Australia Dancing - Dance Company (NSW), The (1965

Dance Company (NSW), The (1965 - 1979)

Ozolins, Alex: Willy de la Bye and Jaap Flier directing two trainee dancers with the Dance Company (NSW), Sydney, 1975

The Dance Company (NSW) was founded in 1965 by Suzanne Musitz (Davidson) at the invitation of Peggy van Praagh. It was originally a dance-in-education group and initially performed as Ballet in a Nutshell and, later, Athletes and Dancers. By the 1970s it had become a full-time performing company and remained under the direction of Musitz until 1974.

The company’s inaugural season as Dance Company was in Canberra in 1971, when it premiered its first commissioned work, Love 201, at the Aquarius Festival of University Arts, Australian National University, Canberra. Love 201 was choreographed by the company’s resident choreographer and co-director, Keith Little. It had music by Peter Sculthorpe and set design by Tim Storrier.

In 1973 The Dance Company (NSW) presented its first major Sydney season at the Elizabethan Theatre, Newtown, which included works by Australian choreographers Graeme Watson, John Meehan, Chrissie Koltai, Keith Little, Suzanne Musitz, and Frans Vervenne from Nederlands Dans Theater. Later that same year the company performed a season in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. The program included three world premieres: Australia, Australia choreographed by Frans Vervenne, Something to do with a Circle on the Floor choreographed by Jacqui Carroll, and Narnia choreographed by Chrissie Koltai.

In 1975 and 1976 the company was directed by Dutch-born dancer and choreographer Jaap Flier. At the end of 1976 Graeme Murphy was appointed artistic director. Murphy changed the company's name to Sydney Dance Company in 1979.

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