To celebrate 40 years of NAISDA in 2016, we will be running a series of interviews with former NAISDA Developing Artists to find out about the impact that NAISDA has had on their lives and where they are now. To kick things off, we talked to Caleena Sansbury, who started studying at NAISDA in 2010.
- When did you start as a Developing Artist with NAISDA, can you recall what the College was like at that time?
My first year at NAISDA Dance College was in the year 2010. The college, based on the Central Coast NSW, at the time had two main dance studios.
These studios were huge in size with no insulation and in the winter the rooms were absolutely freezing. Our study room was in a tiny old rusty room.
This was my experience for around two years while the brand new studios were being built. I witnessed the building being built from nothing all the way to the end product. Here three new huge rooms were built that has beautiful bouncy floors with heaters and fans built in that kept is warm in winter and cool in summer. They also have awesome equipment for the Pilates room and they still use one of the older studios that end up being renovated and still is used today.
- What were your favourite classes and were there any teachers that particularly inspired you?
I have a few favourite classes that I loved at NAISDA. My first would have to be Cultural classes. I loved it because it was so much more than just learning a technique, there was stories, emotion and a connection through Cultural classes. We also did things that were relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture and did art and crafts as a part of these classes. I learnt the Datiwuy dances from North East Arnhem land and Saibai dances from the Torres Strait Island.
One of my teachers who inspired me and also still does today would have to be Vicki Van Hout. I loved the fact that her particular dance technique infuses Cultural and contemporary together.
After graduating from NAISDA, I saw that her technique that she created is a technique that amalgamates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander techniques with contemporary technique and the work she creates draws from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories. She has really created something completely different and her own style that is unique and very Vicki. Like she would say “Vickify it”.
- What was your most memorable experience during your studies at NAISDA and why?
My most memorable experiences at NAISDA were going on Cultural residencies to Dhambala community in North East Arnhem land and Saibai Island in the Torres Strait Islands. Also it’s the people you meet along the way that become lifelong friends who become your family. Those two things are something that I will take away with me forever.
- What did you go on to do after graduating and how has your time at NAISDA helped to pave where you are now?
After I left NAISDA I went on and did some freelance work. Within the last two years I have been lucky enough to be able to travel overseas to perform all over. I performed at the Sydney Festival with the show called ‘Long Grass’ that the famous Vicki Van Hout choreographed.
I’ve travelled to Scotland and the Isle of Lewis with the ‘Boomerang Festival’ to perform at the Commonwealth games and the Celtic Festival. Also went to Vanuatu in Port Villa where I helped created, devised and performed in a show called ‘Yellaka’.
Run dance workshops with a whole heap of students around NSW and have gone back home to Adelaide to teach students there.
Along my travels I have worked kitchen hand at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence doing catering to fill in times for when there has been no work.
Currently I am working at Blacktown Arts Centre as an Arts Administrator and Cultural Leadership trainee. Here I am working with a whole range of different artists in various art forms. Blacktown Arts Centre has given me the freedom to be able still practice dance. I have been able to be a part of an artist in residency that will take place in Blacktown. The show is called Miss[Con]Ceive that will be in the NextWave festival in Melbourne that is being created by a former NAISDA graduate Thomas E.S Kelly. I am also off on the Saltbush tour which is an interactive Indigenous dance show that is touring to China and Beijing for two weeks and is touring nationally to Sydney and Melbourne.
- This year marks NAISDA’s 40th Anniversary, how do you think attitudes to Australian Indigenous Contemporary/Cultural Dance have changed since the College’s inception all those years ago?
Yes definitely and I think attitudes are continuously changing. I remember hearing from a few non-Indigenous friends of mine saying that they wish they were Aboriginal because they absolutely love the style and quality of dance.
I think people want to feel more connected to Indigenous people in general but are lost to know how to do this and I think through the arts (dance in particular) is a great way to do so as it’s a thing of showing instead of telling.
Indigenous Dance is becoming more and more viable in Australia now. There is a high demand for it through the education system and people are seeing the need for it. I would like to see non Indigenous people take on our Culture and dance as their own instead of keeping it separate or hidden. As Indigenous people we shared what we had and I believe this should be something we start to do with the whole of Australia
- If you could sum up your experience at NAISDA in three words, how would you do it?
Life-changing
Challenging
Inspirational
- Do you have any words of wisdom for NAISDA’s current Developing Artists or those who are interested in pursuing a career in the performing arts industry?
Follow what you love to do!! If it’s dance then do it!! It’s hard, but if you want it bad enough you will make it happen for yourself. Trust me when I say there is nothing like working a job that doesn’t feel like a job!!
