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| Women's Power Forum Series Event - Women in the Arts |
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| Written by Administrator |
| Sunday, 13 July 2008 02:37 |
The Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's CoalitionInvites you to join us at the Women's Power Forum Series - Women in the ArtsFriday 30 May 2008
 Ajak Kwai Born in a small town called Bor in the Malakal Region of the Upper Nile, Ajak grew up in a musical family and began singing along at all the village ceremonies and celebrations, learning the songs of her heritage. Later on she joined a local missionary choir singing gospel music in the Dinka style. In 1992, due to religious and political unrest imposed by the current government of Sudan, Ajak was forced to leave her home and went to college in Egypt, singing in the choirs. Ajak migrated to Australia in 1999 and joined the small number of Southern Sudanese refugees in Hobart, Tasmania. She soon became known to the local community and was invited to perform at a number of events In 2001, Ajak formed the band Wahida (Arabic for Unity). Later in 2002, Ajak started performing at various festivals in Australia, and in May 2004, Ajak produced her demo CD Why not Peace & Love? Ajak sings in her native Dinka language as well as in Arabic and English. You can read more about Ajak on her website http://www.ajakkwai.com/index.htm  Janette Hoe Janette Hoe is a dancer, choreographer and graphic/visual designer. Malaysian born, now based in Melbourne, Janette has a particular interest in the ecstatic body in dance. Her work is influenced and informed by Butoh, Growtoski physical theatre and Asian traditional dance forms. She is currently working on new projects, exploring and devicing work in collaboration with thinkers, artists and designers of various disciplines. Her ongoing exploration of identity is present in most of her work. She takes inspiration from everyday life, old Chinese films and songs, and textures. Janette’s recent solo choreographic work, No Candles Please (2006), was presented at the Lombok International Arts Festival and GEOKS Bali Arts Festival, Indonesia; and the Terrain Festival in Victoria, Australia. Her other choreographic works include Pause – Where Are We Heading…(2004) a duet co-developed and co-choreographed with Tomoko Yamasaki and Barbie Meets Butoh (2003). Recent performances include White Froth (2008); PINK (2007) a 10-year reunion performance with Taro Dance Theatre staged in Kuala Lumpur; Sweeping the Dust (2006); Solo-Site-Self (2005); The Night Within the Day (2004); Beyond Butoh Festival Series (2002 - 06). She also took part in John Cage’s Musicircus at the Melbourne International Arts Festival 2007. Janette’s involvement in Butoh and dance theatre began in 1995 when she joined Taro Dance Theatre, a pioneering Butoh company in Kuala Lumpur. For five years she trained and performed with the company exploring highly stylized movement forms that pushed the edge of current thinking about dance and contemporary socio-cultural issues. Since returning to Australia in 2000 Janette continues to research and train independantly and with other Butoh practitioners. In 2006, Janette was named “Dancer to Watch” in Dance Australia 2006 Critics’ Survey and was one of four artists to represent Victoria in the Lombok International Arts Festival in Indonesia.  Sonya Suares Sonya Suares works extensively in the arts in a variety of roles and contexts. In 2004, she graduated from the WA Academy of Performing Arts – one of the country’s leading performance institutions. Since then, she has worked in theatre, music theatre, opera, film and television. Her credits include Australian films Wil and Stranded, Postive Women’s In the Family, The Production Company’s The Pajama Game, Something to Declare for Actors for Refugees and Rappaccini’s Daughter and Gila for the VCA Directors’ Seasons 2005 and 2006. In 2007, she toured with the Complete Works Theatre Company and spent two weeks workshopping in the Kimberley with children at the Nyikina Mangala Community School. She is currently shooting My Year Without Sex and Knowing with acclaimed Australian directors Sarah Watt and Alex Proyas respectively, as well as the ABC’s new television series Very Small Business. She is also collaborating with Project Respect on a documentary-theatre project about trafficked women and the sex industry. When not performing, producing or teaching, Sonya works at the Victorian Writers’ Centre.
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| Last Updated on Thursday, 09 September 2010 06:46 |
