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| Meryl Tankard | |
|---|---|
| Name | Meryl Tankard |
| Birth date | 1955 |
| Birth place | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia |
| Occupation | Choreographer, Dancer, Artistic Director |
| Years active | 1970s–present |
Meryl Tankard Meryl Tankard is an Australian choreographer and dancer known for her innovative contributions to contemporary dance, theater and opera. She has directed companies, created stage works for international festivals and collaborated with composers, designers and directors across Australia, Europe and Asia. Her career spans work with national companies, independent ensembles and large-scale theatrical productions.
Born in Darwin, Northern Territory, Tankard trained in dance and performance from a young age, studying with teachers associated with Australian Ballet-linked programs, local community arts initiatives and regional conservatories. She later moved to Sydney and associated with institutions such as the National Institute of Dramatic Art and studios connected to the Australian Dance Theatre and Sydney Dance Company. Early influences included exposure to touring productions by companies such as the Royal Ballet and visiting artists from the UK and United States.
Tankard's professional career began performing with ensembles including the Australian Ballet and contemporary groups touring the Asia Pacific region, before joining international companies in Europe and the United Kingdom. She worked with notable institutions such as the Theatre Royal, Sydney, the West Australian Ballet, and European houses including the Ballet Rambert and venues associated with the Edinburgh Festival. Tankard founded and directed her own company, producing works for festivals such as the Sydney Festival, the Adelaide Festival, the Melbourne International Arts Festival and the Festival d'Avignon. She has collaborated with directors and designers from the Royal Opera House, composers linked to the BBC Proms and choreographers associated with the Paris Opera Ballet.
Tankard's choreography blends theatrical narrative, visual design and contemporary dance idioms influenced by artists from Germany, Japan, France and the United Kingdom. Her style shows traces of mentorship and exchange with figures related to the Pina Bausch-influenced Tanztheater tradition, contact improvisation practices, and techniques found within the repertoires of companies like the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Merce Cunningham-associated avant-garde. Visual collaborators have included designers with links to the Sydney Opera House and cinematographers engaged by the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and BBC.
Tankard created seminal productions staged at venues such as the Sydney Opera House, Festival Hall, Melbourne and the Royal Festival Hall. Notable projects include large-scale pieces commissioned for the Sydney Festival, works presented at the Edinburgh International Festival and collaborations for the World Expo and national commemorations like ceremonies associated with Australia Day-linked programming. She has choreographed for opera productions at the English National Opera and the Opera Australia seasons, and for theater companies including the Bell Shakespeare company. Tankard's repertoire includes interdisciplinary works that toured to cultural institutions such as the Lincoln Center and programs curated by the British Council.
Throughout her career Tankard has received recognition from Australian institutions such as the Australia Council for the Arts and state arts bodies, as well as international accolades from bodies linked to the Venice Biennale, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and European dance prize organizations. She has been awarded fellowships associated with the Australia Council and honors from municipal arts councils in Sydney and Melbourne. Her work has been supported by grants from agencies like the Australia Council for the Arts and acknowledged by critics in publications connected to the Guardian (London), the New York Times and Australian national media outlets.
Tankard's personal life includes ongoing connections to communities in Darwin, Northern Territory, Sydney and Melbourne, and professional relationships with artists from institutions such as the Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre and international ensembles. Her legacy is reflected in the training of dancers who have joined companies like the Sydney Dance Company, the influence on contemporary choreographers exhibited at festivals including the Adelaide Festival and the continued presentation of her works by cultural organizations such as the Sydney Festival and the British Council. She remains cited in scholarly and critical discourse found in journals associated with the University of Sydney, the University of Melbourne and arts research centers.
Category:Australian choreographers Category:Australian dancers Category:1955 births Category:Living people