CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKS

This new contemporary dance work immerses itself in Amelia Jean O’Leary’s experience of growing up as a Gamilaroi Yinarr in the suburbs and constantly having to reclaim her Blakness. O’Leary reclaims her autonomy, agency and ancientness through healing and expression.

What happens when you own all of you and nothing of you belongs to someone else? When your body is your body, your time is your time and your space is your space.

"To fight, to rest, to make decisions, to be ignored or crucified. I am sacred yet constantly demystified. Sculpted by the coloniser, wired by the ancestors. Dipped in nutrients, soaked in essence, this is my body right, my life, my dance, our dance." - Amelia O'Leary

STAUNCH ASF was developed with the support of Dancehouse and the Sidney Myer Fund. This project received Cash to Create through the Fringe Fund, as part of Deadly Fringe.

Dancer, choreographer and sound designer: Amelia Jean O'Leary @ameliaa.jeann

Set and costume: Savanna Wegman @savannaaas

Lighting design: Giovanna Yate Gonzalez @giovanna.yate.g

Stage and production: Georgie Bright @georgina.bright

Co-written with Emma Salmon @pussbah

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O'Leary was awarded the Melbourne Fringe Best Emerging Indigenous Artist Award 2023 for STAUNCH ASF

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This was so realized and so grounded. I felt really under its spell, like it was very, I was captivated immediately. -Carla, Across the Aisle (On STAUNCH ASF (2023)

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I find all of those questions productive and have been reflecting very closely on this ever since. - Philip, Across the Aisle (On STAUNCH ASF (2023) 

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ACROSS THE AISLE https://open.spotify.com/embed/episode/6eUvHtKI6z7otYutqSU8tf?utm_source=generator 

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THE AGE https://www.theage.com.au/culture/theatre/mob-has-a-meeting-place-at-melbourne-fringe-s-blak-lodge-20231016-p5eckm.html

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NORTH WEST CITY NEWS https://www.northwestcitynews.com.au/meat-market-transforms-into-a-diverse-hub-of-first-nations-art/

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Banksia: Amelia Jean O’Leary on STAUNCH ASF at Fringe https://www.rrr.org.au/on-demand/segments/banksia-amelia-jean-oleary-on-staunch-asf-at-fringe

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Image by Gregory Lorenzutti

 
Presented by Darebin Arts Speakeasy in Frame March 2023

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Amelia is a First Nations Gamilaroi dancer and choreographer. Janelle Tan is a Chinese Malaysian dance artist with a rich understanding of the diverse culture that surrounded her growing up. In “A Certain Mumble”, they step through the sticky terrain of conviction and confusion, voice and incomprehensibility, sisterhood and lineage, being watched and being understood.

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In this intimate new dance work, these two young choreographers invite you into the murky realm between the certainty they hold in themselves, the perils of being misunderstood, and the subterranean rumblings that try to convince you you don’t belong here.

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Choreographer, dancer and sound artist: Amelia Jean O’Leary
Dancer and Collaborator: Janelle Tan Yung Huey
Lighting Designer: Giovanna Yate Gonzalez
Set Designer: Savanna Wegman

Stage and production manager: Georgie Bright

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My Melbourne Arts A Certain Mumble interview http://www.mymelbournearts.com/2023/01/getting-inside-scoop-on-being-outsider.html 

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LGI Residency Blog https://lucyguerininc.com/news/lgi-residency-amelia-jean-o-leary

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Image: Sarah Walker

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‘Yinarr’ means ‘Aboriginal Woman’ in Gamillaraay Language. In this iteration of Yinarr, Gamilaroi Woman Amelia O’Leary provides a glimpse into her discovery and exploration of identity. This is a raw physical depiction of her internal vortex of identity and sisterhood that ripples into the physical, digital and spiritual worlds.

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Choreographer, performer, sound designer: Amelia Jean O’Leary

REVIEWS

ARTS HUB

https://www.artshub.com.au/news/reviews/dance-review-yinarr-2575970/

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DANCE INFORMA 

https://dancemagazine.com.au/2022/09/peering-into-the-heart-of-the-work-amelia-jean-olearys-yinarr/

Yinarr, 2020 (Film) 

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Resilience in Isolation grant through YIRRAMBOI FESTIVAL 5 minute video solo dance piece

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Yinarr by Amelia O’Leary presented in Dance (Lens) Festival, running from 29 July—29 August 2021

No Correct Way, 2021 (film)

'No Correct Way' is complete sense and chaos. No explanation needed. No way for it to be. Orbiting around discovery and honesty. Surrounding sisterhood and love. Creating a space and a home for women to be as they choose. Exploring the multiplicity and drama of being women. As the women take the space they embody various modes. Being completely open but shut. Let’s see how it feels, how it goes, how it will be, as there is no correct way for us to be. 

Credits Directed, created and choreographed by: Amelia Jean O’Leary Dancers and Collaborators: Zoe Brown Janelle Tan Sarah Kosoof Molly McKenzie Gemma Sattler

Videographer: Alliah Nival Lighting: Makayla Hurinui

Editor: Amelia Jean O’Leary Sound: Amelia Jean O’Leary

Pianist: Emily Keane

Presented in MudFest 2021

Received Best Editing Award in MudFest Films 2021

MICRO TOXIC, 2020 (film)

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Independent contract 2020 VCA UNIMELB

JEAN, 2021 (film)

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Short dance film