Australian Artistic Director, Film Director & Choreographer.

Stephen PAGE is a Artistic Director, Film Director & Choreographer. He is known for "Spear" (2016), "Freeman" (2020, documentary, codirected by Laurence BILLIET).

Stephen is a descendant of the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh Nation from South East Queensland.

In 1991, Stephen was appointed Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre and has developed a signature body of works that have become milestones in Australian performing arts.

Stephen continues to reinvent Indigenous storytelling within Bangarra and through collaborations with other performing arts companies, notably directing the Indigenous sections for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies and creating a new dance work for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony.

He has choreographed over 25 works for Bangarra, including Patyegarang for Bangarra's 25th anniversary in 2014, and Nyapanyapa, as part of the OUR land people stories triple bill in 2016. In 2018, together with former Bangarra dancers Daniel Riley, Yolande Brown and the Bangarra ensemble, Stephen choreographed the critically acclaimed work Dark Emu. Inspired by Bruce Pascoe's book of the same name, it became the most successful production in the history of Bangarra, building on the success of his Helpmann Award winning work Bennelong in 2017.

Stephen directed the chapter "Sand" in the feature film "The Turning" (2013) and is Artistic Associate for Sydney Theatre Company's production of The Secret River, which had its world premiere as part of Sydney Festival in 2013 and will tour to Edinburgh International Festival and the National Theatre of Britain in 2019. He also choreographed the feature films "Bran Nue Dae" (2009) and "The Sapphires (2011). His first full-length film "Spear" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before screening at various arts festivals around Australia in early 2016.

In 2015, Stephen was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Creative Arts by the University of Technology Sydney. In 2016, he received both the 2016 NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award and JC Williamson Award and in 2017, Stephen was honoured with the Australia Council Dance Award for significant contributions to the cultural and artistic fabric of the nation, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

Source: www.aidc.com.au/whos-coming/stephen-page/

Family Background:
Born in Brisbane (Australia), Stephen is a descendant of the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh Nation from SE Queensland.

Biography:
In 1991, Stephen was appointed Artistic Director of Bangarra and has developed a signature body of works that have become milestones in Australian performing arts.

Stephen continues to reinvent Indigenous storytelling within Bangarra and through collaborations with other performing arts companies. He directed the Indigenous sections for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies and created a new dance work as part of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony. Stephen has choreographed over 25 works for Bangarra. His most recent works include the Helpmann Award winning work Bennelong in 2017 and the work Dark Emu in 2018, choreographed together with former Bangarra dancers Daniel Riley and Yolande Brown, and which went on to become one of the most successful productions in the history of Bangarra.

Stephen's first full-length film SPEAR premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival before screening at various arts festivals around Australia in early 2016. He has also directed the chapter Sand in the feature film The Turning (2013) and choreographed the feature films Bran Nue Dae (2009) and The Sapphires (2011).


In 2015, Stephen was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Creative Arts by the University of Technology Sydney. In 2016, he received both the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award and JC Williamson Award. In 2017, Stephen was honoured with the Australia Council Dance Award for significant contributions to the cultural and artistic fabric of the nation, and was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

Awards:
1993 - Paris Opera Screen award, Grand Prix for Black River (Film)
1997 - Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Choreography
2001 - Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work & Best Dance Work, Skin
2002 - Helpmann Award for Best Choreography, Corroboree
2002 - Matilda Award for Contribution to the Arts in Queensland
2003 - Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award, Individual Award
2004 - Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award, Indigenous Individual
2008 - Deadly Award for Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment, Mathinna
2009 - Helpmann Award for Best Choreography, Dance or Physical Theatre Production, Mathinna
2010 - Australian Dance Award for Services to Dance
2010 - Helpmann Award for Best Choreography in a Dance of Physical Theatre Production, Fire - A Retrospective
2012 - NAIDOC Award for NAIDOC Artist of the Year
2012 - Helpmann Award for Best Choreography, ID
2016 - Helpmann Award, JC Williamson Award®
2016 - NAIDOC Award, Lifetime Achievement Award
2017 - Australia Council Dance Award
2018 - Helpmann Award for Best Choreography, Bennelong
2018 - Helpmann Award for Best Dance Production, Bennelong
2018 - Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work, Bennelong

Source:
www.bangarra.com.au/about/person/stephen-page/