Acting through movement: Bridging dance and storytelling workshop

Connecting Australia's Music Theatre research, pedagogy and industry.

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Monday 15 July
Tuesday 16 July

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Copyright 2024 Music Theatre Futures

Drawing from years of observation, training, teaching, and professional experience, Ross Hannaford (VCA, University of Melbourne) will facilitate a workshop exploring a more synergistic relationship between acting techniques and dance training, to encourage a more holistic approach that serves the story, the choreography, and the artist.
The music theatre landscape in 2024 is broad and diverse, but it continues to demand dancers that can not only embody choreography but also interpret and make clear its intention. However, the emphasis on technical proficiency often overlooks the integration of acting into dance training, thus diminishing the dancer's ability to fully engage with and express the story or intention.

Auditors will discover how to apply acting techniques to dance and consider what scenarios suit which technique, all with a view to expanding the artist’s exploration of the choreography and storytelling. This will be a valuable toolkit for actors and dancers alike.

ROSS HANNAFORD

Ross first appeared in professional musical theatre over 20 years ago playing the role of Tiny Tim in Scrooge at Melbourne’s Princess Theatre. This set him on a path that would carve out a life of creative practice both at home and abroad. Career highlights include his portrayals of Princeton and Rod in Avenue Q at Her Majesty’s Theatre Melbourne, receiving a Green Room Award nomination for his portrayal of Tobias Ragg in Victorian Opera’s Sweeney Todd and his portrayal of Paul in A Chorus Line. He played the role of Skimbleshanks in the Australian tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s re-created CATS and went on to become the resident director of the international production. His other credits include Wicked, King Kong, We Will Rock You, Theo in Pippin, Colin in The Secret Garden and SHOUT the musical. His Production Company credits include Clarius in Camelot, Junior in Little Me, Thoroughly Modern Millie & Sweet Charity.

Ross is a recipient of the Solo Seal Award from the Royal Academy of Dance and was a finalist at the international Genee awards. He is also a graduate of the VCA Secondary School where he received the Anne Wooliams award for excellence.

Ross has more recently dedicated his craft to teaching, choreographing and directing within the music theatre program at Melbourne Universities VCA as well as the VCA secondary school’s Dance and Theatre Arts programs; a great privilege, honor and responsibility that is not lost on him.

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