By Ashleigh Fielding | posted on July 21, 2018
THE Great Southern is making waves in the dance industry with Denmark choreographer Annette Carmichael now in the running to take out Most Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance at the prestigious Australian Dance Awards.
Carmichael is up for her work The Beauty Index, which debuted at last year’s Denmark Festival of Voice.
The dance production featured 15 men from the Great Southern and was kept heavily under wraps until its reveal at the festival when it was performed at Denmark’s Old Mill site.
Carmichael is one of four shortlisted choreographers from across the country in the award category.
She said she jumped for joy after receiving news of the award and rushed to tell her loved ones.
“I was sitting in my pyjamas checking emails,” Carmichael remembered.
“I was feeling fairly exhausted after a few weeks of long rehearsals and then the news hit.
“I jumped up, cried a few tears of joy and ran and told my husband and kids.
“The exhaustion just melted away!
“Then, I had the happy task of sharing the news with all the performers and creative team. I think we were all a bit stunned.”
Carmichael said the shortlisting is a huge accolade for her group of performers and artists and said she’s proud of her team’s efforts.
“It’s a major achievement and means more opportunities for not only myself, but for the regional artists and communities that I collaborate with,” she said.
“I share this honour with my close collaborator and sound designer, James Gentle.
“We have created a number of performances together and this shortlisting tells us we are on the right path.”
Carmichael is continuing that performance path with the second and third instalments of The Beauty Index currently underway.
A Light Shade of Red is already in rehearsals and will feature young men and women from across the region.
It will be performed at the Albany Entertainment Centre in October.
Carmichael is also now on the lookout for 200 women to take part in the final chapter of the series, Chorus, to be performed in 2020.
“This trilogy of works has been consuming our lives for years, and making the awards shortlist just encourages us to keep going,” she said.
“Any women interested in being part of Chorus should subscribe to our e-news or go to annettecarmichael.com.au.”
The winners of the Australian Dance Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Brisbane in September.
