Trained at: New Zealand School of Dance
Presently: Artistic Director Co-CEO Co3 Contemporary Dance Australia
What was the most significant creative or artistic challenge you faced during your studies, and how did you navigate it? What did you learn from that experience?
One of the most significant challenges I faced during my studies was undergoing foot surgery in my first year of training. This required me to step away from training for 3 months and rehabilitate. On reflection that period forced me to explore dance through other lenses, watching, writing, directing, and offering creative input from the outside. I learned that being part of the process does not always require movement. It deepened my empathy, sharpened my eye, and taught me that creativity thrives in constraint. I discovered new ways to stay engaged, and those tools, listening, observing, imagining are now embedded in my practice. That experience reshaped how I define artistry: it is not about constant physical output, but about how you contribute to the room, the process, and the shared vision.
How has your understanding of dance as an art form evolved during your full-time studies? Were there any particular moments or experiences that shifted your perspective?
My understanding of dance has shifted from seeing it as a pursuit of technical perfection to understanding it as an act of generosity, presence, and connection. Pivotal moments have come during collaborative projects where the focus has not been on the individual skill but on how we supported and responded to one another. Those experiences have helped me realise that dance is as much about who you are as it is about what you do. It is about offering something honest to your fellow creatives and to the audience. Technique is important, but it is the emotional integrity and the willingness to connect that move people. The value of the network of relationships, the trust, the shared authorship, the collective risk-taking as the true heart of dance practice.
Follow:
Dancer Instagram: @raewynhillco3
Dance School Instagram: @nzschoolofdance
Company Instagram: @co3contemporarydance