Philip Channells is considered by his peers one of Australia’s leading dance practitioners. He is fiercely committed to the development of thriving artistic cultural communities that bring together established and emerging artists from diverse age groups, artistic backgrounds and life experience. In his various roles as a performer, teacher, choreographer, director, producer and mentor, Philip has worked with numerous Australian and international arts organisations including: Candoco, StopGAP, Scottish Dance Theatre, East London Dance, SHAPE (United KIngdom), Zodiak (Helsinki), ITAK (Kuopio & Joensuu), DansiT (Trondheim), Odukhotvorenie (Moscow) and West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (Hong Kong).

His recent commission, Off The Record (2016) co-directed with Danielle Micich (Force Majeure) has received several nominations including: Outstanding Achievement in Choreography; Outstanding Performance by a Company; and Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer (Jana Castillo) for the Australian Dance Awards 2017. His other choreographic / directing credits include: Hyperreal Tales (2016), Behind The Façade (2015), PERFECT (im)PERFECTIONS, The Main Event (2014), Skin-deep, Enter & Exit (2013), Second Skin, inPerspective #1, Lythophytes & Epiphytes (2012), Next of Kin (2010).

As one of the key collaborators, Philip was instrumental in the establishment of the Catalyst Dance Masterclass Series (Accessible Arts). In the NSW Northern Rivers region, he has produced and led The Corner Dance Lab & Residency Program and established The Corner Dance Lab – Indigenous Residency Scholarship for emerging artists. He has also produced and led the Beyond Technique Residency projects in regional Australia and abroad. Philip builds a nurtures collaborative artistic environments conducive to generating high calibre creative outcomes that combat social exclusion in the arts. He is an ambassador to Bundanon Trust’s Artist in Residence program and is an inaugural recipient of the Tomorrow Makers Award.

Another career highlight was playing the role of ‘horses head’ in the Australian Ballet’s Don Quixote.

Photo: Sean Campbell