Choreographers
TAMMI GISSELL
Tammi Gissell descends from the Muruwari nation of North-Western NSW. She is a dancer, performance artist, teacher, choreographer, performance theory scholar and published poet.
She began her professional performance career with Dance Encore touring throughout Japan and Australia as a principal dancer/singer, pantomime actress, dance captain and company manager. In 1999 she was resident choreographer at the prestigious Camp Modin performing arts camp in Maine, USA. In 2000 she joined Carnival Cruise lines and toured extensively throughout the Caribbean, Mexican Riviera and West Indies.
Tammi is a graduate of the University of Western Sydney receiving a Bachelor of Performance. She was inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society as recognition for her academic achievements in dance theory (2004) and graduated as Deans' Medallist and Reconciliation Scholar (2005). She was awarded an Honours Degree making the Dean's Honour role (2007)
In 2005 Tammi began an intense mentorship with Australian dance master Graeme Watson which continues to this day. She has appeared as a performer and collaborator with Graeme Watson, Elizabeth Cameron-Dalman, Bernadette Walong-Sene, Lina Limosani, Jason Pitt, Sani Ray & dancers, Deborah Pollard, The Physical TV Company, The Kinetic Energy Theatre Company and Mirramu Dance Company.
Since 2006, she has presented her works as a solo artist. In 2008 Tammi was honoured with being handed down the solo Gin.Woman.Distress choreographed by Eleo Pomare (New York) and made famous by Elizabeth Cameron-Dalman and Carole Y Johnson.
In 2010 she appeared in the Australia Pavillion at the World Expo in Shanghai, China. Her research project titled Dancing the Dreaming: Temporality and Contemporary Indigenous Australian Dance Practice, including her newest solo from Graeme Watson were selected to be presented at the World Dance Alliance Global Dance Event held in New York City in July 2010. She is currently the Course Coordinator at NAISDA Dance College.
MELISA GOWEN
Melisa Gowen is an independent dancer and dance teacher. She has taught dance for over 10 years for leading dance schools and professional classes at Chunky Move in Melbourne.
Melisa is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts, receiving a Bachelor of Dance Hons in 2003. During her training at the VCA, Melisa had the privilege to work with renowned choreographers John Utans, Dr Don Asker, Anna Smith, Neil Adams, Simon Ellis and Brett Daffy.
In her earlier training, she studied full time classical ballet at Ecole in Sydney, where she attained her Advanced Certificate and Teachers Certificate (Dist) from the Royal Academy of Dance.
During her Honours year at VCA, Melisa co-directed a dance education tour, Taking a Chance to secondary schools in Melbourne and Regional Victoria. She presented her own choreographic work Await and performed in Phillip Adam's Toro Intermezzo. In the same year she undertook a professional secondment with Dance North performing in their season of The Dancer and the Dance.
Upon returning to Sydney, Melisa became a founding member of DirtyFeet for two years. Over the past few years, she has performed in contemporary works by Carol Dilley, Michael Whaites, Kay Armstrong, Anton and DirtyFeet as well as participating in choreographic research projects at Critical Path NSW as part of their Responsive Program.
Most recently Melisa worked with Annalouise Paul on her new cross cultural contemporary dance work Conversations in Rhythm and Dance, which was presented at Campbelltown Arts Centre and Parramatta Riverside Theatre.
EL MORO
Airagdin Pavon More, known as "El Moro", was born in Havana, Cuba. He studied dance at the Academia Nacional de Narisco Medina, Havana and performed with many prestigious Cuban Dance Companies including JJ, La Giraldilla, Ballet Folklorico de la Havana, Marrabenta, Raices Profundas and Oriki, which toured France and Mexico. He was first solo dancer and choreographer with "Havana Nights", one of the largest independently produced shows ever to leave Cuba, touring extensively throughout Mexico, Central Europe, Scandinavia, Japan and Australia. Moro has worked as a dance teacher in Oslo, Stockholm and throughout Australia. He specialises in Afro-Cuban Dance, Rumba, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Son, Salsa and Dominican Bachata.
In 2004 Moro established Buena Vista Dance to teach Cuban Dance and promote Cuban culture in Australia. He has choreographed and performed in various shows, including Cuban Folkloric Company, World Salsa Congress, Afro-Cuban Express, and NZ Pacific Salsa Congress. In 2009 he won the Professional Division of both the Sydney and Melbourne Bachata Championships. In 2009 Buena Vista Dance won the National Cubamemucho Salsa Rueda Competition in Melbourne, which Moro choreographed, directed and performed in. The group went on to represent Australia at the Cubamemucho 2010 World Rueda Championships in Munich, where they were placed third. In 2010 he won the Australian Bachata Championship for the second time.
He currently teaches regularly in Sydney, runs workshops and performs in Festivals throughout Australia, New Zealand and Europe.