Gabrielle Nankivell is an Australian director and performer with formative ties to Europe. Informed by a somewhat nomadic existence, her work is concerned with notions of impermanence. Derived primarily from improvisation and writing, her hybrid choreographic practice invokes imagination, creature and sense memory while supporting perception as a creative and performative condition.

Working independently and commissioned by leading dance companies and training institutions, Gabrielle also maintains a collaborative practice with composer/performer Luke Smiles and is a collaborator at The Farm. She has been awarded choreographic residencies including, Dancehouse’s Housemate, Adelaide Festival Centre’s inSPACE:development and STRUT’s SEED as well as creating works through residency platforms in Armenia, Belgium, Portugal, Singapore and Slovenia. Her work has been widely presented across Australia, Europe and Asia.

Recent choreographic commissions include, Company’s 2016 Untamed season (originally created for New Breed 2014), Order of Things for Frontier Danceland Singapore, To hunt for LINK Dance Company and SUITE SECRET for STRUT’s Mi Casa Es Su Casa at Fringe World 2015.

Gabrielle also provides choreography and movement consultancy across various stage and film productions. Recent engagements include State Theatre Company of South Australia’s The Popular Mechanicals and Windmill Theatre’s multi award-winning School Dance and Girl Asleep and feature film Girl Asleep (dir. Rosemary Myers).
   
Gabrielle honed her dance career in Europe performing for Belgian artists Alexander Baervoets and Ultima Vez/Wim Vandekeybus and collaborating with Jurij Konjar (Slovenia), Raul Maia (Portugal) and Thomas Steyaert (Belgium). She has also lived and worked in Germany and Denmark. Since re-connecting with Australia through her own projects Gabrielle has worked with Australian Dance Theatre/Garry Stewart, Animal Farm Collective/The Farm, Branch Nebula, Chunky Move/Gideon Obarzanek, Gavin Webber, Grayson Millwood, KAGE and Torque Show amongst others.

Gabrielle is the recipient of the Marten Bequest Travelling Scholarship, two Impulstanz Vienna DanceWEB Scholarships, the inaugural Keith Bain Choreographic Travel Fellowship (2014) and the 2015 Tanja Liedtke Fellowship.

Gabrielle trained with Jacqueline Tucker in Adelaide and holds a Bachelor of Dance (Victorian College of the Arts), a Master of Arts in Writing (Swinburne University) and a foundation level teaching certificate in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.

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Documenting the influence of travel on my artistic practice

by Gabrielle Nankivell originally published on

Gabrielle Nankivell, the inaugural recipient of the Ausdance Keith Bain Choreographic Travel Fellowship, shares her travel story, research notes and workbook from Vienna, Munich, Barcelona and Berlin, where old and new influences shape her practice.

The subject of travel and professional development, and the value this experience offers artistic practice, arises regularly in the dance arena. As artists we seek these experiences because we are hoping to find something other than what we know or perhaps even something that makes us finally feel at home – either way, we are seeking something to ignite our imaginations and to deepen our knowledge and empathy. We hope to meet people, build new relationships and share practice. We imagine it will generate energy and feed our motivation. We take to the road to connect with others and to connect with our selves. To paraphrase the sentiment of many a wanderlust quote, travel opens the mind and makes the heart grow... We know and the philanthropists know. Travel and international exchange is a good thing.