Sharp Short Dance 2020 – Heats & Final!

Sharp Short Dance unearths the finest young dance artists from Sydney and beyond. The festival showcases the works of aspiring choreographers, dancers and film makers to display their talents. The performers demonstrate a wide range of dance genres and traditions from tap to jazz, flamenco to Bollywood, classical to contemporary.

This year applicants have been invited to enter a dance film or a recorded performance. Audiences can view the dance works online on FORM’s website during three heats starting from the 26th of October through to the 12th of November and will have the option to vote for their favourite work. A panel of industry professionals will invite the best works to perform in the live streamed Final.

The winning performances will be eligible for awards including Most Innovative Choreography, Most Outstanding Male and Female Dancers, Audience Choice Award, Outstanding Dance Film and Original Music Score. Finalists are offered a variety of prizes as well as valuable industry secondment opportunities with leading dance companies.

WINNERS ANNOUNCED

Most Innovative Choreography – Saskia Ellis (Earthern)
Most Innovative Choreography (Junior) – Amari Leiva Urzua (Al Mal Tiempo)
Most Outstanding Talent – Isaac Clark (Masque)
Outstanding Female Dancer – Danni Cook (To Fear, To Feel)
Outstanding Male Dancer – Chris Wade (Volatile)
Outstanding Solo Performance – Lucy Angel (Moonlight)
Outstanding Duet Performance – Ruby Howard and Toby McKnight (Try Not To Break It)
Outstanding Ensemble Performance – Taylor Mikic and Priyasha Naidoo (Prison Yard)
Outstanding Dance Film – Georgia Gallagher (The Helper)
Audience Choice Award – Frances Orlina (Moon River)
Sydney Dance Company Pre-Professional Year Secondment – Toby McKnight (Try Not To Break It)
Twisted Element Secondment – Mia Ryan (Life Satisfaction)
Wild Hearts Secondment – Nikitta Jancek (Perception)
We Are Here Secondment – Paul & Frank Barbara (Scala Ad Caelum), and Saskia Ellis (Earthern)
Shaun Parker and Company Secondment – Paul & Frank Barbara (Scala Ad Caelum), Derell Akrong (Prison Yard) and Priyasha Naidoo (Prison Yard)
AMPA Summer Intensive – Lily Cole (In My Dreams), Jannah Allen (Discomfort) and Sophia Kaloudis (Masque)

THE FINALISTS

Thank you to our generous Prize donors:
FORM Chair Narelle Lewis ( Most Innovative Choreography)
FORM Vice Chair Andrew Demetriou ( Audience Choice)
Prof. Peter Hutchings (Most Outstanding Talent)
Stirling Fitzgerald Hudson (Outstanding Solo performance)

And festival sponsors: Bloch, Dirtyfeet, Ausdance NSW, Dance Central, Sydney Dance Company, Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) and Jonathan Llewellyn of Cowra Civic Centre. Thanks also to our secondment host companies We Are Here Co., Sydney Dance Company PPY, Twisted Element/Wild Hearts, Shaun Parker and Company.


Emma Saunders, FORM’s 2020 Associate Artist, WE ARE HERE Company

Jamie Winbank, Artistic Producer of Sharp Short Dance 2018

Jo Clancy, Founder and Director of the Wagana Dancers

Melissa Ramos, Founder, Director and Curator of Dance Cinema

Omer Backley-Astrachan, Course Coordinator Sydney Dance Company PPY

Shaun Parker, Artistic Director of Shaun Parker & Company

Aruna Gandhi, Bharatanatyam artist and Founder-Director of Silambam-Sydney


TESTIMONIALS

This is where you want to be if you are keen to spot the dancers who are going to be the familiar faces of the future.”
Vicki Van Hout, FORM’s Resident Blogger 2019

The most appealing part was being able to showcase my choreography in front of an audience as well as making new friends with the same passions as me!”
Participant 2019

“Such a great festival with a very warm and inclusive vibe. The participants will remember this occasion for life!”
Judge 2019

“Not only are the performances of the young people awesome, but you always ensure that the production is not just city, state, Australian but a world class production that we can all be proud to be from Western Sydney. You and the performers do this city proud.”
Clr Bill Tyrrell, City of Parramatta 2019

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