Olivia Ansell

Olivia Ansell’s involvement over the past decade, as a producer, director, choreographer, teacher and performer, demonstrates her diversity and versatility within the NSW arts sector. She was recently voted as one of Creative Sydney’s Top 100 creative catalysts for the VIVID Festival 2009 for ‘opening the world of dance to the next generation’. Sydney based and a graduate of Queensland University of Technology’s Academy of the Arts, she is currently the full-time Director of dance producing and service organisation Western Sydney Dance Action (WSDA) which is partnered by Riverside Theatres Parramatta and core funded by Arts NSW.

Her recent experience includes producing Short Sweet+Dance 2009 and its inaugural season in 2007, which has enabled 73 short works and over 150 Independent artists to showcase their work to packed houses at leading commercial Sydney venues, launching the youth version to Short Sweet+Dance –the Fast+Fresh Dance series at Parramatta Riverside in 2008-9, and producing, directing and choreographing a range of events and dance activities for companies, organisations and institutions such as Sydney Olympic Park Authority’s Kids in the Park, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Cracker Comedy Festival, Dreamworld Themepark, fling Physical Theatre, youMove Dance Company, Belvoir Street, Ensemble Theatre, COFA-College of Fine Arts, Newtown Theatre, Darlinghurst Theatre, Short+Sweet, Next Wave Festival 2008, Entertainment Alliance, Marrickville Council, HSBC Chinese New Year, Boral, Westmead Childrens’ Hospital, Entertainment Alliance, Luna Park, Conservatorium of Music, Youth America Grand Prix and The Studio-Sydney Opera House.

Performing credits include productions for stage and screen with companies such as Opera Australia, Fox Studios Australia, Channel Ten, The Glynn Nicholas Group, Walt Disney, ABC TV, Foxtel, Bazmark, Imac Productions, Entertainment Alliance, Opera Queensland, Princess Cruise Lines, Grayboy Entertainment, Marcia Hines and Millennium Entertainment.