Contemporary Dance Workshop

Tribal Dance: Afro Funk

Gretel Burgess

In a high energy 90-minute workshop, Gretel will share some of the stories and the meanings behind traditional movement and dance from West Africa, including African healing dances for children and animals, a fusion of modern Afro Funk and Tribal Belly Dance movement. Gretel will also provide insight into different teaching techniques, the use of props, costumes, instruments and working in small and large groups as a way to engage children and young people in tribal dance and cultural context. Gretel will share the importance of working from the inside out, using the breath and finding purpose and meaning within each movement. As the Zimbabwe saying goes “ if you can walk you can dance, if you can talk you can sing”. The movement will emphasise inclusiveness when teaching groups where dance is for everybody no matter what age, size, ability, gender or background.

About Gretel

Gretel Burgess has extensive experience working in both the Health and Arts sectors. Her qualifications include a Masters in Social Work, Bachelor of Arts (Theatre Media) and completed a one-year scholarship in Theatre and Dance at Sekolalah Tinggi Seni (university) Padang Pajang, Indonesia. Gretel has toured and performed in Australia and overseas and has worked for numerous youth drama companies and dance theatres. She has taught many different cultural and community groups including asylum seekers on Christmas Island, the Multi-Cultural Council for Refugees in Darwin, adults with stroke and acute brain injury, adults with complex needs, and residents living in aged care facilities in Cairns. Gretel has been a drama teacher over the past three years for NIDA, teaching drama holiday programs showcasing works of children and young people in Canberra and Cairns.

Gretel is currently a dance facilitator for the Well-being dance classes at Tuggeranong Arts Centre and a dance teacher for the CDTeens, teenagers with additional needs at Canberra Dance Theatre. Gretel is a regular guest teacher for the GOLDS, over 55 dance classes and is on the board of the Canberra Dance Theatre. She is also currently a dance and drama facilitator for the Messengers Program with teenagers at Tuggeranong Arts Centre and works as a social worker and family and student counsellor for CatholicCare in three Canberra primary schools.

Gretel’s performances in 2018 included ‘A Stroke of Luck’ for Dance on The Edge and for the opening of IDay performance night at Gorman House. Gretel is currently working on the second piece in her stoke series called ‘Liability’ and has just been selected for the second year in a row by Belconnen Arts Centre to showcase this performance at Dance on The Edge 2019 in May.

Gretel has been choreographing a performance piece for the Parkinson’s dance class to perform at this year’s BOLD festival, and the CDT teens will be featured in the Enlighten Festival performance in March 2019. Gretel is currently rehearsing a site specific movement creation with the Canberra Dance Theatre performance group and will be one of the performers in the Art, Not Apart Festival, also in March.