In Place

Meet the Artist

• Harley Mann, Director

  

  Harley Mann, a Wakka Wakka man from Queensland, founded Na Djinang Circus in 2017, drawing on his Aboriginal heritage for inspiration. With experience in leading contemporary circus companies, Na Djinang has achieved success with shows like Common Dissonance and Arterial. Harley’s leadership secured multi-year funding for Na Djinang, and his talent has been recognised with awards like the Melbourne Fringe Award for Best Emerging Circus Artist. He contributes to the industry as a CaPT Advisory Group co-convener, Circus Oz Fellow, and Australia Council for the Arts Future Leaders Program participant. Harley’s dedication to his craft and community makes him a valuable member of the Australian arts community.

• Isabelle Champagne-Chittick, Member

  

  Isabelle Champagne-Chittick grew up in Bega, NSW where she trained in dance and gymnastics from a young age. Performing as part of Fling Physical Theatre for 8 years, she then took on work experience at Brisbane-based CIRCA, while in high school.

  As part of Na Djinang Circus, Isabelle performed in Social Staples in Melbourne Fringe, Catapult Circus Festival, and Adelaide Fringe. She then went on to be a co-creative in Na Djinangs second work Common Dissonance.

• Johnathon Brown, Member

  

  Johnathon is a proud Anawan/Kamilaroi Man from Armidale, NSW. Currently 28 years old, he is an acclaimed dancer/acrobat performer at Na Dijnang Circus in Melbourne since 2022. Johnathon has toured globally, showcasing his talent at festivals like the Fringe and Sydney Festival. His captivating performances in DriftWood, DNA, Chasing Smoke, Arterial, and Common Dissonance have garnered praise. Additionally, he is a NAISDA Dance College graduate, adding depth and cultural significance to his artistry. With an unwavering commitment to his craft and a passion for storytelling through movement, Johnathon continues to leave an unforgettable mark in the world of dance.

• Maggie Church-Kopp, Member

  

  Maggie is a circus performer, actor and facilitator who was raised in Mparntwe and is proudly of Arrernte and British descent.

  She inherited circus as an art form at a young age and has loved it ever since. Most recently, she has performed with Na Djinang Circus in the Greenroom Award winning production of “Arterial” (Yirramboi 2021, Cirqfest 2022), and has worked as a participant in Na Djinang’s Making Tracks Development Program. She has also performed independently at a range of festivals including Woodford Folk Festival.

  Maggie first experienced theatre in 2013 when she was cast as a principal character in the Arrernte led music-theatre production “Bungalow Song”.  She now works with Ilbijerri Theatre company as an ensemble member and facilitator.

  Having trained with companies such as Circus Oz, The Flying Fruit Fly Circus (NTP 2019), and Duprada Dance Company Maggie is greatly passionate about the ways in which storytelling and movement can foster and enrich communities.

• Manelaya Kaydos-Nitis, Member

  

  Circus has always been a constant in Manelaya’s life and her passion for it keeps growing everyday when she gets to learn new skills, perform to different people and even get the chance to travel because of it.

  As a first generation Australian, Manelaya’s migrant parents have been supportive of her sucess and enrolled her in community circus at 7. Manelaya began her professional training in China at the Beijing International Art School in lyra and contortion. Upon return to Australia, Manelaya moved to Albury to join the Flying Fruit Fly Circus, where she upskilled her specialties and gained experience in contemporary Australian circus creative development.

  Manelaya hopes that this education and experience within Melbourne’s circus industry will open up greater opportunities for artistic projects and creative opportunities.

  The journey circus has taken Manelaya on is like no other and her excitement of the unknown is what keeps her wanting to push her body and mind to see what happens next.

• Dan Mitchell, Cultural Consult

  

  Daniel’s artistic practice traverses a diverse creative field, from circus, physical theatre, street theatre, performance art, festivals and events and public art. His practice has evolved over
  30 years and is focused very much on cultural protocol through thorough connection to country/site/location and community engagement. This approach is further informed by his own Whadjuk Nyoongar (Derbil Yerrigan – Swan River Mob) and his Anglo-European cultural heritages.

  Daniel has worked as Director, Creative Producer, Performer and Creator with companies including, Footscray Community Arts Centre as Due West Arts Festival Executive Producer, Circus Oz (Vic), Ihos Opera (Tas), Bizircus,(W.A), Melbourne Fringe Festival, QuarterAcreBlock Street Theatre (W.A.), Theatre De La Unity (France), Antic Disposition (U.K.), Dislocate Physical Theatre (VIC), Flying Fruit Fly Circus (NSW), Ran Dan Club (W.A.) and various others. In 2003 he held the position of Guest Director with the Melbourne Fringe Festival where he developed the Fringe Shrouds public art project.

• James Henry, Sound Designer

  James Henry is a Victorian composer and sound designer writing various blends of traditional Aboriginal and contemporary genres. His diverse skill set has seen him compose for and musical direct the Dreamtime at the G opening ceremonies, as musical director of ‘Tanderrum’ Melbourne Festival Opening Ceremonies, various theatre and dance productions.

  Having worked closely with various communities reviving their languages through song and recently completing his fellowship learning About traditional Aboriginal music. His passion is finding ways to incorporate it into contemporary contexts and genres. James is able to walk the fine line between what is innovative but remaining culturally appropriate and sensitive.

• Rachel Lee, Lighting Designer

  Rachel Lee is a lighting designer based in Melbourne and her hometown, Singapore. She works primarily with new writing and is a member of the theatre collective, New Working Group. Recent credits include Hello, World! (Malthouse Theatre), Virtual Intimacy (Asia TOPA), Gender Euphoria (Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras), Single Ladies, Ulster American (Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre) She Is Vigilante, Love/Chamberlain (Theatre Works), Oh No! Satan Stole My Pineal Gland!, Surge, Lou Wall’s Drag Race, Baby Bi Bi Bi (Melbourne Fringe Festival), The Three Graces (The Anchor), The Honouring, Blood Quantum (YIRRAMBOI Festival), World Problems, Fallen (She Said Theatre), and Romeo Is Not The Only Fruit (Melbourne International Comedy Festival). Rachel was an associate on MORAL PANIC (Darebin Arts), and Considerable Sexual License (YIRRAMBOI Festival). She was part of Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2019 Women In Theatre Program and was awarded Best Production (Green Room Award) for 落叶归根 (Luò yè guī gēn) Getting Home.

• Christopher Baldwin, Costume Designer

  Christopher Baldwin is a diverse designer with a set of highly sought after skills that see him working as both designer, key collaborator and skilled fabricator across live productions, contemporary art exhibitions, and large scale immersive installations. In 2015, Christopher was set-designer for hip-hop producers Hermitude: Dark Night, Sweet Light nation-wide tour and ARIA Awards appearance, creating a compact design that could tour in 5 suitcases. He was also finalist in the World of Wearable Art (WOW Auckland) for his creature costume Celcus, with this costume also being exhibited as part of Innovative Costumes of the 21st Century: The Next Generation at the Bakrushian Museum, Moscow, in June of 2019.

  In 2018 at NIDA, Christopher worked alongside acclaimed puppetry director Finn Caldwell, on a stage adaptation of Alex Garland’s film Ex Machina, which incorporated over 90 LED panels imbedded into the set-design, a life-size 3D printed puppet, and an innovative use of both live and pre-recorded video footage. He was also the designer on Ah, Tuzenbach: Melancholic Cabaret, an intimate, immersive performance, adapting four Chekhov plays, directed by Oleg Glushkov, for an audience of 9.