Dancehouse, the centre for independent contemporary dance based in Melbourne, has appointed Angela Conquet as its new artistic director and chief executive officer.
Conquet comes to Australia from her work as artistic director for dance at Mains d’Oeuvres Paris – a major multi-arts cultural centre and a pioneer among independent art spaces in France.
According to Dancehouse’s press release, Conquet has a passion for contemporary dance and a compelling vision for its development grounded in a track record of innovative and successful initiatives. “At Mains d’Oeuvres, Conquet created a highly acclaimed creative laboratory and incubator for dance artists, and developed a role as a facilitator weaving inventive links between artists and their cultural contexts."
Conquet says: “I strongly believe that choreographers/dancers can enable social and cultural discourse by triggering critical reflection, as our society is reflected in their moving bodies. I am convinced that Dancehouse has a key role to play in presenting the best of new Australian dance, nurturing Melbourne’s artists, developing new audiences, but more importantly, in bringing a vision of our world nourished by poetic intelligence and in pushing creative living.”
Conquet steps into the shoes of David Tyndall, who has been leading dance house since 2007. He is taking up an appointment as a primary school teacher.