Sarah Elsworth is a New Zealand based interdisciplinary movement artist, performer, & educator, from Ōtautahi, Christchurch New Zealand.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts, Major: Contemporary dance, from Unitec, Auckland, 2012 and has since performed & presented work, as an independent artist throughout New Zealand, Australia & India.
Her creative practice spans contemporary dance, interdisciplinary collaborations, and site-specific performances. Sarah is passionate about crafting immersive experiences that challenge traditional audience-performer dynamics. Her work is influenced by postmodern ideology, ecological practices, and the synergy between movement and music.
With her background in music, playing the saxophone and clarinet, Sarah enjoys experimenting with sound design and collaborating with composers, notably Anita Clark/MOTTE on GREEN SILENCE, her most visionary site-specific work in 2023.
Sarah has been commissioned & presented performance for various projects, including Ōtautahi Tiny Fest, Melbourne Fringe Festival, Tempo Dance Festival and graduation dance pieces for tertiary training institutions, like Moksha Diploma Programme (IN) Hagley Dance Company & AGA Ballet Academy (NZ).
As an educator, she teaches contemporary dance techniques and creative practices, dedicated to inclusive movement experiences in both professional and community settings.She frequently teaches at Movement Art Practice (NZ) Kalakeli Movement Arts Retreat (IN)
C.V
CHOREOGRAPHIC WORKS & COLLABORATIONS
2023 GREEN SILENCE, Site-specific performance Hansen Park, commission by Movement Art Practice, Christchurch.
LILAC, solo performance in development.
PITHU, Nritya Shakti Studio, Mumbai in collaboration with Prashant More & Somya Kautia
2022 FRACTURES/ Of women and cloth, AGA Ballet Academy Graduation.
YUJIR, In collaboration with Aman Gupta, Jungle Dance, Goa, India.
2021. LOST FUTURE. Moksha Arts Space, Bangalore, India.
2020 BONES OF HEART, Dance Film presented Tempo Dance Festival, The Putiputi, digital season. Aotearoa.
82 CHAMBERS OF HEART. Performance Tour, Sensistan Art and Technology Museum, Goa, India.
ROSE. Collaboration with Dominique Baker, Performed at Double Dutch & Jungle Dance, Goa, India.
2019 MY KIN BLUE. Solo performance work, Ōtautahi Tiny Performance Festival, CoCA Gallery, Christchurch.
2016 UPSTREAM. Presented as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival. Melbourne, Australia.
2014 KASISA. Anneliese Gilberd Ballet Academy, graduation showcase, Christchurch.
2012- 15 GRAD SEASON. Hagley Dance Company, multiple commissioned short works. Christchurch.
PERFORMANCE
2023. WATER.AIR.SMOKE. In collaboration with Anita Clark/MOTTE & Rory Dalley (IRD). Lyttelton Arts Festival.
LILAC (solo) Lyttelton Arts Factory, solo as part of Sheryl Robinson tribute show.
NOW HEAR THIS! festival of urgent sound & adventurous music. dance response to musicians Anita Clark/MOTTE, I.E Crazy & Roy Montgomory.
2019 HIVE. Julia Harvie and Stuart Lloyd-Harris, Tē Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre. Christchurch.
2017 THE DARK LIGHT. Alexa Wilson for Footnote Dance Company ChoreoCo, Wellington Fringe Festival, Circa Theatre.
2016 THE RING CYCLE. Neil Armfield and Kate Champion, Opera Australia, Arts Centre Melbourne.
2015 LUCID. Fleur De Tier and Megan Platt, Llew Summers private sculpture garden.
2014 APT Y IDOS. Natalie Maria, Black Sheep productions, Q Theatre, Auckland.
THE WAY WE FALL. Jessie McCall, toured nationwide, Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin Fringe Festivals.
