuing a career in Europe and Israel with Jean-Claude Gallotta, Company CeDeCe, and many more prominent companies. He returned to Australia to work with CHUNKY MOVE. Joel’s choreographic practice includes making dance, dance-theatre and works for young audiences. One of his most recent works, B iladurang, featured in several major festivals including Auckland Arts Festival, Dance Massive, Brisbane and Sydney Festivals.

Joshua Pether, Kalkadoon + Cameron Goodman, Producer Living and working on Noongar country in Western Australia, Joshua Pether is of Kalkadoon heritage. He is an experimental performance artist, dancer/choreographer of movement, temporary ritual and imagined realities. His practice is influenced by his two cultural histories-indigeneity and disability and the hybridization of the two. Joshua’s most recent work, Jupiter Orbiting, was commissioned by Next Wave Festival and PICA, following performances in New York at Performance Space and Brisbane at SuperCell Festival.

Karul Projects + BlakDance Producer Started by Thomas E.S. Kelly (Bundjalung-Yugambeh / Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu) and Taree Sansbury (Kaurna, Narungga and Ngarrindjeri) in 2017, Karul Projects is a performing arts company that tells stories of Indigenous knowledge and its relevance and responsibility in modern and future Australia’s identity. Karul Projects is an arts company using mainly the medium of dance, however they use everything crossing art forms to best tell a narrative. This is the reason behind the name, Karul is a Yugambeh word meaning 'Everything'. The company’s recent premier of SILENCE, in the Brisbane Festival 2020, was the first Indigenous contemporary dance work commissioned by the festival.

Preparing Ground + BlakDance Producer Marilyn Miller, a Kuku Yalanji/Waanyi woman, Jasmin Sheppard, a Tagalaka and Kurtitjar woman & Katina Olsen, a Wakka Wakka and Kombumerri woman, collectively represent 6 clan groups and 126 years of experience as independent and company choreographers and dancers. All women have worked with Bangarra and carved independent choreographic careers taking their work across Australia and Canada. Preparing Ground is a new contemporary dance work about preparing land, communities and next generations for the survival of Country.

Session Structure NB: One on One Coaching Sessions are Individually Scheduled with each participating artist.

Session Date

BlakForm Orientation 15-16 Feb 2021

Session 1 Induction 24 Feb 2021

Session 2 Purpose 10 March 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 3 Vision 24 March 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 4 Market Development Part 1 7 April 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 5 Domestic Ecology 21 April 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 6 International Markets 5 May 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 7 Global Indigenous Context 19 May 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 8 Market Development Part 2 2 June 2021

One on One coaching Session

BlakForm Lab with Critical Path Week 1; 21- 25/6

Session 9 Pitch Preparation 14 July 2021

One on One coaching Session

Session 10 The Pitch 21 July 2021

BlakForm Post Evaluation 23 July 2021

Sessions Overview

BlakForm Orientation Prior to the formal commencement of the BlakFrom Program each of the participating artists will take part in an orientation with BlakForm Co-Facilitator Kirk Page. This conversation will allow Artists to develop expectations of themselves and of their work in the BlakForm space, sharing their understanding of market development.

Session 1 - Induction The induction session will be the first coming together of all the Artists and their Producers. Carla McGrath, BlakDance Board Director and Aunty Nancy Bamaga BlakDance Cultural Council, will lead Introduction of the program, Acknowledgement of Country and the conversation regarding the BlakForm code of conduct, Cultural protocols, respect, reciprocity and trust. The session will also cover the overview of each session and the myriad of possible outcomes that Artists can achieve throughout the program.

Session 2 - Purpose Understanding your purpose is fundamental to creating an informed and realistic Market Development Plan. Through discussions led by Lydia Miller, Australia Council for the Arts, Executive Director, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts and Carolyn Tate, author of The Purpose Project, the participating artists will develop and begin to articulate their purpose and the purpose of their work.

Session 3 - Impact Following on the Purpose session, Lydia and Carolyn will further explore Purpose and how that connects to the Impact for the Participating artists and for the work. This session creates space for the participating artists to leverage their understanding of ‘Why’ to develop and articulate their overarching goals for the future.

Session 4 - Market Development Part 1 Sessions 2 and 3 have facilitated the participating artists to develop a deeper understanding of their practice, Session 4 builds on this understanding and introduces the theory of Market Development. In conversation with Jacob Boehme, Senior Dance Practitioner, the participating artists will hear first hand how a market development plan was implemented and executed from the perspective of a First Nations Dance maker.

Session 5 - Domestic Ecology In this session the participating artists are immersed in the Australian Dance ecosystem with Kath Melbourne, A different kind of consultant for a new kind of world. Developing a shared understanding of the broader Australian performing arts ecology and within that context the contemporary dance and First Nations ecologies.

Session 6 - International Markets (EU and Canada) The Australia Council for the Arts International Development Consultants will evolve the participating artists' awareness of opportunities that are specific to the European and Canadian market.

Session 7 - Global Indigenous Context With a view of the domestic ecology, the participating artists will build on their learnings with the lens of exchange and potential with a Global Indigenous Context through discussions with prominent internationally based First Nations dance makers, producers and presenters.

Session 8 - Market Development Part 2 In this session the participating artists reflect and inquire on the experiences shared by guest speakers in previous sessions to further develop and define their own Market Development plan.

BlakForm Laboratory with Critical Path Each participating group will undergo a two week residency with Critical Path. Claire Hicks and Jasmine Gulash will support the participating artists to bring focus and clarity on how to articulate form for presenter audiences.

Session 9 - Pitch Preparation This session opens up the participating artists to ideas of how to pitch their ideas, guided by Fenn Gordon and Dolina Wehipeihana.

Session 10 - The Pitch Using the learnings from Session 9, the participating artists are invited to pitch their Market Development Plans and work in a mock environment gaining valuable insight and feedback from a range of the guest speakers that have contributed throughout the program.

Post Program Evaluation The final touch point of the program will be reconnecting Kirk Page with each of the participating artists to debrief on the program. What the participating artists valued and what kind of support BlakDance and the greater sector can provide them with in the future.