CV
2023
Recipient of “Project Alchemy” a 12 month funding program led by Rebus Theatre (ACT), enabling practising artists from regions directly impacted by the Black Summer Bushfires to come together in two artist retreats to share skills, rebuild their practice and return to their own communities to lead community projects employing the arts to help repair, reconnect and celebrate their community.
Choreographer - ‘Plastic Fantastic’, a roving performance with eight bespoke lantern-style wearable art costumes created entirely from post consumer recycled waste plastics, for River of Art’s Luminous: Celebrate Place Event, Moruya NSW.
2022
Founder of Wellbeing In Motion offering adult dance classes in Batemans Bay on the South Coast of NSW for people over the age of 50. Recipient of funding from NSW health through the ‘Staying Active’ program to establish new classes. These mood-boosting, classes are for those who wish to build confidence and feel inspired by the many physical and cognitive benefits of dance, music and movement.
Yoga at Durras established a small boutique yoga studio at South Durras on the NSW South Coast offering classes and workshops for the local community operating from the South Durras Community Association Hall.
2021
Choreographer-In-Residence at CIRCA Contemporary Circus; “Collider” a site-specific work for Scoop Festival at HOTA, Home of the Arts, Gold Coast, “Cube Studies” in Santiago Chille for Festival Fundación Teatro a Mil / Santiago AMil (choreography conducted entirely online during the Covid19 Pandemic), Shaun the Sheep’s Circus Show Brisbane, Melbourne, Cairns, Mackay & Wollongong Australia, and assisted with “Peepshow” Sydney, Mackay, Townsville, Ayr, Berlin (Germany) and “Maria De Buenos Aires”, Lyon (France).
Choreographer - Opera Queensland’s production of The Marriage of Figaro directed by Patrick Nolan and re-staged for the West Australian Opera in 2021.
2020
Appointed Choreographer-In-Residence at CIRCA Contemporary Circus, November 2020
Associate Lecturer in Dance Creative Industries, Queensland University of Technology
Teacher and co-founder - ‘Zoom Dance’ Online Dance classes established during the Covid19 Pandemic
2019
Appointed Associate Lecturer in Dance Creative Industries, Queensland University of Technology
Choreographed site-specific interactive work The Play of Light commissioned by the Curious Arts Festival, Toowoomba.
Choreographed Oneself One’s Self for Dance19, QUT Dance Graduate performance season in collaboration with animation student Jordan Turner.
Choreographed ‘Return to Earth’ for Circa Zoo (CIRCA Contemporary Circus’s youth company) as part of Luke Jarram’s ‘Giah’ visual art installation at HOTA Home of the Arts, Gold Coast.
Teacher – Dance for Parkinson’s Australia – Dance Classes for participants with Parkinson’s Disease (Program sponsored by the Queensland Ballet).
Teacher - Yoga and dance teacher & workshop facilitator
2018
Nomination (Shortlisted) for a Helpmann Award – Best Female Dancer in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production – “Behind Closed Doors”
Dancer – EDC; Converge, International Collaboration “4Seasons” City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) Hong Kong, Darwin and Beijing. Natalie Weir’s “Everyday Requiem”.
Teacher – Invited to teach alongside guests from 16 Counties at the Beijing International Dance Camp prior to EDC’s participation in the Beijing Dance Festival.
Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training Qualification (12 months) at Core Yoga, Brisbane
Teacher – Dance for Parkinson’s Australia – Dance Classes for participants with Parkinson’s Disease (Program sponsored by the Queensland Ballet).
Produced EDC’s 2018 Season Launch Video, a short screen-dance work featuring EDC dancers.
2017
Choreographed “Written on the Body” a short work for EDC’s “Propel” program.
Choreographer “Mozart Airborne” – choreographed and performed a solo to Don Giovanni’s “Mi tradì quell’alma ingrata”collaborating with singer Hailey Sugars, and A trio for three dancers; Benjamin Chapman, Richard Causer and Jake McLarnon choreographed to Così Fan Tutte’s “Secondate, aurette amiche” collaborating with singers Samuel Piper and Dominic J. Walsh.
Choreographer – “Aida On The Beach” for Opera Australia. Choreography for 10 dancers (six EDC dancers and four guest artists) on Coolangatta Beach
Choreographer – A work for independent Chinese dancers for Guangdong Modern Dance Company’s “Dance With Me” program in the 2017 Gunagdong Modern Dance Festival
Dancer – EDC; “Propel”, “Mozart Airborne”, “Behind Closed Doors” and “Everyday Requiem” Creative Development period.
Teacher – Dance for Parkinson’s Australia – Dance Classes for participants with Parkinson’s Disease (Program sponsored by the Queensland Ballet).
2016
Appointed “Assistant to the Artistic Director” Natalie Weir at EDC
Remounted Shifting Lenses for Create-X “Where Creativity Meets Technology” community performance event at the opening of the new Creative Industries Precinct Building Z9 in 2016.
