The winner will receive a prize of AU$10,000, courtesy of Telstra, to support the development of their work.
The Australian Ballet and Telstra have announced the four artists selected as finalists in Telstra Emerging Chorographer (TEC). A new award dedicated to nurturing choreographic talent and artistic creativity in Australia, TEC offers aspiring choreographers the chance to create new work and potentially the opportunity to take part in The Australian Ballet's 2022 Bodytorque program. The winner will also receive a prize of AU$10,000, courtesy of Telstra, to support the development of their work.
The Australian Ballet and Telstra were delighted with the response to the project's inaugural year, receiving entries from artists across Australia. More than 60 aspiring choreographers covering all genres of dance submitted applications in response to the TEC 2021 theme exploring the 'Joy of Dance.' The 2021 TEC Finalists include: Feras Shaheen (Punchbowl, Sydney); Aimee Schollum (Seddon, Melbourne); Mathilda Ballantyne (North Melbourne, Melbourne); and Geoffrey Watson (Preston, Melbourne). The four aspiring choreographers will each be provided a budget of up to $2,500 to create a work of four to six minutes. Their works will then be reviewed by the TEC 2021 Judging Panel, including: The Australian Ballet's Artistic Director David Hallberg and judges, including Damian Smith (Artistic Director of The National Theatre Ballet School) and Lucy Guerin AO (Lucy Guerin Inc). To be announced in December 2021, the winner will receive a prize of $10,000 thanks to Telstra to support the development of their work. They will also have the opportunity to be selected by David Hallberg to continue their development by working with The Australian Ballet's Artistic team and dancers to create a new work as part of the company's 2022 Bodytorque program. The Australian Ballet's Bodytorque program, has been an incubator for some of the country's brightest choreographic talents, including dance luminary Graeme Murphy and Resident Choreographer Alice Topp.Videos