2013 THE WAY WE FALL. Jessie McCall, Tempo Dance Festival, Auckland.
SHIFTING LINES. Fleur De Thier and Julia McKerrow, Christchurch Art gallery Commission
ANTIPODES CREATURE. Fleur De Thier and Julia McKerrow, Body Festival, Christchurch.
HOW TO MAKE FRIENDS AND STILL APPEAR NORMAL, Natalie Maria, Toured to Wellington and Dunedin Fringe
Festival.
TEACHING AND COMMUNITY WORK
2023 Many Hats Theatre Company, Creative Movement tutor, stage manager, directors assistant, choreographer.
Movement Art Practice, Christchurch.Teaching Artist.
performance.LAB workshop intensive, and performance initiative in collaboration with
Prashant More & Somya Kautia (Mumbai) & Prashant More, Abhilash Ningappa. Play Practice (Bangalore)
Kalakeli Movement Arts, Goa India, International residency, workshop facilitator, multidisciplinary artistic practice.
Play Practice Apprenticeship Program, (Bangalore)
2022 Teaching Artist, Movement Art Practice, Christchurch.
Kaiti Primary School Arts Outreach programme, Chamber Music New Zealand.
Grounded Pilates, Reformer Instructor.
Kalakeli Movement Arts, Goa India, International residency, workshop facilitator.
2020-22 Pilates, online class series & community classes in real life.
2020 Contemporary Dance Classes, Adult beginners, Dancehouse, Melbourne
2019 Good Times Pilates, Reformer Pilates Instructor (June 2016-2020), Melbourne.
2018 Transit Dance, Pilates trainer/ somatic practices, Melbourne.
White Dog Studio, Reformer Pilates, Melbourne.
2016 Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, twice commissioned choreographer, educational outreach in school’s residency.
2017 Alice Can Dance, youth dance performance project in Alice Springs, Australia.
2012 -15 Movement Art Practice, contemporary technique advanced and beginners, Christchurch.
Anneliese Gilberd Ballet Academy, Contemporary technique, partnering, choreography, Christchurch.
Hagley Dance Company, Contemporary technique, choreographic workshops, Christchurch.
Cashmere High School, choreographic master classes, Christchurch.
EDUCATION
2021 Hatha Yoga & Pranayama, 200hour Yoga TTC, Rishikesh, India
2018 Certificate IV in Pilates, Breathe Education, Melbourne
2009-11 Bachelor of Performing and Screen Arts, Major Contemporary Dance, Unitec.
2008 Hagley Dance Company with Excellence, Christchurch.
2007 Royal Academy of Dance, Ballet Intermediate R.A.D.
1997-08 Trinity School of London Music Examinations, Saxophone/Clarinet Grades 5- 8.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT & RESEARCH
2020 Goa Dance Residency. One month training intensive, Goa, India.
2019 Research and development with Lilian Steiner, Lucy Guerin Inc studio residency.
2018 Make at Tasdance. Choreographic and improvisation workshop with Jo Llyod.
Meg Stuart Improvisation workshop, Dancehouse, Melbourne.
2017 Choreolab, Footnote New Zealand Dance, Wellington.
2017 Solo performance research & development. Ausdance funded residency with Melbourne City Ballet.
2016 Dancehouse Room to Move programme. Development and industry feedback showing of Upstream, Melbourne.
2015 Movement Art Practice choreographic research series. Invited artist in residence for one month. Christchurch
European workshop and training intensive four months, enabled by the Eileen May Norris Scholarship.
ImPulsTanz, Vienna, month intensive including workshops with David Zambrano, Mark Lorimer, Eroca Nicols.
Company intensives with: Les Ballet C De La B and Ultima Vez, Belgium,
In residence at: Ponderosa, Berlin. Performing Arts Forum, P.A.F France.
AWARDS
2014 Recipient of the Eileen May Norris Scholarship.
2013 Winner ‘Best Dance’ NZ Fringe Festival (Wellington) How to Make Friend’s and still Appear Normal.