Dan Daw

First training as an actor, Dan completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Drama Performance) at the Flinders University Drama Centre in 2004.
Following graduation, Dan turned his hand to dance, joining Restless Dance Company, and  performing in works by Kate Champion, Steve Mayhew, Alison Currie, Peter Sheedy, Ingrid Voorendt, Kat Worth, Daisy Brown, Michael Whaites, Garry Stewart, Billie Cook, and Liv Lorent. Dan has performed with Australian Dance Theatre, FRONTLINEdance, Scottish Dance Theatre, and Force Majeure. This is his second season with Candoco

Check out his interview with Disability Now

Q&A with Dan

Why dance? Why dance for candco?

If there’s one thing to be said about dance is that it is the epitome of beauty…There’s nothing better than throwing on my much loved tracksuit bottoms, throwing myself around on a sprung floor, working hard, being constantly inspired throughout my working day to achieve exactly what the choreographer sees in their minds eye. I guess you could say dance is a little like childbirth – the process tends to be challenging – sometimes a struggle – but the result is something to be proud of.

How did you get into dance?

My love affair with dance started when I connected with Restless Dance Company (now Restless Dance Theatre) in Adelaide, Australia. I had no idea I could dance professionally as a disabled man until I formed working relationships with former Restless Artistic Director Kat Worth and current AD Phillip Channels. These people were the driving force behind my stagger up onto the international stage.

Who would you like to collaborate with and why?

I would love to collaborate with Bjork. Her deliberate disregard for the conventional, her artistic freedom, and eccentric ways of seeing the world are a force to be reckoned with. Being in the same room as this girl would be mad!

What post performance question would you most like to be asked?

I would love for someone to be really honest and say they didn’t like it….I wonder whether I’d thank them…there’s bound to be one in every audience, isn’t there?