Sydney Dance Company
Rehearsal Associate Position

Nelson Meers Foundation is supporting the new position of Rehearsal Associate. After 10 years performing with Sydney Dance Company, and a 13-year on-stage career, Charmene Yap has moved into this new position with the Sydney Dance Company. This position provides support and guidance to their artistic and education teams, including Company and Pre-Professional Year dancers. She has assisted Gideon Obarzanek in the creation of his epic new work Us 50, and supported the dancers through rehearsals and performances of New Breed, and the Pre-Professional Year dancers in their graduation show, PPY19 Revealed.

Charmene and the Rehearsal Associate position, have been integral to Sydney Dance Company's success in navigating through the Covid-19 crisis. Sydney Dance Company continue to create in isolation and continue to engage with their dance community. Since their studios closed and classes moved online, Charmene has maintained connection and stability for the dancers, through daily classes managing their schedule and participation in creative tasks.

Why did we fund this project? Nelson Meers Foundation is supporting this position to assist the company to provide meaningful employment to dancers once their career transitions from the stage. This maintains quality dancing expertise, corporate knowledge and creates mentors who uphold the vision of the company to younger dancers.

More information about Charmene's work and Sydney Dance Company can be found here:

https://www.sydneydancecompany.com/about-us/artists-collaborators/rehearsal-teaching-staff/