Paulina Quinteros: Artistic Director & Choreographer
Paulina Quinteros is a WAAPA graduate. As a dancer she worked with artistic directors Graeme Murphy and Paul Mercurio. Her major passion is for choreography where she has built an extensive repertoire of original works. She has produced works for festivals and has been commissioned by companies and organisations as diverse as The Australian Ballet Company,The Sydney Peace Prize, UNSW, NAISDA, WAAPA, VCA, and The Queensland Ballet.
Paulina has been awarded both The Peggy van Praagh award for choreography and The Sir Robert Helpmann award for Professional Choreography from the AICD.
She has collaborated with Australian composer Ross Edwards for the conferring of the Sydney Peace Prize on Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and subsequently choreographed for Edwards Oboe concerto performed at The Opera House by The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Paulina has collaborated with award winning Visual Artists Wendy Sharpe towards the creation of a new dance theatre work titled “ARTE-DOMUS”
She is the Founding Artistic Director of Danza del Arte, a not-for-profit organization with the express mission of building an artistic hub for the many independent Australian artists and performers based in Sydney and beyond.
Paulina has been invited by Marilyn Jones OBE and AICD’s Artistic Director Kathleen Hamilton, to create the AICD’s first contemporary dance syllabus.
In November 2022, Paulina premiered Sui-Generis, a choreographic double bill, in collaboration with Australian composer Elena Kats Chernin AO,
The Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, TAIKOZ composer Ryuji Hamada and artists of Danza del Arte.
Sui-Generis, standing ovations at Parramatta Riverside Theatres and at The Everest Theatre-Seymour Centre, was nominated for best dance award by The Sydney Fringe Festival, and received laudatory reviews in Limelight Magazine.
Sui Generis review: https://limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/sui-generis-danza-del-arte/
Paulina has been awarded both The Peggy van Praagh award for choreography and The Sir Robert Helpmann award for Professional Choreography from the AICD.
She has collaborated with Australian composer Ross Edwards for the conferring of the Sydney Peace Prize on Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and subsequently choreographed for Edwards Oboe concerto performed at The Opera House by The Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
Paulina has collaborated with award winning Visual Artists Wendy Sharpe towards the creation of a new dance theatre work titled “ARTE-DOMUS”
She is the Founding Artistic Director of Danza del Arte, a not-for-profit organization with the express mission of building an artistic hub for the many independent Australian artists and performers based in Sydney and beyond.
Paulina has been invited by Marilyn Jones OBE and AICD’s Artistic Director Kathleen Hamilton, to create the AICD’s first contemporary dance syllabus.
In November 2022, Paulina premiered Sui-Generis, a choreographic double bill, in collaboration with Australian composer Elena Kats Chernin AO,
The Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, TAIKOZ composer Ryuji Hamada and artists of Danza del Arte.
Sui-Generis, standing ovations at Parramatta Riverside Theatres and at The Everest Theatre-Seymour Centre, was nominated for best dance award by The Sydney Fringe Festival, and received laudatory reviews in Limelight Magazine.
Sui Generis review: https://limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/sui-generis-danza-del-arte/
Ryuji Hamada: Composer & Guest Artist
Ryuji a leading member of Taikoz, is well known for his joy and passion for taiko, especially when performing yokouchi (side on style) taiko, katsugi okedo, shinobue and the grand odaiko.
Ryuji grew up in Yokohama, Japan, and began his taiko training with the taiko ensemble Shoryu, an ensemble he subsequently led before moving to Sydney.
His teachers and mentors include Suguru Kikuchi on Hachijo Island and Miyake-daiko with original masters Akio Tsumura and sons.
Ryuji co-leads the Sydney Onikenbai Club with Sophia (under the umbrella of ATA) and regularly travels to Japan for study with Iwasaki Onikenbai Hozonkai, the original masters of the dance-music form known as Onikenbai. When in Japan, he regularly performs Onikenbai in the Kitakami Michinoku Geinou Matsuri.
At the Australian Taiko Academy, Ryuji teaches several weekly classes, including ATA’s Tataku and Bachi Club youth programs. Ryuji tours regularly to metropolitan and regional centres to present concerts in schools and is often invited to teach community taiko groups around Australia.
Ryuji appear courtesy of Taikoz
Ryuji grew up in Yokohama, Japan, and began his taiko training with the taiko ensemble Shoryu, an ensemble he subsequently led before moving to Sydney.
His teachers and mentors include Suguru Kikuchi on Hachijo Island and Miyake-daiko with original masters Akio Tsumura and sons.
Ryuji co-leads the Sydney Onikenbai Club with Sophia (under the umbrella of ATA) and regularly travels to Japan for study with Iwasaki Onikenbai Hozonkai, the original masters of the dance-music form known as Onikenbai. When in Japan, he regularly performs Onikenbai in the Kitakami Michinoku Geinou Matsuri.
At the Australian Taiko Academy, Ryuji teaches several weekly classes, including ATA’s Tataku and Bachi Club youth programs. Ryuji tours regularly to metropolitan and regional centres to present concerts in schools and is often invited to teach community taiko groups around Australia.
Ryuji appear courtesy of Taikoz
Ashlee Wilson
Ashlee studied at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance in London. She is a member of the Sydney Choreographic Ensemble and performed in “Galileo”
Samantha Leon
Is a professional dancer, acrobat and graduate of Ev&Bow Dance Training Centre. She has featured in The Rehearsal, as well as Grounded and ARKiTEKNiCiANS by LOcREaDO Dance Company and has made multiple corporate and television appearances.
Laura Vlasic
Laura is a graduate of Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year. Laura has performed with Stephanie Lake Company and featured in Bad/Love’s music video “World in Colour”
Hyota Matsuzaki & Guest Artist
Hyota is a Japanese musician and performer, specialising in taiko and shinobue (Japanese bamboo flute). Hyota appears courtesy of Taikoz
Silvana Imperatori & Guest Artist
Silvana is a Norwegian musician and performer based in Sydney. She specialises in Japanese instruments, including taiko, koto, and bamboo flute, she is also trained in Japanese vocal traditions and folk performance. Silvana has been a training associate of Taikoz since 2021. Silvana appears courtesy of Taikoz
Sienna Denby
Sienna is the youngest member of Danza del Arte and trains at Compeat Dance. She is a member of the Ev&Bow Youth Company. She is a successful competitive dancer with national titles in Australia and the USA. She has recently attended the Royal Academy of Dane and Trinity Laban summer programs.