It wasn’t long ago that pregnancy could signal the end of a dancer’s career. Thankfully, things have changed, with companies like Co3 taking a different approach.
A scene from Co3 Contemporary Dance Australia’s latest work ‘Architect of the Invisible’ with performers (L-R) Storm Helmore, Russell Thorpe, Ella-Rose Trew, Alex Kay, Alice Kell and Macon Escobal Riley. Photo: Courtesy Co3 Contemporary Dance Australia.
Last week, Co3 contemporary dance company premiered its work Architect of the Invisibleto packed houses in Perth, and audiences saw its cast of 23 dancers stretched to their limits of strength and endurance.
Architect of the Invisible cast member Ella-Rose Trew is 30 weeks pregnant, and the story of her pathway to perform in the piece is a sign of how far the dance sector has come in recent years to move away from rigid ideas around what female dancers’ careers can look like.
ArtsHub's Arts Feature Writer Jo Pickup is based in Perth. An arts writer and manager, she has worked as a journalist and broadcaster for media such as the ABC, RTRFM and The West Australian newspaper, contributing media content and commentary on art, culture and design. She has also worked for arts organisations such as Fremantle Arts Centre, STRUT dance, and the Aboriginal Arts Centre Hub of WA, as well as being a sessional arts lecturer at The Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA).
