Curriculum Vitae
Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Applied science (Osteopathy)
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, RMIT
2020 - 2025 (current study)
Masters of Fine Arts by Research (MFA) - Dance
University of Melbourne/Victorian College of the Arts (VCA)
2017-2020
Bachelor of Arts in Dance
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
1997 – 1999 WAAPA @ ECU
Honours degree – Choreography
2001 - WAAPA @ ECU
Anatomy and Physiology
Open Universities Australia (OUA) 2010
Zenthai Shiatsu qualification
QLD 2017
Recent projects & collaborations
2016-2021
. Paea with cubes, Riddells Creek 2021: dance film directed by Siobhan Murphy (release date TBC).
. A.R.T: Artist in residence in the Tropics. Residency at Dance North, July 2021.
https://www.dancenorth.com.au/art-program-paea-leach
. Bodies of Knowledge: Alice Cummins and Paea Leach in conversation for Victorian Seniors Festival Reimagined, 2021.
https://www.seniorsonline.vic.gov.au/2021-Victorian-Seniors-Festival-Reimagined/articles/Alice-Cummins-and-Paea-Leach-Bodies-of-Knowledge?j=19978&sfmc_sub=24025934&l=200_HTML&u=410806&mid=514011159&jb=606
. I came here to dance: notes for survival - a Covid-19 writing project. Conversations with eight dancers based in various cities in varying states of enduring lockdown. A responsive project from one dancer to another - in absentia, 2020.
https://whalerider.hotglue.me/
. A love letter to dance: Solo for 44 - 30 second solos compiled as a short dance film in response to ‘no-dancing’ during the first months of Covid-19, 2020.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/402393483
. Curation of NOW pieces for NOW - an evening of improvised dance performance streamed live from Dancehouse, Melbourne (during Covid-19 lockdown), 2020.
. The Dolly Parton Verse Dancers - working with 30 + female identifying members of the local community in Launceston Tasmania, Faux MO opening party, TAS 2020.
. The Difficult Comedown - a new work created with Alexandra Harrison, supported by Marco Cher Gibbard (sound), Ben Shaw (lighting), Anna Tregloan (design) and Cynthia Troup (dramaturg) - for Dance Massive at the Meat Market, Melbourne 2019
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/337409402
. I came here to dance - a work about movement and agency: for 33 students, one man and 32 women, constructed via a list of ‘things they wanted to do’ in a dance work - unison, express states, use voice (etc), Transit dance, Melbourne 2019.
. Once I was a Horse - a one hour performance lecture as part of MFA performance portfolio at VCA, Melbourne 2018.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/353576214
· Co-works – an ongoing collaboration (begun in 2009) of writing, dancing, distance communicating, delay & choreography by distance with Perth improviser, writer, academic & editor Jo Pollitt
www.co-works.co
· Somatic studies – informal BMC training with Alice Cummins, self taught learning through Feldenkrais technique, osteopathic techniques and rehabilitation experience. Iyengar yoga student for 15 years.
. one and one and one - One of 8 new works commissioned for the Keir Choreographic Award, Dancehouse Melbourne 2016. Re - presented as part of Happy Hour - independent dance evenings, Sydney NSW.
. Babel 7.16 at Festival d'Avignon in the Palais des Papes, July 2016, and Festival of Light, Lincoln Centre NYC 2016.
. Bundanon Residency with Nalina Wait, Bundanon Trust NSW 2016.
. The Harbour Control Tower Project - site specific week-long live streamed experimental work created by Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey, Melbourne Docklands 2017.
http://madeleineandtim.net/portfolio/harbour-control/
BEFORE 2016
· TRIP – two week residency at Tasdance with Sydney artist/improviser Rhiannon Newton, Launceston 2014.
· Babel – original performer in the work choreographed by EASTMAN director Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet, Brussels, Belgium. Performed more than 150 shows across Europe/Asia/Australia 2010 – 2017. you tube
· Beast 3 – the third rendition of Quiet Beast (2012) facilitated by STRUT for the Move Me Improvisation Festival. The beast project is an ongoing collaboration and experiment in writing and physical transference with Jo Pollitt. Performed with four additional dancers in an evening programme with improviser Rosalind Crisp, Perth 2014.
· the lines of birds – a new work commissioned by Chunky Move, developed in collaboration with dancers Gregory Lorenzutti and Michaela Pegum and live musicians Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey. Presented as a site-specific work as part of the Next Move programme, Chunky Move outside space, Melbourne 2014.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/178562928
· Babylon - a solo based on Napoleonic stories and poems of beasts and men, angels and beat poets. Made in collaboration with Dr Jodie Mc Neilly (Phd) and classical piano compose Adrian Kingwell for Dance Meets Music at Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Sydney 2014.
