The process for this work began upon the conclusion of my Masters Degree last year. I was thinking about how to make the women who feature in my work more tangible and real, which led to the idea of conducting interviews. I wanted these interviews to incite honest conversations that would help reveal the rich inner voices of these women. I was looking to be inspired as to the direction of the work based on what came out during the conversations. Which I'm fortunate to say is exactly what happened.
The interview prompts whose responses make up the material in the show (roughly in order) are as follows:
Tell me about yourself. How did you end up in Wollongong?
Tell me one thing about your mother and one thing about your father.
What is one thing you've done or been through that you think not many other people have done in their lives?
Do you have a dream you've let go of?
What's the most physical pain you've ever been in?
What is your earliest recollection of feeling joy?
Can you tell me a bit about your wedding?
What is the most emotional pain you've ever been in?
Can you tell me a bit more about the process and the realisation that you had to leave your husband?*
What are you most qualified to give advice on? Give me one piece of advice.
What are your three most important values?
How do you think women can better stand in solidarity with each other?
In essence, this is a work about our similarities and differences. Our triumphs and heartbreaks. I hope you can see some of yourself in these women and their stories.
*Be advised this question begins a discussion about domestic abuse at approximately the 35 minute mark of the show for 5 minutes. No one would mind if you needed to step out at your own discretion.
CAST
Netra Jaiswal
Netra hails from Mumbai, India. She moved to Australia to pursue a dual master's degree at the University of Wollongong. Dance has been her passion for many years, and she has a rich background in Bollywood, freestyle, and Indian classical dance. Back home, Netra taught dance for over three years and performed in more than 50 shows across India. This show marks her first foray into contemporary dance, and she is thrilled to embrace this new challenge and share her love for dance with all of you. Thank you for this incredible opportunity!
Freya Locke Paterson
Growing up dancing, Freya has both a passion and appreciation for the arts. She trained under a variety of styles, with a special fondness of ballet and contemporary and training up to Advanced 2 of the Royal Academy of Dance, under the guidance of exceptional teachers. One of Freya’s favourite artistic memories include dancing in the Premier State Ballet’s production of Sleeping Beauty. She loves learning and gaining inspiration from her peers; dance is not just a passion but a journey of self-expression.
Bella Lopes de Oliveira
Bella is an Australian/ Brazilian dancer, raised in the Illawarra. She is currently a second year company member with Austi Dance and Physical Theatre (Artistic Director Michelle Maxwell). A background of classical ballet is where her passion for the art began, leading her to study ballet full time in Sydney at Classical Ballet 121 with Director Gillian Revie (former Royal ballet soloist). Bella then accepted places both at The European School of Ballet (Director Jean Eves Esquire) and The National Ballet of Canada (Director Mavis Stains) where she took her training overseas for 2021-2022. Bella then returned home in search of contemporary training and accepted a place at Austi Dance and Physical Theatre (Artistic Director Michelle Maxwell) 2023-2024.
Blythe Newman
Born in Paddington and raised in Wollongong NSW, Blythe Newman started her dance journey under Linda Shaw and gained a scholarship for full time training at Dance World Studios in Melbourne where she was trained by the likes of Gelsey Kirkland, David Ashmore and Colin Peasley.
At the age of 15 Blythe received a full scholarship from Former Prima Ballerina Prof Birgit Keil and moved to Germany to complete a Bachelor of Arts at the Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst – University of Mannheim. In 2006 She joined the Badisches Staatsballett (The State Ballet of Baden ) in Karlsruhe, Germany under the direction of Prof Birgit Keil. She was quickly made a Soloist and then Principal Artist. For over fourteen seasons 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 Symphonie 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 master works from Hans van Manen, Uwe Scholz and Youri Vamos. She had roles created for her in works from Davide Bombana, Jorg Mannes, Tim Plegge, Reginaldo Oliveira, Terence Kohler and Thiago Bordin. Blythe toured Internationally with the company, performing in some of the World’s top theatres. Dancing for the Princess of Thailand, ex Bundespräsident Angela Merkle, and in Galas such as Stuttgart Ballets 50th Anniversary Gala.
Blythe now shares her experience and knowledge as a guest teacher invited to teach at
Prague Ballet Intensive, International Summer School at The MacDonald College as well as local Wollongong dance schools.
Zoe Simpson
Zoe is a Wollongong local who graduated from Wollongong High School of Performing Arts in 2019. She has trained in various styles such as ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip-hop. Some of the choreographers she worked with include Christopher Richards, Emily Ireland, Rosie Goddery, Nadia Zappia, and Michelle Maxwell. In 2023 she appeared Let Them Be Messy choreographed by Mara Glass at The Phoenix Theatre.
Zoe currently studies a Bachelor of Arts Psychology with a minor in Indigenous Studies at University of Wollongong.
