Stephanie Lake Company announces ESCALATOR

This 16-19 August, Stephanie Lake Company, in association with Abbotsford Convent, presents the inaugural season of ESCALATOR – new short dance pieces by six of Naarm’s freshest choreographic talents. ESCALATOR showcases the humour, depth, provocations, and sophistication of some of the city’s most interesting and diverse dance voices.

Bringing together six choreographic talents, ESCALATOR is an evening of five new, original short works by Harrison Ritchie-Jones, Kady Mansour, Kayla Douglas, Luke Currie-Richardson and Melissa Pham & Jayden Wall.

Harrison Ritchie-Jones is an independent dancer & choreographer based in Naarm (Melbourne). Harrison’s choreographic practice celebrates dance and is fuelled by a curiosity in techniques from a range of physical practices. Upskilling and blending forms, he uses dance to carve out spaces for absurdity, humor and physical virtuosity to work together in surreal and expressive explorations of storytelling. His work has a sense of originality, celebration, authenticity, rigor, theatricality, immersion & risk.

Kady Mansour is an emerging dance artist and choreographer based in Naarm (Melbourne). Her practice encourages connection with broad audiences through creating inclusive and participatory experiences and/or performances. Her choreographic work interrogates experiences we share in everyday life, incorporating elements of physical theatre throughout the choreographic process. 

Kayla Douglas is a contemporary dance artist based in Naarm (Melbourne) interested in creating work about the human condition and our lived experiences. She builds visceral, imaginative worlds to immerse both her performers and audience within. Her works consider new world-conditions and explore how the individuals immersed within these conditions will respond. 

Luke Currie-Richardson is a descendant of the Kuku Yalanji and Djabugay peoples, the Muunjali Clan of South East QLD, the Butchulla clan of Fraser Island and the Meriam people of the Eastern Torres Straits Islands. He aspires to be a role model for young people both Indigenous and non- Indigenous to show them they can be and do all things.

Melissa Pham is a Naarm/Melbourne-based artist who studied full-time dance at Brent Street. She has been a featured dancer in several music videos for Australian artists such as George Alice, Jennifer Loveless, Kite String Tangle, Tash Sultana, Gretta Ray, Isaiah Firebrace and Andrew Lambrou. Of recent, Melissa has been a part of Chunky Move’s new development of a major work 4/4, premiering in August 2023. She is currently a part of Stephanie Lake Company whose current work Manifesto is touring nationally and internationally.

Jayden Wall is a deeply considered, independent dancer and choreographer based in Naarm/Melbourne who is nationally recognised for his passion and versatility. Jayden is devoted to exploring movement of the body with current practices focused on improvisation within contemporary and house dance, while working with technique and understanding that technique gained can allow for further freedom in the chosen dance. Jayden is curious and interested in making dance work that is refined and virtuosic, he has great intuition and a creative pulse that has been displayed across many forms of dance.

Be taken on a wild journey to unexpected places, via the brains and bodies of these commissioned artists, in the stunning spaces of Abbotsford Convent.

Click here to learn more about the choreographers and to purchase tickets. Tickets begin at just $15.

ESCALATOR has limited capacity and will sell out, so get your tickets before it’s too late!