· I feel it in the back of my head – a series of works for radio and the moving listener – a collaboration with dancers Gregory Lorenzutti, David Tyndall. Presented on Radio National and curated and collated by sound artists Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey. Listen online
· Blessed - a new development concerned with minimalism, offering, slowness and time and developed with theatre maker/director and dramaturge Ingrid Voorendt, Dancehouse summer space residency, Melbourne 2014.
· Luminosity and Mirror Check – one of a group of eight performers re-performing Marina Abramovic’s durational work and Joan Jonas‘ work (1970’s) as part of Kaldor Public Art Project 13 rooms (a two week performance/visual art installation) Pier four, Walsh Bay, Sydney 2013.
· Divided - a new work development choreographed by Jo Pollitt, Perth 2013.
https://vimeo.com/80167297
· Amplified beast - a reimagining of the duet Quiet Beast - co choreographed with Jo Pollitt according to an existing score and performed (and re-written) by 30 dancers, WAAPA, Perth 2013.
· Cultivate/Culminate and Game of 7 – participant in an experimental workshop/ improvised performance at Force Majeure Sydney 2013 & 2014.
· These things we hold - a solo work following a serious injury - a meditation on loss and vulnerability. IOU Studio series, UNSW Sydney 2013.
· Immerse - a new dance work made with students at Hogeschool for Arts, Tilburg, Holland 2012.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/142777630
· Quiet Beast – an improvised duet developed with Jo Pollitt and in collaboration with writer/poet Marcella Polain and big band conductor Mace Francis, VENN Art Gallery, Perth 2012.
· thin white line - a work in progress created with dancers from AMRITA dance company. The outcome of a three month Asialink artist in Residency program, Phnom Penh, Cambodia 2011.
https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/38147335
· The economy of loss – collaboration/development concerned with economy and how we measure loss: literally, financially and personally. Developed with Perth based political/social artist Sam Fox and improviser/writer Jo Pollitt, CIA studios, Perth 2011.
· Fierce – development #1 and #2 with Berlin based artist Melanie Lane, Perth & Berlin 2010 & 2011.
· Distance in residence - Improvisation and writing residency and experiment with Jo Pollitt/Anica Boulanger Macher, Jao Fredeira (Portugal), Perth/ STRUT inc, 2009.
· Equus – reworking of the infamous play by Perth theatre Director Melissa Cantwell, Her Majesty’s Perth 2009.
· The Solos Project- two solo works Housework and four acts of violence leading up to now - developed with Shannon Bott, Dr Simon Ellis and sound designer David Corbet (www.fouractsofviolence.net). Presented in Melbourne at the Brunswick arms hotel, Dancehouse Melbourne and at Artrage festival Perth 2004 – 2006.
· Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) – performer in dancer choreographic season IGNITION and DEVOLUTION – an experiment in robotics and choreography. Performed Australia and European tours 2006-2008.
· Chunky Move dance company – WANTED tours, Infinite Temporal Series choreographed by Prue Lang (Frankfurt Ballet). Singularity at North Melbourne Town hall and developments with director Gideon Obarzanek, Melbourne, 2004 – 2007.
· 1997 – 2007 – Works choreographed for STRUT independent dance, project work with choreographers Olivia Millard, Sue Peacock, Chrissie Parrott et al (Perth). Commissions for community projects and individual artists, works made for WAAPA and Company Loaded (a company of older generation dancers), contracts in Freiburg Germany with company PVC, workshop attendances in Europe at Impulstanz (Vienna), Tanzim August (Berlin), Kuopio Finland.
Teaching and workshop facilitation (recent)
· Professional/Intermediate contemporary classes for Chunky Move, Lucy Guerin inc, Australian Dance Theatre, Bangarra Dance Company, WAAPA (Technique, duo and choreography, STRUT dance Perth, UNSW, Dancehouse Melbourne, Transit dance (Melbourne), School of Arts Antwerp (Belgium), Hogeshcool for the Arts, Tilburg (Holland), Dock 11 and Marameo studios (Berlin), Freiburg, Finland, Brussels, Antwerp. Teaching from 2002-present.
· Workshops for Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui repertoire – France, Belgium, Canada 2011-2013.
· Tasdance two-week mentoring EXPOSURE - program 2015.
· NEAMI (mental health Australia) workshop facilitation 2014/15, Restless dance theatre, Adelaide 2006, Movement workshops at the women's maximum-security prison, Perth 2005.
· Choreographic month-long series at Chunky Move, 2013.
· Movement, writing, improvisation: a community movement series – Denmark WA, 2013 & 2014.