Simon Booth – CHAIR
Simon has worked in Indigenous Affairs for the last 11 years – specialising in working with community groups and NGOs in Health and Childcare.
He has worked with the Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, and most recently works as an Assistant Regional Manager for The Department of Education, Employment, and Workplace Relations.
He has a background in the Arts, occasionally working in the film industry before coming to the NT where he has worked with many Arts groups in the NT for the past few years, as a board member, technical support, or just a volunteer.
Simon is currently the Assistant Regional Manager for the Daly Region in the Top End, Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR).
Janice McEwen – VICE CHAIR
Janice McEwen came to Darwin for nine months in 2001 to complete Honours in Visual Arts from what was then NTU. She took on the so-called part-time role of Ausdance EO within a few months of her arrival and ended up staying in the job until 2004 when she moved on to Top End Arts, where she is now Director.
Working for Ausdance introduced her to the accessibility of dance in the Northern Territory and she still counts herself as a strong advocate for its unique joys.
She is passionate about letting people know about the arts through strong marketing.
Jane Brennan – TREASURER
Jane Brennan is the Executive Officer for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award NT Division. Since her appointment three years ago she listened to the needs of the employees and worked together to improve the financial, administration and quality assurance processes.
This year Jane is undertaking the Graduate Diploma of Business Administration at CDU and holds certificates in Cert IV Training and Assessment and Diploma in Event Management. She has completed single tertiary subjects through CSU in microeconomics and accounting 1.
Jane commends her traits of resilience and determination to the discipline of 14 years of Scottish Dancing, six days a week.
Her aspiration is to walk away from Dukes knowing that she will be leaving a successful organisation, great people and that she thoroughly enjoyed her time there. She also hopes to contribute her NGO knowledge and experience to Ausdance NT to enable the organisation to meet with the national body’s key objectives.
Bec Allen – SECRETARY/PUBLIC OFFICER
Bec is a graduate of the NIDA Technical Production course, with a special interest in stage management for dance and festivals.
Stage Management credits include: Clan, True Stories, Mathinna and Awakenings as Resident Stage Manager for Bangarra Dance Theatre (07-09), Already Elsewhere for Force Majeure at the Biennale of Dance in Lyon, France. Regional tour of The Merchant of Venice for Bell Shakespeare, National and Regional tours of Three Furies and Through the Wire for Performing Lines, The Burlesque Hour for Sydney Opera House and Boy Gets Girl for Sydney Theatre Company. For the Sydney Festival: Company Manager for Christopher Wheeldons Morphoses, Stage Manager KIN, Deputy Production Coordinator 2006/07, Stage Management for Sylvie Guillem and The Ballet Boyz, The Anderson Project/Robert Lepage and the Annual Australia Day Ferrython on Sydney Harbour.
Adventuring overseas Bec has been the Venue Manager for Aurora Nova at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe working with dance/physical theatre companies for all over the world. (04-05) Bec is currently the Creative Producer at Darwin Festival.
Dr Garry Lester – GENERAL BOARD MEMBER
Garry Lester has over 30 years experience, working throughout Australia and overseas, as a choreographer, performer and teacher. He relishes the challenges and opportunities of working with diverse groups of people ranging from mainstream professional theatre and dance companies, through to a broad range of community groups. He believes the value of any project can be measured by the passion, enthusiasm, and commitment that each and every person brings to the experience.
Garry has a Ph.D in Dance History, Criticism and Analysis after completing an MA in Visual and Fine Arts. Garry has been Head of Dance at two Australian Universities and has taught at many more. He has been published widely in Australia and internationally and is also affectionately known by many as Doctor Dance.
Garry is a descendent of the Wonnarua people of the Hunter Valley in NSW and has a strong commitment to indigenous issues. He has recently been working for the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), which is a connection he has maintained since the mid 1970s.
Garry will be working with Artback NT on the Indigenous Traditional Dance Program in 2010 to assist development in mens traditional dance in the NT as well as the annual showcase event, DanceSite, held this year at Tennant Creek.
Louise Partos – GENERAL BOARD MEMBER
Louise Partos began as Executive Officer of Artback NT: Arts Development and Touring in June 2007 and joined the Ausdance NT Board in 2008. One of Artback NT’s key programs is the Indigenous Traditional Dance Project based in Alice Springs. Louise looks forward to ways in which the two organisations can work together to facilitate skills development and dance opportunities for Northern Territory performers.
Louise has an extensive background in the not for profit arts and culture sector including project management and cross cultural development. She has worked for many years within communities, particularly Aboriginal and within the museum sector. Previous roles have also included Manager, Bula’bula Arts Aboriginal Corporation, Producer, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Centre, Melbourne Museum, Curator and Project Coordinator, Indigenous Cultures Department, Museum Victoria and Art Coordinator Ernabella Arts.
In 2009, Louise Partos won an AbaF Margaret Lawrence Scholarship which enabled her to undertake professional development at Melbourne Business School, Mt. Eliza Campus, perfect timing as she embarks on broadening the scope and delivery of Artback NT.
