Company dancers (from left) Olivia Hutchinson-Smith, Meliss Pinn and Molly Fitzpatrick at Austinmer Beach yesterday. Picture: ADAM McLEAN
MERCURY NEWS DANCERS Pic shows company dancers L-R Olivia Hutchinson-Smith, Meliss Pinn and Molly Fitzpatrick at Austinmer beach today for a story on the Austi dance theatre and a workshop coming up. 14th of September 2012 Photo by Adam McLean story by Cydonee Mardon
INTERNATIONALLY renowned choreographer Maurice Causey will be in Wollongong next week to work with "serious" young Illawarra dancers who hope to make it on to the world stage.
The Europe-based teacher, who for eight years was the principal dancer with William Forsythe's Frankfurt Ballet, will hold workshops to help dance students turn their passion into a career.
Austinmer Dance Theatre (ADT) founder Michelle Forte said Australia often lost its elite dancers to international schools and companies only to see them struggle to manage life so far from home.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for students to get world-class training," she said.
"Maurice is excited at the prospect of visiting the Illawarra to choreograph for the company."
Causey is patron of ADT, the professional company formed last year to cater for dancers aged between 17 and 25.
"We try to bridge the gap between full-time dance training, tertiary education and professional dance," Forte said.
Her long-term dream is to take the company on tour to regional and remote areas.
"We would give performances and free workshops to underprivileged children along the way, with the possibility of providing scholarships for talented children to visit Austinmer and study with the company."
The workshops, from September 23 to 28, at Dance World Studios, Wollongong, are open to a maximum each of 20 "serious dance students".
For more about the workshops, made possible via a Wollongong City Council grant, email mforte@bigpond.net.au or call 0414 850 235.