Women’s Circus Inclusive Ensemble
mountains
creative development: August/September, 2024, The Drill Hall, FootscrayThe Women’s Circus Inclusive Ensemble’s creative enquiry is grounded in the principles of aesthetic access and collaborative models of art making exemplified by Weave Movement Theatre, Back to Back, Rawcus, and the UK’s renowned Extraordinary Bodies.
The eight members of the Inclusive Ensemble embody diverse identities, perspectives and experiences and come from practices spanning circus, dance and theatre. Members identify as being first generation Australians, mothers, Disabled, Deaf, aging, early career, queer, gender diverse, and this makes both the ensemble itself and the work they create so artistically and culturally rich. The ensemble is supported by a creative team, childcare workers, support workers and all the Women’s Circus staff.
In August and September 2024, the Ensemble came together, supported by Creative Australia, to begin the devising process for a new work. The project was supported by guest facilitators and exceptional movement pedagogues Yumi Umiumare (Butoh), Gretel Taylor (Bodyweather), Lily Fish (Improvised Movement) and Katy Burrows (Clowning), in addition to experimentation with wearable vibro-tactile haptic vests by the Newmarket Collective.
Director: Jo Dunbar
Producer: Ebony Rattle
Rigger and Apparatus Design: Franca Stadler
Inclusive Ensemble: Emma J Hawkins, Dr. Melinda Smith OAM, Swann Biguet, Viv Halat, Tarn Scully
Stage Manager: Isabelle Champagne-Chittick
Photographs by: Ebony Rattle
This development was supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body.
