Ian Colless

Ian is a 24 year-old decedent of the Gundungurra Nation from the Blue Mountains Australia. He is a New York City based dancer/emerging choreographer who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in dance from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) dance from Western Australian Academy of the Performing Arts (WAAPA). He is currently the recipient of The Australia Council for the Arts – Skills & Arts Development Grant from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board to fund a practical training internship with Battery Dance Company, New York City.
 
He has choreographed numerous dance works, musicals, opera & performances. Several of his creations in Australia have won highly acclaimed national awards in choreography & performance. Ian has had a long term creative relationship with Brisbane based composer Madeleine Johns creating Untitled Collective. This collective have now collaborated the creation of five original works.  Between 2008 and 2009 he was rewarded The Foundation for Young Australians National Indigenous Youth Leadership Program Tertiary Scholarship.
 
His 1st class honours thesis on the subject matter of fusion of First Australian dance with western modern dance, has now been published for Edith Cowen University in Western Australia.
 
Ian has performed and choreographed in most capital cites in Australia and has had attended a number of performances, residencies, tours, workshops and festivals internationally. He maintains strong links to his community and is mentored by Noel Tovey and The Gundungurra Aboriginal Heritage Association Inc.

Photo by: Heidrun Lohr