Winners of Sharp Short Dance

[caption id="attachment_34160" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Amari Leiva Urzua in Al Mal Tiempo [/caption] Full Results of Sharp Short Dance 2020 [caption id="attachment_34152" align="alignright" width="300"] Saskia Ellis[/caption] This year saw popular independent dance festival, Sharp Short Dance , being held through a series of online heats and a live streamed final over October and November. Hosted by FORM Dance Projects the winners of its annual youth dance festival were announced following a live-streamed final event held on Saturday 21 st November 2020 .

Sharp Short Dance provides an opportunity for dancers and choreographers aged 21 years and under to show their works to a panel of industry professionals and win highly sought-after industry secondments with major professional dance companies. Now a mainstay on the annual dance calendar, it showcases the work of young dancers and choreographers, film makers and music creators from around Australia.

[caption id="attachment_34159" align="alignright" width="300"] Chris Wade[/caption] This year’s judging panel was comprised of some of the industry’s most respected names including Omer Backley- Astrachan (Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year Course Coordinator), Shaun Parker (Artistic Director of Shaun Parker & Company), Jo Clancy (Founder and Director of the Wagana Dancers), Emma Saunders (FORM/WE ARE HERE Company associate artist), Melissa Ramos (Founder and Director of Dance Cinema), Jamie Winbank (independent dance artist, producer and choreographer), and Aruna Gandhi (Founder and Director of Silambam-Sydney).

Usually held at Riverside Theatres in Parramatta, the festival was moved online this year so that it could proceed in COVID Safe conditions.

[caption id="attachment_34167" align="alignright" width="240"] Lucy Angel[/caption] The 2020 Sharp Short Dance winners are:

Most Innovative Choreography – Saskia Ellis ( Earthern )

Most Innovative Choreography (Junior) – Amari Leiva Urzua ( Al Mal Tiempo )

Most Outstanding Talent – Isaac Clark ( Masque )

Outstanding Female Dancer – Danni Cook ( To Fear, To Feel )

Outstanding Male Dancer – Chris Wade ( Volatile )

Outstanding Solo Performance – Lucy Angel ( Moonlight )

Outstanding Duet Performance – Ruby Howard & Toby McKnight ( Try Not To Break It )

[caption id="attachment_34153" align="alignright" width="240"] Ruby Howard and Toby McKnight[/caption] Outstanding Ensemble Performance – Taylor Mikic & Priyasha Naidoo ( Prison Yard )