Charlotte Sutton
Charlotte Sutton is an emerging artist in the Australian performing arts scene, with a strong dedication to ballet and contemporary dance. She honed her skills at prestigious institutions such as Classical Ballet 121 with Gillian Revie and Ajkun Ballet Theatre in New York. Most recently, she earned a Bachelor of Arts (Dance) from WAAPA.
Charlotte's performance repertoire showcases a diverse range of works, including standout performances in: Tannshäuser Bacchanal by Pina Bausch, Dark Half excerpt from 2 One Another by Rafael Bonachela (Sydney Dance Company), Don Quixote during WAAPA Verge Season 2023, and various roles in Ajkun Ballet Theatre's production of The Nutcracker in 2019.
Abigail Thew
Ever since I can remember, I've loved to dance. I've been lucky enough to be able to indulge this passion throughout childhood, through school dance, classes, and even the odd eisteddfod performance. I've learned a variety of styles, including musical theatre, jazz, and lyrical. However, I have found the most joy in the control and expression of ballet and contemporary. I've always assumed that having dance as a hobby meant I would have to leave it in my childhood, so I'm incredibly grateful to Mara for giving me a chance to take this love of mine into adulthood.
About the Choreographer
Mara Glass
Mara has been dancing since she was eight years old, training primarily in ballet and contemporary. At eighteen she undertook a Bachelor's Degree of Fine Arts in Dance Performance from Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She graduated at the end of 2017 and spent a year teaching in Canberra. In this year off, she realised how much she missed dancing full-time, so she auditioned for Wollongong's AUSTI Dance & Physical Theatre (formerly Austinmer Dance Theatre). She was offered an apprenticeship position and started at AUSTI in 2019. That same year she began a Postgraduate Degree in Writing and Literature through Deakin University, graduating in 2020. In 2023 she completed a Masters of Dance Research for Professional Practitioners through Rambert School in the UK.
Mara has always loved creating movement, and did so in many different contexts as a child and teen. In her third year at QUT she completed her first fully realised choreographic work, Are You Seeing Me? (2017). Since then, she's completed five other works: The Parting Glass (2017), My Battery is Low (2019), Joy Box (2020), and Ankle Deep Water (2022), and Let Them Be Messy (2023). This year she was also awarded a choreographic residency with AUSTI Dance & Physical Theatre for their uNCOILEd eXposed season at the IPAC.
Music Credits
City Boy (2015)
Written by Judd Greenstein
Performed by Now Ensemble
Gusts of Wind Blowing in Different Directions (2010)
Written by Jamie Cameron
Performed by The Last Dinosaur
Concerto for Lute, 2 Violins and Continuo in D Major, RV 93-II. Largo (1987)
Written by Antonio Vivaldi
Performed by Eduardo Fernandez, English Chamber Orchestra, George Malcolm
The Fairy Dance Set: Mr Barnard- Miss Baird of Saughtonhall's Hornpipe (1999)
Written by Nathaniel Gow
Performed by Catherine Strutt, Chris Duncan, Julian Thompson
Land of Cole (2017)
Written by Carlos Alexandre Martins Rodrigues
Performed by Kabeção
Almost Every Door (2018)
Written by John Darnielle
Performed by The Mountain Goats
Horse (2019)
Written by Jed Kurzei
Performed by Jed Kurzei
He's Back (2019)
Written by Jed Kurzei
Performed by Jed Kurzei
Restaurant (2024)
Written by Jed Kurzei
Performed by Jed Kurzei
Audio Credits
All other audio taken from private interviews conducted and edited by Mara Glass:
Interview conducted February 27th 2024 with Lana Johnson
Interview conducted March 11th 2024 with Parul Bangia
Interview conducted March 15th 2024 with Karen Davies
Interview conducted April 28th 2024 with anonymous participant
Images provided by the interviewees and used with their permission.
Special Thanks
There is a special group of people and businesses without whose support, this work would have never made it to the stage. So without harping on excessively about how much I appreciate all of their time, energy, and contributions, a big big thank you to:
Ava Dance Centre for the use of their studio space for rehearsals,
The Phoenix Theatre and Steen specifically who continue to support my ideas and help me problem solve to put my best foot forward,
Catherine Sutton for hemming a dress last minute for us,
Sugar MacGillivray, Alysha Johnson, and Tara Gilmour who lent their talents as dancers throughout the creative process, but for various reasons weren't able to be in the finished product. I appreciate all of your efforts endlessly,
The Interviewees without whose trust, I never could've made this work. I truly hope I've done your stories justice,
And last, but certainly not least, my long-suffering husband Dan. I feel so lucky to have found someone who wholeheartedly supports my dreams, both financially and emotionally,
And if you've stuck it out this long, thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy the show!
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