Ausdance ACT is delighted to present a workshop with Sydney Dance Company Rehearsal Associate Charmene Yap.

This Contemporary Creative Workshop is a unique opportunity for participants to experience how the company creates and performs new and original movement. Participants will be guided through a contemporary technique warm-up, taught a section of repertoire and challenged with a composition task from the performance of momenta at Canberra Theatre Centre from 21 - 22 June 2024.

Building on the understanding of the choreographic process, participants will have a special opportunity to learn and expand their knowledge and performance skills.

This workshop is tailored for an intermediate to advanced contemporary dance level, age 14+, pre-professionals and independent dance artists.

Photo Credit: Pedro Greig

Ausdance ACT’s Workshop Series is presented with support from Canberra Theatre Centre & Arts Capital at Gorman Arts Centre.

About the Artist:

Charmene is a multi-award-winning dancer, rehearsal director and choreographer. She is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and Purchase College New York, and in her early career, was a recipient of an Australian Council Skills and Development Grant and nominee of the prestigious Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative Award.

Prior to her decade of performing for Sydney Dance Company, Charmene danced for companies Chunky Move, Tasdance, Dancenorth, Lucy Guerin Inc., Armitage Gone! Dance Company and worked with numerous choreographers including Tanja Liedtke, Antony Hamilton and Sue Healey. She has featured in films including Think Of Yourself As Plural by David Rosetzky, Del Kathryn Barton’s Red, and Katie Noonan’s music clip Quicksand.

Charmene joined Sydney Dance Company as a Company Dancer in 2010, performing the majority of works by artistic director Rafael Bonachela, and other Australian and international choreographers including William Forsythe, Alexander Ekman, Stephanie Lake, Emmanual Gat, Jacopo Godani, Melanie Lane, Gabrielle Nankivell, Andonis Foniadakis and Prue Lang amongst others. Her dancing and performances earned her critical acclaim with numerous nominations and awards including: Helpmann Award for Best Female Dancer in 2012 and Australian Dance Award in 2013 for her role in 2 One Another; Helpmann Award for Best Female Dancer in 2014 for 2 in D Minor; and the Helpmann Award nomination in 2019 for Cinco.

Charmene choreographed for Sydney Dance Company’s first New Breed season in 2014. Her work Do We, was also performed in Perth by Co3 Company. More recently, as Assistant Choreographer, she worked with Gideon Obarzanek in creating Us 50 which celebrated Sydney Dance Company’s 50th Anniversary.

In September 2019, Charmene commenced her new role as Sydney Dance Company’s inaugural Rehearsal Associate, supported by Sydney Dance Company’s Dancers’ Circle and the Nelson Meers Foundation. In this role, she works with both the artistic and education departments; with Company dancers, PPY dancers and on other professional development programs.