AUSTI Company Classes 2024

AUSTI. Dance and Physical Theatre company class are open for intermediate - advanced level dancers. Classes are run by the director, Michelle Maxwell, former company artists and highly experienced guest teachers. Classes run intermittently throughout the year depending on the company’s performance and rehearsal schedule. 

COST:

1.5 hour classes = $15

2 hour workshop/classes = $20

4 hour workshop/classes = $40                                                                                                                                                     

All proceeds go towards supporting AUSTI. Dance and Physical Theatre's annual programs. We thank you kindly for your support!

Please see upcoming classes/workshops below:

NOVEMBER 2024:

CONTEMPORARY with RONIT ZIV 

• Thursday 31 October, 10.00 - 2.00pm @ Bulli PCYC
• Friday 01 November, 10.00 - 2.00pm @ Coalcliff Community Hall 
  

Ronit Ziv, an acclaimed choreographer renowned since the 1990s, pioneers dance with her innovative use of the Release Technique, imbuing movement with authenticity and improvisation. Her award-winning piece "Rose Can't Wait" showcases her groundbreaking talent. A Tel Aviv University PhD candidate, Ronit lectures on choreography at the Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. She's shared her expertise globally, leading workshops with CNDC l'esquisse, Bassano del Grappa Festival, and UCLA. Ronit's influence spans prestigious US universities like Pomona College and Tulane University. Her collaborations with companies like Batsheva Ensemble highlight her commitment to pushing choreographic boundaries worldwide.

BODYWEATHER with LINDA LUKE 

• Saturday 02 November, 10.00 - 2.00pm @ Coalcliff Community Hall

CONTEMPORARY with NATALIE CUNZOLO

• Thursday 07 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Bulli PCYC

Growing up in the Illawarra, Natalie is a dance artist and educator trained broadly across styles. As a former company member of AUSTI, she has worked closely alongside national and international choreographers, toured performance seasons locally and interstate, and was provided her first choreographic opportunity staging a work as part of uNCOILEd eXposed. Since her time with AUSTI, she has enjoyed working on Sydney based professional projects, most recently on performance installations with choreographer Lucky Lartey, and furthering her work within youth dance as a Sydney Dance Company Teaching Artist, Arts Unit tutor and Royal Academy of Dance registered teacher.

BALLET with BLYTHE NEWMAN

• Friday 08 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Thirroul Dance Academy | Studio 2 King Street Thirroul 
• Friday 15 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Thirroul Dance Academy | Studio 2 King Street Thirroul 

Blythe Newman grew up and started her dance training in Wollongong, NSW Australia. At the age of 15, Blythe received a full scholarship from former Stuttgart Ballet Prima Ballerina Birgit Keil and moved to Germany to attend The Academy of Dance Mannheim where she completed a Bachelor of Arts at the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts. In 2006 Blythe joined the Badisches Staatsballett (Baden State Ballet) in Karlsruhe, Germany under the direction of Prof Birgit Keil. Blythe swiftly progressed through the ranks being appointed as a soloist and the following season achieving the top title of Principal Artist. Blythe performed the title roles in Ballet Masterpieces such as Juliet in Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, Giselle in Sir Peter Wright’s Giselle, Balanchine’s Symphony in C, Lise in Sir Frederick Ashton’s La fille mal gardee and Ashton’s Voices of Spring, Katharina in John Cranko’s Taming of the Shrew, Christopher Wheeldon’s Swan Lake, La Sylphide from Peter Schaufuss alongside masterworks from Hans van Manen, Uwe Scholz, Ray Barra and Youri Vamos. Blythe shone in roles created for her by renowned Choreographers including Davide Bombana, Jorg Mannes, Tim Plegge, Reginaldo Oliveira, Terence Kohler and Thiago Bordin. Blythe toured Internationally with the company, performing in the World’s top theatres. Dancing for the Princess of Thailand, and in Galas such as Stuttgart Ballets 50th Anniversary Gala. After over 16 years as a professional Dancer and Principal Artist, Blythe now shares her experience and knowledge globally, invited to teach at Prague Ballet Intensive and The International Summer School at The MacDonald College

