(NAARM/MELBOURNE)

Luke George (he/they) is a multidisciplinary artist creating work that spans performance, installation, craft and curation. Luke was born in lutruwita/Tasmania and resides on Wurundjeri Country in Naarm/Melbourne. Through their work, Luke examines the dynamics of intimacy and collectivity to create ‘safe spaces’ that allow for care as well as risk. Luke’s artistic practice is informed by queer politics and spaces, whereby people are neither singular nor isolated; bodies of difference can intersect, practice mutual listening, take responsibility for themselves and one another. Luke creates and performs work across Australia, Asia, Europe and North America, with notable presentations at the Venice Biennale, National Galleries of Victoria and Singapore, RISING, Dance Massive, Liveworks Festival, Rencontres chorégraphiques de Seine-Saint-Denis, Time Based Art Festival and many more. Luke was a 2019 Australia Council for the Arts Fellowship recipient, in 2020 appointed inaugural Artistic Associate of Temperance Hall and in 2022 was bequeathed a Chloe Monroe Fellowship.

www.lukegeorge.net

(SINGAPORE/BERLIN)

Daniel Kok studied Fine Art & Critical Theory (Goldsmiths College, London), Solo/Dance/Authorship (HZT, Berlin) and Advanced Performance and Scenography Studies (APASS, Brussels). In 2008, he received the Young Artist Award from the National Arts Council (Singapore). His artistic work deals with the politics of Spectatorship and Audienceship, and have been presented across Asia, Europe, Australia and North America; notably in the Venice Biennale, Maxim Gorki (Berlin), Rising (Melbourne) and Festival/Tokyo. As artistic director of Dance Nucleus (Singapore), he develops capacities for artists and trans-local partnerships in the Asia-Pacific. He curates da:ns LAB and the VECTOR exhibition in collaboration with the Esplanade (Singapore). He is based between Singapore and Berlin.

www.diskodanny.com / www.dancenucleus.com

A District Manager for Fire and Emergency NZ, Rochelle attributes her authentic leadership style through the experience gained as Vice-Captain/Captain while playing for the Blackferns (women's rugby) and was considered one of the most experienced players in Blackfern history with a career spanning from 1994 to 2006 winning three World Cup titles and named player of the year in 1995. 

The first female firefighter to be appointed as Group Manager/Assistant Commander, Rochelle is a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to Rugby and Fire and Emergency NZ.

Alice has been playing in Wellington women's rugby teams since she was 13 years old. A loveable loudmouth to her teammates, she continues to use her voice to get women’s sports over the advantage line. Alice lives, plays, writes and coaches women’s rugby in Wainuiomata. If she's not doing any of that, you'll find her having an oh so Wellington beer in her backyard.

Paea Longopoa is born in Aotearoa and West-Auckland raised. Paea’s parents are Tongan and Catholic, and she attended Catholic Church and School growing up.

Paea comes from a family of men who were all into sports, particularly rugby league but decided to play union instead. She joined Ponsonby rugby club in 1998 and played on and off until she hung up the boots in 2018. She returned in 2019-2020 to manage the women’s team and won the championship in 2020 after 27 years and the girls have continued to win since then. She has currently been married for one year now with 2 fur babies living in Grey Lynn and works in mental health in the Construction industry.

Vita Dryden, 41, was born and raised in Kerikeri, Northland. She now resides on the Thames Coast, Coromandel Peninsula, with her husband Hadley and their two sons, Toby (11) and Louie (9). For the past five years, Vita has co-owned and managed a plastic-free bulk foods and household refill store in Thames.

In her rugby career, Vita played as a lock for Otago from 2004 to 2005, Auckland Storm from 2006 to 2013, and the Black Ferns in 2007, 2009-2011, and 2013. She has recently ventured into coaching, supporting the Hauraki North Diamonds, the first women's team in decades from the Coromandel region, and the Thames Valley Vixens.

Black Fern in capping order number 15, Nina Siō is a pioneer and legend of women’s rugby, an uncompromising lock and loose forward, who appeared in the first Ponsonby, Auckland and New Zealand teams in the eighties. From a touch background she started playing rugby in 1985 with the Grammar club. In 1986 Sio and six others formed the Ponsonby women's team known as the Fillies who became a powerhouse, winning 86 matches and eight championships. Sio made the 1991 tour and World Cup team, where she played all three matches at the tournament. Nina is now a mother to three sons, and grandmother of three, a breast cancer survivor and works in Health and Wellbeing, specialising in Diversional Therapy.

Samaria Kaipo is a 20 year old of Maori descent currently completing a Bachelor of Sport and Recreation. She whakapapas to Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa and Te Aupōuri. Her passion lies within rugby, having grown up around rugby, working in rugby and also playing for the Ponsonby Fillies playing in the 2023 finals that won them the Coleman shield. Samaria loves the culture within her team, as it feels like family.

Petra Ong is a touch rugby player currently playing for the NZ Falcons. She is originally from Malaysia, and moved to Aotearoa 8 years ago. She joined the Falcons B Team two years ago, as the only full time female player of the club's touch team. Playing touch allowed her to connect in Aotearoa, and find community through Rugby.

Former double rugby International having competed at the original RWC for Wales and then was a winning member of the England team at the following 1994 RWC. Known globally as "Georgie' she competed in four rugby world cups and two netball world cups, including captaining England in the final at Barcelona, RWC2002. Georgie was capped 77 times for England and retired as the most capped player int he world at the time. She played for her beloved club Wasps for over 14 years.

CREATIVE PRODUCER

CREATIVE PRODUCER

LEAD CONSULTANT

MARKETING & VIDEOGRAPHER

HOD PRODUCTION

SOUND DESIGN

CULTURAL CONSULTANT

CULTURAL CONSULTANT

HERO IMAGE PHOTOGRAPHER

PUBLICITY
Bex Martelletti & Chris Henry

Marketing and Publicity Coordinator

Rehearsal Models:

Anna Dawson, Meg Robinson, Diamond Langi, Ma’aola Faasavala, Faasu Afoa-Purcell, Laika Rountree, Vena-Rose Lennane, Johanna Cosgrove, Marc Conaco, Bec Jensen, Hazel Oh, Kerianne Sheree