Nix Gross

Nix Gross is a proud Noonuccal Ngugi woman living on Country in the Quandamooka region. As a performer and arts/events worker, Nix is very passionate and involved in the development and support of arts and culture within the community. Nix’s background in health care, mental health and alternative therapies lends itself to her work in facilitating and supporting other artists and the broader community toward healthy expression and personal development.

Nix has been involved in many culturally driven projects  over the last 15years including dance, visual art, contemporary song line/language development and live musical performances. She is a driven woman who draws strength from her connection to Country and community.

Thomas E.S Kelly

Thomas is a proud Bundjalung-Yugambeh, Wiradjuri, Ni-Vanuatu man. Thomas graduated in 2012 from NAISDA Dance College and has since worked with Vicki Van Hout, Shaun Parker and Company, Branch Nebula, ERTH, Chunky Move, Dancenorth, The FARM, Tasdance, Outer Urban Projects and Urban Theatre Projects. His choreographic credits include SILENCE, his Green Room Award winning work [MIS]CONCEIVE, CO_EX_EN, SANDCIRCLE and SSHIFTT. VESSEL for Outer Urban Projects, MASS for Chunky Move and Junjeiri Ballun – Gurul Gaureima for Tasdance. Thomas creates work that explores high intensity physical works stemming from a cultural practice fused with contemporary, which incorporates voice and physical percussion. Creating work that ebbs and flows whilst mimicking nature. In 2017 Thomas created Karul Projects, situated in South East Qld. Thomas is the 2018 Dreaming Award Recipient and a 2019 American Australian Association Alumni.

Alinta McGrady

Alinta McGrady is from the Githabul Nation, Migunberri People (Yugumbeh), Yuggera people and Gamilaroi Nation, she is a seasoned performer and has been working in Music, Theatre and Dance for 7 years. Alinta is a graduate from the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA). She is in the process of creating a new body of works called Birth of Mother, an exploration into motherhood as a First Nations Woman using Music, Dance and Spoken Word. 

Corey Appo

Corey is a proud Wakka Wakka man living, working and raised on his Country.

Corey has been working within his small town for three years at the local school. He is interested in  language, dance and cultural revitalisation. Corey would like to explore new movements in dance to link to old songs. For Corey, dance means that he is able to connect to Country and his culture through something that he loves.

Olivia Adams

Olivia is a proud Wuli Wuli woman who practices contemporary and commercial dance. She grew up in Brisbane with a strong technical background in jazz, tap and ballet. Her training at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) expanded her dance knowledge to include traditional and contemporary Indigenous dance. She will soon graduate from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) with a Bachelor of Fine Arts majoring in Dance. 

Amy Weatherall

Amy is a proud Kamilaroi woman from St George. Amy is a graduate of the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA), where she majored in movement.

She has experience with Bangarra, Black Arm Band, Leonard Mickelo, and The Yugambeh Museum. She is currently contracted to perform with Opera Australia in their upcoming show, The Ring Cycle. 

David Peters

David Peters is a Pititinjanjara, Anagnu Adopted Son and Nephew Bama living on GubbiGubbi/Kabbi Kabbi land. He lives to share and empower his community with Ancestors knowledge, through the knowledge gifted to him from his family, of wellbeing, health, and longevity,  through the development and engagement process of learning.

Pearl Thompson

Pearl is a proud Aboriginal woman. From an early age she always wanted to perform. She attended the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) from 2010 to 2014 and graduated with a Certificate III & IV in Diploma in Performing Arts. Chasing Smoke is Pearls’ first circus show and she wants to continue various artistic pursuits including exploring circus and creating new works by combining her knowledge of dance and theatre with circus.

Benjin Maza

Benjin Maza is Yidindji, Birri Gubba, Miriam Mer, Tanna Island, Brisbane based singer/songwriter, dancer and actor. A graduate of the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA), he is currently a member of Indigenous dance group eXcelsior, performing at events including the NRL’s All Stars, Sydney Opera House’s Homeground, Festival 2018 in the Commonwealth Games, and Woodford Folk Festival and Boomerang Festival in association with Byron Bay Blues Fest.

Jaymen Drahm

Jaymen is Garara from Yindinji Mandubarra Mumu currently living on Yugambeh Country. Jaymen is a fusion dancer and loves sharing his cultural dance foundations to innovate new styles. He has performed at festivals including the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, workshops and tours. Jaymen has been teaching and dancing since 2005 and now wants to reconnect to Country and learn new ways. For Jaymen, dance is a tool for him to share identity, story and passion.

Sara Meiklejohn

Sara Meiklejohn is a Gomeroi and Bidjara woman and a practicing artist in many forms; dance, singing, painting; writing and more. Culture and art are the two very things that keep her grounded and connected to herself, her ancestors and the land. As an Indigenous woman and artist, Sara is always seeking new opportunities to deepen her cultural knowledge, connection, community and dancing techniques.

Joella Warkill,
Project Lead - Emerging Producer

Joella Warkill is a descendant of the Yidinji people, born and raised on Darumbal country. Her career in dance started to take shape in 2012 through her studies with Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) majoring in Dance. Joella was introduced to the BlakDance team in 2017 and has since been evolving her role as Emerging Producer as a part of the BlakDance Producer Development Program. 

She is motivated in her role by engaging younger generations to create a sustainable sector for them, their families and communities and is a strong believer that nothing we do is of individualistic benefit or value. 

Joella is the project lead for the Minjerribah Dance Lab, using her experience in production and community engagement to build relationships across the diverse range of stakeholders and organisations contributing to this pilot program.

Emily Wells,
Project Support - Producer

Emily Wells is a proud Kamilaroi woman and a passionate creative, born and raised on the Sunshine Coast. Emily is a keen producer and emerging writer whose creative practice spans theatre, contemporary dance, festivals, and non-for-profit arts organisations. Emily graduated in 2017 with a Bachelor of Entertainment Industries (Distinction), and was soon after awarded the Emerging Female Arts Leader Award through the Matilda Awards, a Finalist for the Aboriginal Achievement Award in QLD’s Young Achiever Awards, and held the role of Creative Producer with leading youth arts organisation, Digi Youth Arts. 

As a member of the BlakDance Producer Development Program, Emily has evolved her skills as a Producer with BlakDance, she will be supporting the team and project lead, Joella Warkill, in the Minjerribah Dance Lab.

J-Maine Beezley,
Project Support - Logistics and production

J-Maine is a proud Wakka Wakka/Cubbi Cubbi fulla from Eidsvold, in the North Burnett Region of Queensland. J-Maine trained at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts (ACPA) and worked at the Judith Wright Centre for Contemporary Arts before moving south to Melbourne as an Associate Producer with ILBIJERRI Theatre Company in 2017. J-Maine has a passion for community events, highlights include working with five local groups of the Eastern Kulin Nations in Tanderrum which lead the Opening Ceremony for Melbourne International Arts Festival. J-Maine is currently the Development Producer with YIRRAMBOI Festival where he has curated and produced Barring Yanabul which is an epic day long, Melbourne city wide blakout of over 80 deadly performers in all different art forms. J-Maine’s proudest achievement is co-curating BlakHEART Festival at Federation Square which was a creative playground for over 50 First Nations Practitioners.