Yamba’s Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal is one of six dance practitioners across NSW to be awarded a Create in NSW grant. Arts NSW’s executive director, Michael Brealey, said the successful applicants have been awarded up to $5,000 to develop and innovate their practices. He said Ms Dewi Tyas Tunggal will use her $5,000 grant to develop her teaching, dance techniques and solo and ensemble choreographic processes and skills. “I’m delighted that this initiative to innovate dance practices is helping such a variety of talented dance professionals around the state to stretch their limits and reach their goals. “[Other] recipients are heading to residencies in Malta and West Africa, participating in mentorships with celebrated dance artists Alice Cummins and Shaun Parker, and exploring blindness and dance in a mentorship with the Sydney Dance Company. “True to its vision, ‘Create in NSW’, the NSW Government is working to build the skills of our diverse dance practitioners and to raise their profile and recognition here and overseas.” Ms Dewi Tyas Tunggal said her “intention is to complete an embodied anatomy and kinesiology course from the NYC Breathing Project”. “Embodiment in somatic dance studies is more than being aware and knowing: learning about embodied kinesiology and anatomy will be a transformative experience through personal movement re-education and improvisation experimentation,” she said. “I am planning to share my learning in the Northern Rivers region. “During 2017 I will host several workshop-style ‘physical exploration’ classes for local dancers, dance students and artists of all disciplines concerned with energetic and physical movement. “It’s about holding community workshops that are inclusive and accessible for people interested in movement and dance – I intend to create a wonderful environment for questioning and reflecting, teaching and learning.” The Ausdance Innovating Dance Practice Grants Program is administered by Ausdance NSW on behalf of Arts NSW, and “targets the Arts NSW priority areas of people with a disability, young people, Aboriginal people, people from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds or people living or working in regional NSW and Western Sydney”. *Note: Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal is running free workshops, ‘Breathbody’, from 9am to 10am at the Raymond Laurie Sports Centre on Saturday December 3 and 10. She will demonstrate and teach movement and breathing techniques for relaxation, creative freedom and natural rhythm – all levels, no experience required. Everyone welcome; contact her on 0432 248 193 for more information.