In Memorial: Tanja Liedtke
The course of Australian dance changed in an instant when Tanja Liedtke was killed in a vehicle accident in Sydney last week. Tanja was only 30. She had been recently appointed the new artistic director of the Sydney Dance Company and was due to take up the position in October.
Tanjas work was innovative, and had a tremendous intelligence and strong sense of bringing dance theatre and contemporary dance together. She was wonderful to work with - such passion for what she was doing and such strong imaginative vision for how something should look and feel and sound. This was matched by a great love of precision, a passion for getting it right, and a persistence that was always measured by the exhilaration of doing something that she deeply loved.
Her death is a huge loss to Australian dance, and the timing in terms of her appointment to Sydney Dance Company only adds to the shock and disbelief in the dance community.
Not only have we lost a talented choreographer but we have lost all that she was about to do. The hope and dreams of a wide circle of practitioners who worked with her are dashed, as is the planned next stage in the life of Sydney Dance Company. The planets had aligned themselves for good - here was an extraordinary opportunity with all the makings in place, including Tanjas partner Solon Ulbrich who would be part of the Company to support her. Alas, these things are not to be.
For those of us living in Canberra there is a particular experience of this loss.
Tanja Liedtke was a dancer in the Choreographic Fellowship awarded by The Australian CHoreographic Centree to Paulina Quinteros in 2000. She was involved as a trainee, who had asked to join the project to gain experience working on a independent dance project: the creative and making process and the presentation of a new work. Tanjas participation was funded by her parents and she happily slept on a fold out bed in the corner of the lounge room at the projects rented accommodation for the duration of the six week project.
In 2002 Tanja was awarded a Choreographic Fellowship through the Centres competitive process and undertook this in 2004. Her objective was to create a new dance work with a view to touring it to other venues. The work, Twelfth Floor, was presented as part of our Risky Manoeuvres program, and received excellent reviews for its innovative and dramatic qualities. The work was further funded by artsSA for some redevelopment and eventually a national tour was put in place in 2006 with the assistance of Mobile States - a national touring network for contemporary dance. Tanja won an Australian Dance Award for outstanding achievement in choreography for Twelfth Floor at the end of 2006.
Tanjas Choreographic Fellowship was supported by her partner Solon Ulbrich who worked as Creative Co-ordinator for the project, and ultimately became her manager.
Sol had independently received a Choreographic Fellowship which he undertook in 2001. He has had numerous involvement with the Centre since that time. Through the Centres Commission Program he contributed to two Quantum Leap seasons at the Playhouse: New World Order and Eternity and also made an original work for the Fusion Music Festival at ANU titled Circadian Rhythm. Sol was also commissioned by First Wave, a group of Quantum Leapers who recently graduated from universities to make a new work on them in 2003. Sol was the project co-ordinator and choreographer for the Centres Soft Landing project in February 2007, in which Tanja also taught some technique classes. Sol has served on the Centres National Fellowship Assessment Panel since 2004 and has been a regular contributor to Quantum Leap Company Class since 2001. In November 2006 during Mark Gordons absence on sick leave, Sol acted as producer and project co-ordinatior for the Choreographic Fellowship awarded to Igneous (James Cuningham and Suzon Fuks) and the production of Mirage which resulted from the Fellowship. During his involvement with the Centre he came into contact with the choreographic endeavours of Vivienne Rogis and joined her creative team in the creation and presentation of The Looking Glass presented as part of the 2003 Risky Manoeuvres subscription package.
The contribution of both Tanja and Solon to the life of the Centre has been huge.
The Staff, Board, Quantum Leap and family of artists who have worked through the Australian Choreographic Centre in Canberra, extend their deepest sympathy to Solon Ulbrich, Tanjas family and her many artistic collaborators.
She was always fantastic to work with. We loved her vision, passion and desire to make great art, and we deeply mourn all the great dance that will now go unmade.
Mark Gordon
Director
Australian Choreographic Centre