Dancenorth is a contemporary dance company based in

Townsville Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 3 ...

, North Queensland, Australia. Founded as the North Queensland Ballet Company in 1969, Dancenorth performs for regional, national and international audiences. Dancenorth has presented works in over 35 International Arts Festivals and venues in Australia and the world.

The company

Dancenorth is a

nonprofit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

managed by a board of directors. It is headquartered in the School of Arts building in Townsville City Centre. Its headquarters functions for Dancenorth both as a rehearsal space and as a 190-seat theatre in which performances may be held.

People

Artistic Directors

General Managers

Dancers

The company currently employs seven full-time dancers.

History

North Queensland Ballet Company

Both Ann Roberts, who is former Principle of the Ann Roberts School of Dancing, and parents in Townsville were concerned by the lack of opportunities for young ballet dancers in North Queensland. This led them to organize a public meeting that assessed public interest in forming a North Queensland ballet company. The North Queensland Ballet and Dance Company was established 17 July 1969. From the first audition, 41 students were accepted. Between 1970 and 1982, the North Queensland Ballet Company presented: *24 original ballets created especially for the company *3 productions with excerpts from full-length ballets *3 full-length ballets re-created for the company *2 historical ballets created especially for the company *10 one-act ballets created or re-created for the company. From 1983 to 1984, 16 new works were created for the new profession/amateur company.

Dance North

In 1985 the company changed its name to ''Dance North'' becoming a contemporary dance institute with "a policy of all new Australian works", primarily training and performing in Townsville region but touring nationally and internationally. 1998 saw the premiere of ''Luuli'', a collaboration between Dance North and Woomera Aboriginal Corporation which fused traditional Aboriginal dance with contemporary western dance. ''Luuli'' was watched by over 30,000 people nationally and internationally over several years.

Dancenorth-Australia

Dance North became ''dancenorth-australia'' in 2006. In 2007, it took to the streets to raise awareness of dance through their participation in local Townsville community events. On 15 February 2007, the then Governor of Queensland,

Quentin Bryce Dame Quentin Alice Louise Bryce, (née Strachan; born 23 December 1942) is an Australian academic who served as the 25th governor-general of Australia from 2008 to 2014. She is the first woman to have held the position, and was previously the ...

AC accepted dancenorth's invitation to become the company's patron for the duration of her appointment as Governor.

Dancenorth

In 2008, Dancenorth-Australia changed its name to ''Dancenorth''.

Productions

References

{{authority control Townsville Dance companies in Australia Contemporary dance companies 1969 establishments in Australia Companies based in Queensland