Multi-award winning Sydney-based filmmaker, actor and dancer, Daniel Monks is a 2014 recipient of the Amplify your arts grant. One of 13 successful applicants, he will receive $10,000 to work with some of Australia’s leading dance practitioners through an attachment with Dance Integrated Australia.

Dance Integrated Australia welcomes Daniel who will be attached to the Education Team during 2014. His placement with the company will enable Daniel to further establish his movement vocabulary and provide him a learning platform to undergo new creative processes which will be translated to screen.

Daniel will be mentored by Philip Channells throughout several projects (including: the Beyond Technique Residency #2, Bundanon Local Project: No Time Like Now and the Catalyst Dance Masterclass Series 2014), and establish new industry connections with Sydney-based filmmaker & protectionist, Sam James and Adelaide-based filmmaker, Tim Standing (Daylight Breaks).

Daniel will kickstart his project during the Beyond Technique Residency #2 which is being held at Bundanon Trust 30 June – 4 July 2014. At this international residency he will work with dance maker / arialist, Lee-Anne Litton (Strings Attached) and 22 dancers from across Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong.

Not only will this serve my newly blossoming dance career, but will also further develop my acting, for both stage & screen, and in turn my directing of other actors by helping them to achieve their own physical expression. Daniel Monks

The Amplify your art Program is part of the NSW Arts and Disability Partnership between Arts NSW and the NSW Department of Family and Community Services, to promote inclusion in the arts and cultural sector for people with disability.

These grants help foster a lively arts culture in NSW, promote creative expression, and support audience engagement and learning. George Souris, Minister for the Arts

Amplify your art is administered by Accessible Arts on behalf of the NSW Government as part of this partnership.

BIOGRAPHY

Daniel Monks is a young Australian filmmaker, actor & dancer. He is a graduate of the Australian Film, Television & Radio School (AFTRS) and PAC Screen Workshops, which culminated in him winning the award for Consistent Excellence. His short films have screened around the world at more than 35 film festivals, and have received numerous awards & honours; including having two shorts selected for Palm Springs International ShortFest 2011, making him one of only three filmmakers worldwide to receive that honour. He then had a third short selected for the festival the following year. He recently completed production on his first independent feature film Pulse, directed by Stevie Cruz-Martin, which he wrote, produced & played the lead in, alongside Caroline Brazier.

Daniel has trained as an actor in NYC & Sydney under Elizabeth Kemp, Jeneffa Soldatic & Lynette Sheldon. On top of starring in Pulse, he has acted in numerous short films including Gravel by Stevie Cruz-Martin and The Ducks by Julie Sam-Yue.

Daniel began his dance journey with the Catalyst Dance Masterclass Series 2013, an initiative of Accessible Arts, working with choreographers Philip Channells, Sue Healey & Dean Walsh, which culminated in the dance performance at Bangarra Studio, Second Skin. He recently participated in The Corner Dance Lab 2014 in Federal NSW, with leading choreographers & dancers from around Australia including Philip Channells & Gavin Webber (Animal Farm Collective). He is a recipient of the 2014 Amplify your Art grant, which has enabled him to be professionally mentored by Philip Channells // Dance Integrated Australia through a series of professional development workshops & residencies around Australia.

Photo: Bec Canty