Dance troupe has the world at its feet

Business Asia, May 17, 1999

Sydney Dance Company's successful production of "Salome" heads overseas next year courtesy of a tour of eight United States cities.

The production of "Salome", which is scheduled to tour the US in October and November 2000, has played to sell-out shows in Australia.

The company returned from a successful tour of the Free Radicals production to the US and Mexico last month, with plans already in place to take the show to Europe for performances at the Zurich Summer Festival, Innsbruck's International Summer Dance Festival and the Italian Summer Dance festivals.

Free Radicals last year performed at the 1998 Singapore Festival of Arts, becoming the first Australian dance company to perform at the prestigious event.

It was also the first Western dance company to perform in China when it toured in 1985.

The Sydney Dance Company was founded in 1969 and is widely regarded as one of Australia's leading contemporary dance companies. Since 1976, the company has been led by artistic director and resident choreographer Graeme Murphy and associate director Janet Vernon.

The Sydney Dance Company performs regularly around Australia and overseas, including Singapore, China and Japan.

Talents fostered by the company include choreographers Gideon Obarzanek ("Chunky Move"), Stephen Page (Bangarra Dance Theatre) and actor/choreographer Paul Mercurio ("Strictly Ballroom").