Skipping Stones Dance

‘Skipping Stones’ is a not for profit, community art enterprise, based in the Yarra Ranges, founded in 2012. We combine art, environment & education practices that promote healthy and creative connections between people and place. We aim to create an inclusive practice where participants respect, value and enjoy the challenge that diversity and difference bring to the creative process. Our classes and events aim to provide opportunities for participants to be inspired and with respect, explore, learn, celebrate and connect. We would like to thank Santha Press the Cultural Development Officer for the Yarra Ranges Council who brought us together through the formation of the Yarra Valley Arts Collective. Skipping Stones acknowledges with respect the Indigenous people of the country where we dance. Biographies: Gretel Taylor Gretel has trained extensively in movement improvisation, Butoh and Body Weather (in Japan, Europe and Australia), as well as contemporary dance and ballet (Victorian College of the Arts). She has taught dance since 1999 at Dancehouse and other Melbourne venues and lectured in Performance Studies at Victoria University 2004-2010. In 2008 Gretel completed a PhD exploring relationships between body, place and identity in Australia. She continues to explore site- or place-based performance practice and lead outdoor workshops through BodyPlaceProject (http://www.facebook.com/BodyPlaceProject). Gretel has taught children’s dance, yoga and drama at primary schools through Foster the Arts and Limelight Drama School programs. She has a two-year-old daughter with whom she dances regularly! Mandy Pickett - ‘When I dance I am home’ Mandy has performed nationally & internationally, as a solo artist and with various Melbourne based groups including, The Dance of Life Company, Clown Theatre, Theatre of the Ordinary, Project Blue, Born In A Taxi and Strange Fruit. She currently teaches Performing Arts at Circus Oz, Victoria University and is the director of Flying Fish Productions. Mandy derives inspiration and techniques from her training with various teachers including Eugenie Knox – Creative Dance & Martha Graham technique, Al Wunder – Performance & Improvisation, Lynden Nicholls - Dance Trapeze, Terry Sendgraff – Motivity & Contact Improvisation, Ruth Zaporah – Action Theatre, Joan Skinner – Release Technique, Deborah Hay – The Art of The Solo & Suprapto Suryodarmo – Amerta Movement Bookings and Inquiries contact: Gretel 0425 759 988 or greteltaylor@hushmail.com Mandy Pickett Ph. 5962 4629, PO Box 305, Healesville, VIC, 3777