COFFEE WITH DR. CATHY

During ACT's lockdown we have been holding regular Zoom 'Coffee with Cathy' chats with our sector, hosted by Ausdance ACT Director Dr Cathy Adamek. These meetings have provided an opportunity to connect in a relaxed and informal way with fellow studios, teachers, administrators, independent dancers and other Ausdance members during this difficult time. These sessions have assisted us in providing targeted advocacy and support services to our sector.

Initially these sessions were of a drop in nature but as the lockdown was extended topical discussion themes were introduced with the addition of guest speakers.

'Challenges of Online Dance Teaching'

Cathy was joined by local dance teachers Caroline Wall, Lisa Clark, Kym Degenhart, Olivia Fyfe, Jacqui Simmonds and other members of our dance community. It was a great turn out from the Canberra dance teaching community and made for insightful and supportive discussion and commentary.

Watch here:

'The Art of Rescheduling: delivering live dance performance'.

Cathy was joined by artists Alison Plevey (Australian Dance Party), Rachel Reid (Jazida and Flazeda Hub), Eliza Sanders (House of Sand) and Jake Silvestro (independent artist/acrobat).

This session provided an opportunity for Canberra centred producing artists to talk about the impact rescheduling and reimagining or having to cancel is having on them and their practice.

Watch here:

'Planning End of Year Shows - post lockdown'.

Ausdance ACT Director Dr Cathy Adamek was joined by studio owners Kim Harvey (Kim Harvey School of Dance), Francis Owusu (Kulture Break ), Renee Mandanici-Baldwin & Juanita Sinclair Boehm (Dancedge Canberra) and Kagiso Tshepo Ratlhagane (Passion & Purpose). This was an opportunity for Canberra studio owners and teachers to discuss different options they are exploring for end of year shows, the challenges they have faced and how they have worked to overcome them.

*Note recording begins part way through