Daniel Riley's first season for ADT

Daniel Riley, the newly appointed artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre, has announced his plans for 2022. 

Riley took up the covetted post officially this year, stepping into the outgoing footprints of Garry Stewart.

His first program starts with "Outside Within", described as "a triptych of stories and legacies" created by both Riley and ADT’s 2021 Associate Artist, Adrianne Semmens.

The triptych includes The Third, created by Riley with the ADT dancers. This work takes as its staring point mulunma – Inside Within, which was originally conceived and directed by Riley with Cass Mortimer Eipper for a commission for last year's Rising festival in Melbourne.

The third part of the triptych is Immerse, by Semmens (with the dancers), which compares "the freshwater of her heritage with the saltwater country she now calls home".

"Outside Within" will be performed in Adelaide from May 10– 13 before an expansive tour throughout South Australia.

September will see Riley’s first major, full length work for ADT, SAVAGE, described as "a collection of ideas and eras shaped into an urgent piece of dance theatre". The work will "look at personal perceptions of fundamental belief systems and our trust in believing the truths and lies that have captured our hearts and imaginations". Performed by a multi-generational cast, SAVAGE will be performed at the Adelaide Festival Centre from September 21-25 followed by a season at Canberra Theatre from September 29-30.

Winding up the year (December 7-11) will be Cultivate, held at ADT's home, The Odeon, in Adelaide, and showcasing new creations by the company's 2022 Associate Artist, Tobiah Booth-Remmers, and company dancers. Supported by Country Arts SA and the touring organisation Nexus Arts, the program promises to provide an "environment for artists, voices and audiences new to ADT".

Riley, a Wiradjuri man from western NSW and most recently a member of Bangarra Dance Theatre, is ADT's sixth artistic director since the company was founded 57 years ago.

“It is an incredible thrill to unveil my first season at ADT, a company I have long admired since I first saw them perform as an aspiring young dancer,” he says.

“I’m very honoured to be following in the footsteps of some of the giants of Australian contemporary dance, as I take up this role and launch my first year as Artistic Director.

“ADT has always been a company shaping the boundaries of Australian contemporary dance, and I am greatly looking forward to sharing my vision, treading lightly and working with outstanding artists to bring new Australian work to audiences both in Adelaide and across Australia this year and into the future.”

For more details go here.