Completed teacher training in April 2016 for Dance For Parkinson’s Disease Program, Australia.
Dancer – EDC; “Black” International Collaboration Brisbane Season with Guangdong Modern Dance Company, “When Time Stops”, International Tour GMDC (4 cities in Guangdong Province, China).
Choreographer and director of “Lumen Body” a striking interaction with animated visual forms, electronic sound and live vocal performance for Brisbane City Council’s Laneway series.
Completed Master of Arts – Research at Queensland University of Technology.
Named in industry publication: Dance Australia Magazine’s Annual Dance Critic’s Survey as ‘Most Outstanding Dancer’ – Queensland Feb/March Edition 2017 (for her role in ‘When Time Stops’ 2016).
Travelled to China in advance of the International Tour with GMDC to present workshops in Guangzhou, China for independent artists, general public, High School students, Children with disabilities and company classes for Guangdong Modern Dance Company.
2015
Dancer – EDC; “The Host”, “7 Deadly Sins”, National Tour “Carmen Sweet” (NSW, VIC & SA) International Collaboration (Development period for “Black” with Guangdong Modern Dance Company in Guangzhou, China)
Nomination (Shortlisted) for a Helpmann Award – Best Female Dancer in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production – “The Red Shoes”
Created and performed “Shifting Lenses” the creative outcome of my Master of Arts – Research, a performance installation investigating investigation of interdisciplinary approaches with the use of moving image and digital media in live performance at Queensland University of Technology.
2014
Dancer – EDC; “Carmen Sweet” and “R & J” for APAM in Brisbane, “Solo Festival of Dance”, “Natalie Weir’s The Red Shoes”, “The Perfect American”, with Opera Queensland. Toured EDC’s “Carmen Sweet” Regional Queensland tour.
Choreographer of a solo work of EDC’s Solo Festival of Dance titled ‘The Man of Many Talents’ for Benjamin Chapman.
Master of Arts – Research at Queensland University of Technology (Part Time).
2013
“Propel”, “R & J” National Tour, “When Time Stops”, Singapore Dance Theatre – “Ballet Under the Stars”, “Carmen Sweet” Cremorne QPAC
Named in industry publication: Dance Australia Magazine’s Annual Dance Critic’s Survey as ‘Most Outstanding Dancer’ – Queensland Feb/March Edition 2014 (for her role in “Carmen Sweet” in 2013).
Master of Arts – Research at Queensland University of Technology (Part Time).
2012
Received an Australian Dance Award for ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ for her performance of Juliet in Act III of Natalie Weir’s “R & J”.
Commenced a Master of Arts – Research at Queensland University of Technology (Part Time).
Dancer – EDC; “R & J” (South Australian Tour), “Where The Heart Is” (QPAC) “Dance Energy”, a Collaboration with Queensland Ballet for the 2012 Brisbane Festival and “Carmen” with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra (QPAC).
Named in industry publication: Dance Australia Magazine’s Annual Dance Critic’s Survey as ‘Most Outstanding Dancer’ – Queensland Feb/March Edition 2013 (for her role in “When Time Stops” in 2012).
Co-choreographed a work ‘Memorandum’ for ‘Dance 2012′ the Queensland University of Technology Dance Graduation season at the Garden’s Point Theatre in Brisbane.
2011
Workshop facilitator: Creative development workshop investigating the body, the camera and perspective. A workshop that aims to help dance artists frame, conceptualise and create video content for their dance work.
“In between spaces” live solo performance and choreographic collaboration with Shaaron Boughen – presented as part of the QUT Dance Graduation Performance Season & shared program with Expressions Dance Company.
Nominated for an Australian Dance Award In the ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ Category for “Where the Heart Is” EDC, 2010.
Dancer – EDC; “R & J”, “Solo” and “First Ritual” Seasons. Toured with EDC to Korea (Pusan International Dance Festival) and Switzerland for “Scripsi Scriptum”, a collaboration with Basel’s Cathy Sharpe Dance Ensemble.
Choreographed a solo “The Woman With Two Smiles” for Samantha Mitchell in EDC’s “Solo Festival” May 2011
2010
Named in industry publication: Dance Australia Magazine’s Annual Dance Critic’s Survey as ‘Most Outstanding Dancer’ – “Where the Heart Is” Queensland Feb/March Edition 2010 & 2011
4 week cultural collaboration/ exchange project in China with ‘Beijing Dance – LDTX’ Company and Expressions Dance Company on a new work “First Ritual” by Natalie Weir and Willy Tsao.
“Where the Heart Is” QPAC and “While Others Sleep” Judith Wright Centre Seasons – Expressions Dance Company
2009
Brisbane Front Residency – “Elise May’s Screen Dance Laboratory” Judith Wright Centre Shopfront, a project supported by Ausdance Qld, The Judith Wright Centre & Brisbane City Council.
