Youth Committee

DMC’s Youth Committee is comprised of members of our youth company, Future Makers, and our Engagement Officer, DMC Member Emma Harrison.

The function of the Youth Committee is to give voice to the young artists who form Future Makers, to give them agency to lead the design of their program, to feed to the Board and DMC their ideas, and provide feedback on how to make our youth engagement programs more relevant and youth-led.

A Future Maker Member of the Youth Committee is nominated by Future Makers to represent them on DMC’s Board.

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.

Madeleine (Maddy) Backen

Future Maker and Youth Committee Member

Madeleine Backen has been dancing since she was seven. At the age of thirteen she began dancing at Joanne Grace School of Dance, where she was introduced to classical ballet and contemporary dance. Madeleine’s acceptance into Austinmer Dance Theatre at the beginning of 2016 allowed exposure to a wide range of creative and artistic experiences.

Sarah Goroch

Future Maker and Youth Committee Member

Sarah is an independent contemporary dance artist based in Sydney Australia. Graduating in 2018, with a Bachelor of Dance Performance.In 2021, she joined ‘We Are Here’ company under the Artistic Direction of Emma Saunders. Sarah has been working at Ausdance NSW as the Marketing and Partnerships Coordinator.

Rachelle Silsby

Future Maker and Youth Committee Member

Rachelle Silsby is an independent contemporary dance artist. Since studying at the Academy of Music and Performing Arts doing a Bachelor of Dance she has had the opportunity to learn from and work with various contemporary dancers.

Ashleigh (Ash) Veitch

Future Maker and Youth Committee Member

Ashleigh Veitch is an emerging independent dance maker and artist from Sydney, New South Wales. She is a recent 2020 graduate from The Victorian College of the Arts. Throughout her time studying she worked with Alice Lee Holland, Prue Lang, Anouk Van Dijk and Antony Hamilton.