This panel discussion is presented as part of the Generative Dancing Roundtable Series 2025, a series of hybrid talks developed in partnership between VCA Dance and Dancehouse.

Circularity of Life: Performing Rituals, Traditions and Spiritualism in Dance, Music and Animation

Guest Speakers: Wirastuti Susilaningtyas (Tututtuty), Dr. Monica Lim, Kitana Price with facilitation by Rheannan Port

A roundtable / panel talk featuring Javanese choreographer Wirastuti Susilaningtyas, First Nations dance artist Rheannan Port, Malaysian-born Australian sound artist Dr Monica Lim and First Nations Dance Scholar Kitana Price in a conversation exploring shared themes of rituals, traditions, and spiritualism in dance, music, and animation performance.

ARTIST BIOGRAPHIES

Rheannan Port

Rheannan Port is a Lama Lama, Ayapathu and Kuku Yalanji woman with over 20 years of experience working within Indigenous arts and culture as a dancer, choreographer and educator. She holds a Master of Fine Arts (Dance) with First Class Honours at The University of Melbourne, a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Arts Management at The Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development the University of Melbourne, a Diploma and Certificate in Dance at the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association Inc, (NAISDA). From 2003-2006, Rheannan danced with Bangarra Dance Theatre touring regionally and internationally. 

Rheannan is currently a Lecturer in Dance (Indigenous) at the University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) and the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development with a special interest in Indigenous dance pedagogy. 

Wirastuti Susilaningtyas
Wirastuti Susilaningtyas was born in Surakarta and is a graduate of the Indonesian Institute of the Arts, Surakarta. She began studying dance at the age of nine at Soeryo Soemirat, Puro Mangkunegaran, marking her entry into the world of performance. In 2003, she joined Eko Supriyanto’s Solo Dance Studio, deepening her dance practice and gaining opportunities to collaborate with renowned national and international directors and choreographers. Her work integrates movement and vocal practices, and she has performed as a dancer, choreographer, and vocalist with artists such as Eko Supriyanto, Suprapto Suryodarmo, Jarot Budi Darsono, Garin Nugroho, Fajar Satriadi, Riyanto, Chen Zi-Zheng, Rama Suprapto, and Gondrong Gunarto. Her notable works include Rendezvous (2017), Dawai Sunyi (2017), The Lady (2018), Hope (2020), and choreography for the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Asian Para Games. She is currently a member of Ekosdance Company.

Monica Lim
Monica is Narrm-based sound artist and composer interested in new cross-disciplinary genres and forms as well as combinations of new technology with music. Her work has been presented at Arts House, Science Gallery Melbourne, AsiaTOPA, Venice Biennale Architettura, White Night, ArtJog, Liquid Architecture, Melbourne Fringe, Arts Centre Melbourne, Seoul Performing Arts Festival, Sydney Dance Company and WorldPride as well as international symposiums such as ISEA, SIGGRAPH Asia and NIME. She has been nominated for the Creative Australia Inspire Award, Green Room Award and the Music Victoria Best Experimental Artist Award. Monica has completed her PhD at the Faculty of Fine Arts and Music, University of Melbourne in movement-led composition, new technologies and creative AI. She was a 2023 Artist-in-Residence at the Grainger Museum and Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio. www.monicalim.online

Kitana Price
Kitana is a proud Wotjobaluk woman of North-west Victoria who grew up on Kulin lands of the Boon-Wurrung and Woi-Wurrung peoples. Currently in her third year studying in the Bachelor of Fine Arts Dance at the University of Melbourne, Kitana aspires to be a professional contemporary dance artist within the community, creating works and discovering her identity as a First Nations artist.

As a prominent Koori leader throughout her education, Kitana has been the recipient for a number of scholarships including the Anne Kantor Scholarship (2023-2025), the Renate Kamener Scholarship (2024-2025), and the Ormond College’s Cultural Residential Advisor and Head of Indigenous Committee (2025).

RECORDING

Each roundtable / panel talk will be recorded including the Q&A with the audience.

PARKING

The City of Melbourne has recently changed the parking restrictions around the Southbank Campus. Parking control hours are now expanded to 7am–10pm, seven days per week, and are capped at three hours. A $2-per-hour fee after 7pm is also now in place. There is no change to the $4-per-hour peak rate between 7am–7pm. Parking inspectors are regularly in the area fining drivers who overstay their meter, so we encourage everyone to be aware and avoid an expensive fine.

ACCESSIBILITY

All venues at the Southbank campus are wheelchair accessible. To read more about access services available at our venues, please visit: https://finearts-music.unimelb.edu.au/access-our-events.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Please stay home if you feel unwell, even with mild symptoms. Face masks are welcome in all settings for community and personal safety.
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