Current Members – Dance Makers Collective

Carl Sciberras

DMC Founding Member, Board Member and General Manager

Carl is a dance maker, performer, producer, business advisor and teacher from Western Sydney. His works have been presented around Australia in theatres, galleries, museums and site-specific festivals, and in international festivals and biennales. Carl was a participant in the Australia Council’s Future Leaders Program (2017), was the City of Parramatta’s Creative Fellow (2016) and currently sits on the Create NSW Dance & Physical Theatre Artform Board.

Miranda Wheen

DMC Founding Member and Deputy Chair

Miranda is an independent dancer based in Sydney. She has collaborated with companies and choreographers throughout Australia and internationally, including; Marrugeku, Martin Del Amo, Stalker Theatre, Shaun Parker and Company, Mirramu Dance Company, Dance Makers Collective and Restless Dance Theatre, among others.

Emma Harrison

DMC Member, Board Member and Engagement Officer

Emma is a performer, maker and educator across a multitude of art forms. Primarily working in the world of contemporary dance, Emma’s practice encompasses multidisciplinary works merging dance, sung and spoken voice, improvisation, film and theatre. As a dancer, Emma works with independent choreographers in both Sydney and Perth.

Katina Olsen

DMC Founding Member, Board Member and First Nations Committee Member

Katina is a Wakka Wakka Kombumerri choreographer / performer and also has Norwegian, German and English Ancestry. She has worked throughout Australia, Canada, UK, USA and Europe and was one of Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed Choreographers for 2018.

Anya McKee

DMC Founding Member

Anya is a contemporary dancer who has had the pleasure to work for Kate Champion’s dance-theatre company Force Majeure, aerial dance company Strings Attached, Sam Chester, Dean Walsh, Sara Black, Simone O’Brien, Ross Ganf, Sue Healey, Kohzensha Butoh Company’s Artistic Director Yukio Waguri and Marrugeku. She also makes dance film and works as a designer on the side. www.anyamckee.com.au

Melanie Palomares

DMC Founding Member

Melanie is a Sydney-based independent dancer/performer and teacher. She has toured nationally and internationally with Shaun Parker & Company and worked for Australian companies and artists such as Branch Nebula, Ghenoa Gela, Force Majeure, Taikoz & Digital Shamans, Martin del Amo, Liz Lea, Kristina Chan, Jason Pitt, Bernadette Walong-Sene and Narelle Benjamin.

Marnie Palomares

DMC Founding Member

Marnie is an independent dancer and has performed extensively nationally and internationally. She has worked for Branch Nebula, Shaun Parker & Company, Chunky Move (Gideon Obarzanek), Force Majeure, Marrugeku, Antony Hamilton, Narelle Benjamin, Martin Del Amo, Sydney Theatre Company, Kristina Chan, Nigel Jamison, Garry Stewart, Jason Pitt, Bernadette Walong, Dean Walsh and Liz Lea. Marnie’s most recent choreographic works include Catapult’s Propel Residency solo Tissue Girl in collaboration with High Tea with Mrs Woo designers and dance film Home for Blacktown Arts Centre’s Balik Bayan Philippine art project.

Jana Castillo

DMC Member

Jana grew up in Wodonga, and completed her schooling at the Victoria College of Arts Secondary School. She then went on to study at the New Zealand School of Dance, graduating in 2009. Jana has worked with leading artists and companies across dance, theatre, opera and film, touring nationally and internationally. In 2018 Jana was awarded the Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer for her role in construct by Tanja Liedtke.

Mitchell Christie

Mitchell Christie is a freelance dancer, creator and educator. Growing up on Dharawal Country (NSW South Coast) he graduated from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts in 2012. In 2013 Mitchell moved to New York to continue his dance education at SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance, receiving his BFA in 2017.

Eliza Cooper

Eliza graduated from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts (2015) and received a Certificate IV (2016) and Advanced Diploma (2021) in Dance through Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year program. She continued her studies with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in the MASA Program (2017).

Ella Watson-Heath

Board Member, Future Maker and Youth Committee Member

Ella is a dance artist born and raised on Whadjuk Noongar Boodjar (Borloo, Perth) currently living on Gadigal land (Sydney), working across performance, choreography and improvisation. Ella is a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), BA Dance Course, and was a member of STEPS Youth Dance Company from 2013 to 2015.