What was the highlight of 2023 for you?
2023 has been an incredible year for Australasian Dance Collective (ADC), so it’s hard to pick just one! This year has been a true exemplar of what we’re striving for as a collective… Interdisciplinary collaborations, reimagining our boundaries and having a truly intergenerational focus. I would have to say the three highlights for me were each of our performance seasons – Lucie In the Sky merging dancers and drones, Salamander for Brisbane Festival working with the incomparable Maxine Doyle of Punchdrunk and then finally the brilliant Halcyon, a whodunit channelling the era of 1940s cinema.

If you could have done something differently last year, what would it be and why?
I injured my foot during the creation of Lucie In the Sky earlier this year, and did exactly what I counsel dancers NOT to do… which was to put off dealing with it properly and I wound up having to have surgery. 

Who is someone to watch for in 2024?
THREE is ADC’s first performance season of next year and is part of the OHM Festival at Brisbane Powerhouse. It has an incredible line up of talent – three brilliant choreographers working with three amazing composers. And of course, the utterly fabulous dancers of ADC.

What is your most vivid memory of the festive holidays?
I spent over a decade living in Europe, so for me, my happiest memories of the festive holidays are of enjoying the lead up to Christmas in the northern hemisphere embracing the ‘winter wonderland magic’ but then arriving into the heat of the Australian summer just in time for a BBQ on the beach, ocean swims and celebrating New Year’s Eve without freezing. 

Do you have any unique or funny holiday traditions?
I know it’s not unique but when I was living in London, watching Love Actually every Christmas became a tradition. Another favourite tradition is making my partner homemade advent calendars – curating a series of gifts for him. This year as shopping was tricky post-surgery, I cheated and got him a Whiskey advent calendar.  

What’s your New Year’s resolution for 2024?
Read more, take shorter holidays more frequently, get back to running post-surgery.

If you could have anyone from any time period attend your Christmas lunch, who would you choose?
Thinking of people I would love to chat with over wine and food, I would be tempted to say either Malcolm Gladwell or Leonard Cohen. But because I have travelled so much and lived in many different countries, I have very cherished friends spread out across the world. I would dearly love a Christmas with them all in the one place!

Coastal holiday or city holiday?
I love both. I love exploring cities, wandering without a map and letting it reveal itself. But for unwinding, I adore being at the beach when on holiday. Nothing beats an ocean swim.

What are you looking forward to in 2024?
Our season of THREE at the Powerhouse and also a very special project for later in the year which I cannot announce yet – but it’s going to be wild.

Do you have a summer book or podcast you can recommend?
I highly recommend the book Stolen Focus by Johann Hari and my favourite podcast is Revisionist History by Malcolm Gladwell.