Pusan International Dance Festival Korea – Expressions Dance Company. Performer in triple bill “The Dance Maker’s” Season in Brisbane & Regional Queensland 2009
Presented “Close Proximity” solo performance installation in the Brisbane Festival 09 Under the Radar Program
2008
Commissioned to choreograph a new work, “End Up”, for Expressions Dance Company’s ‘Core Borders’ program
Joined Expressions as a dancer in April 2008. Performed Maggi Sietsma’s “On Thin Ice” – Guandong Modern Dance Festival – China and performed Maggi Sietsma’s “Score!” in New York. – Brooklyn Acadamy of Arts Theatre
Travelled to US, Norway and Sweden to participate in dance workshops and observe works in progress.
Participated in the Young Artist Mentorship Program run by Youth Arts Queensland. This allowed Elise to work with mentor Mariana Verdaasdonk. The beginnings of concepts (which later developed into Close Proximity) were explored and tested during the mentorship.
2007
Appointed Membership Services Officer, Australian Dance Council – Ausdance Queensland. Ausdance is Queensland’s state advisory body for dance. Duties involved arts administration, arts research, programing, and small events management, developing information packages for independent dancers, compiling educational resources and box office/ ticketing.
Presented a choreographic workshop presentation at the World Dance Alliance Asia Pacific Bridge Conference in Singapore 2007
Collaborated with Russell Miledge & Rebecca Youdell (Bonemap) & Lawrence English (composer) in their production “TiLT” as part of the On Edge Contemporary Media and Performance Festival.
2006
Recipient of the 2006 ‘Take Your Partner’ Australia Council grant for a supported mentorship period with Wendy Morrow and creative development of a new solo performance installation work – “Dare you Look” September/ October 2006.
Completed a Certificate IV in Small Business Management (BSB40401) Sarina Russo Institute. Units of study included; Researching business opportunities, establishing business and legal requirements, financial planning, promotion, business planning, analysis and presentation of research, coordination of business resources, reporting financial activity, profiling the market and analysis of customer behaviour for specific markets.
Set up a small business providing expert dance tuition, performing arts related video and sound editing services and small bespoke performance products for corporate and commercial clients in Brisbane. This provided extra income streams whilst working independently as a freelance dancer and choreographer.
Performer/ costume designer – “Accented Body” Dr Cheryl Stock’s 2006 Brisbane Festival Project. The work was an intercultural, interdisciplinary, site-specific project involving teams of contemporary Australian, Japanese, Korean, Singaporean, Taiwanese and UK artists exploring cultural and artistic collaborations and new media at the Creative Industries Precinct, Kelvin Grove. Performer/ collaborator in “The Living Lens” immersive performance installation devised by a team of Australian, Taiwanese and Japanese artists, led by QUT PhD researcher Mariana Verdaasdonk and Dr Cheryl Stock.
2005
Represented Australia as one of three international choreographers in the Asian Young Choreographer’s Project in Kaohsiung city, Taiwan July/ August 2005. Coordinated by the Jih Sun Foundation for Education and The World Dance Alliance – Asia Pacific
Performer & collaborator in “Churchill’s Black Dog” a work by Clare Dyson, at the Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts Brisbane in April, and the ANU Arts Centre in Canberra in September 2005.
2004
Commissioned to create a work “Knee Deep in Sunshine” for the Queensland University of Technology’s first year students in their undergraduate performance season, ‘Dance Bytes’ at the Gardens Theatre, Brisbane, June 2004.
Performer – “Dispatch” a multi‐media/ new media dance production by directors Chrissie Parrot (choreographer) and Jonathon Mustard (composer) ‘the Loft’, Brisbane and the ‘Breadbox’ theatre, Perth. The show used color tracking and video technologies to inform movement/performer interaction with sound composition in performance.
2003
Expressions Dance Company – Under Artistic Directorship of Maggi Sietsma worked with the company as an understudy for their production of “Richard III”.
Expressions Dance in Education program – toured “Chance the Dance” and “Lines in the Sand” programs in High Schools and Primary Schools throughout regional Queensland.
Choreographed two contemporary dance pieces “Elegance Thy Name…” and “Real Life Situation Failure” for the ‘Critical Mass’ independent choreographer’s seasons at the Brisbane Powerhouse in February and October 2003
Performed with RAWcollective in their work “Submerged” at the North Melbourne Town Hall as part of the Melbourne Fringe Festival
2002
Graduated from QUT Bachelor of Fine Arts – Dance
Invited to perform “Swanstyles.mpeg” a self devised/multimedia solo as part of Linkx WAAPA Graduate Dance Company’s showcase season at Dancehouse, Melbourne in December 2002.
Performer/ costume designer “Ada” in a six week interdisciplinary residency project at the Choreographic Centre, ACT, as part of a New Media/ Choreographic Fellowship by Sarah Neville. Collaborated with a hardware electronics designer, musician, sound engineer, actor and choreographer/ theatre director.