CONTEMPORARY with KATE ARBER

• Thursday 14 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Bulli PCYC

Kate is from a small country town of Western Australia where her passion for dance began. This passion led Kate to graduate from The Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School in 2013. The following years Kate found a love for contemporary dance graduating from Sydney Dance Company PPY (2014) And Transit Dance (2016). In 2017 Kate joined with the Austinmer Dance Theatre for two years, being exposed to amazing other artists locally and internationally. From being with company Kate made connections with Iratxe Ansa & Igor Boscovich, Metamorphosis Dance Company (Spain) where she has grown as an artist and dancer, eager to share her knowledge and experiences with other dancers/artists.

CONTEMPORARY with LUCY ANGEL 

• Saturday 16 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Coalcliff Community Hall

Born and raised in Wollongong, NSW, Lucy began her training at Joanne Grace School of Dance. Throughout her time there, she completed her Certificate IV in dance, as well as being awarded her Solo Seal through the Royal Academy of Dance. Lucy joined The Sarasota Ballet as a trainee for their 2018-2019 season. Lucy Joined Sydney Dance Company's Pre Professional Year in 2021 & 2022 and completed her Diploma of Dance under SDC. She commenced a traineeship with Sydney Dance Company in 2023 in which she performed nationally and internationally in a range of contemporary dance repertoire. She then joined SDC for their European tour in 2024. 

CONTEMPORARY with FRANCESCA GOZEDK

• Thursday 21 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Bulli PCYC

Francesca is an Italian interdisciplinary dance artist, choreographer, and the founder of Interchange Dance Project in Sydney. With a career that spans Europe and Australia, Francesca explores movement through physical theatre, dynamic floorwork, yoga, rollerdance and improvisation, always seeking to deepen the connection between body and expression. She lectures in contemporary dance at AMPA, teaches at various private colleges, and shares her approach through workshops across Sydney. She performed immersive dance theatre for several years with Twisted Element in productions like Ritual, Opus, and Awakening. She performed at festivals such as the Fringe Festival, March Dance, and Sydney Winter Solstice Festival. As the director and choreographer of Interchange Dance Project, Francesca crafts work across site-specific performances, theatre, and film, including the dance films TrainEscape, Somnia, and Edge. Her project TrainEscape premiered in Sydney before being performed at the Florence Dance Festival, Italy, offering young Australian dancers a valuable international experience. The film version has been featured at festivals in Romania, Brazil, and Australia.

BALLET with TIMOTHY FARRAR

• Friday 22 November, 10.00 - 11.30am @ Thirroul Dance Academy | Studio 2 King St Thirroul 

CONTEMPORARY with MADELINE HARMS

• Friday 22 November, 12.00 - 2.00pm @ Thirroul Dance Academy | Studio 1 McCauley St Thirroul 
• Saturday 23 November,12.00 - 2.00pm @ Coalcliff Community Hall

Born and raised in Australia, Madeline completed her Bachelor of Dance (BDa) at the Codarts University for the Arts, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Basing herself in Europe for a further 10 years, she worked as an independent artist before joining tanzmainz, the dance company of Staatstheater Mainz, Germany, under the direction of Honne Dohrmann. There she worked closely in creations with choreographers Sharon Eyal (L-E-V), Rafaële Giovanola (Cocoon Dance), Roy Assaf, Guy Weizman and Roni Haver (Club Guy & Roni), amongst many others, and toured extensively throughout Europe and abroad. In 2022 Madeline joined Sydney Dance Company, performing nationally and abroad with works by Rafael Bonachela, Antony Hamilton and Tra Mi Dinh. Most recently she performed with Stephanie Lake Company (Melbourne), touring the award winning work Manifesto by Stephanie Lake.

(Company Class image by Children of the Revolution Photography)