BIO

Elise May is a nationally recognised dancer, choreographer and video artist whose career spans two decades. She has worked internationally and in Australia as an independent artist and performer. Elise completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at QUT in 2002 and began her career as a freelance dancer and choreographer, working with artists and directors such as Cheryl Stock, Clare Dyson, Chrissie Parrot, Mariana Verdaasdonk, Andrew Corey and Bonemap. 

Elise was invited to join Brisbane’s Expressions Dance Company (EDC) in 2008 and became Assistant Artistic Director to Natalie Weir. Elise has performed, choreographed and been engaged as a teaching artist in Australia, the US, Switzerland, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and China. 

In 2009 Elise developed a self devised solo performance installation called ‘Close Proximity’ and was the recipient of a 2010 Brisbane Front Residency which gave her the opportunity to develop her interest in performance design, installation, sound and moving image. Her experimental ‘Screen Dance Laboratory’ was presented at the Judith Wright Centre in Brisbane. In 2011 Elise presented an interactive online creative development project entitled ‘101 Ways to Strip!’

In 2011 Elise was nominated for an Australian Dance Award for her performance as the grandmother in Natalie Weir’s ‘Where The Heart Is’ and in 2012 received the Australian Dancce Award – ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ for her role of Juliet (Act Three) in Natalie Weir’s ‘R&J’. In 2015 she was shortlisted for a Helpmann Award for her role The Red Shoes and in 2018 was also shortlisted or a Helpmann Award for her performance in Behind Closed Doors.

Elise’s 2016 QUT Master of Arts (Research) investigated the use of the moving image and digital media in live performance. Elise’s choreographic practice and research continues to investigate performance design, installation, moving image, site-specific and interdisciplinary contexts for dance and digital media.

Her collaborations with animator Paul Van Opdenbosch explored the applications of X-sens motion-capture technology in live contemporary dance performance and abstract generative animation contexts. Her interest in dance and technology collaboration led her to collaborated with sound designer and performing vocalist Michelle Xen and Paul Van Opdenbosch on a site-specific performance project ‘Lumen Body’.

Elise was appointed Associate Lecturer in Dance at QUT in 2019. Elise has worked as choreographer with Opera Australia, Opera Queensland and the West Australian Opera and was Choreographer-in-Residence with CIRCA in 2021.