Pitch Lab and Make It Happen are delivered in partnership with Dance Makers Collective.
PITCH LAB
Collective Making Intensive
Facilitated by Dance Makers Collective Co-Director Miranda Wheen
Dates: 29 June - 3 July
Pitch Lab is a week-long intensive that brings together professional independent dance artists with DMC Co-director Miranda Wheen, to explore and share ideas and processes in a collaborative environment. Artists who participate in Pitch Lab are treated like DMC artists and so, in the spirit of collective-led decision making, will not only collaborate in the room together, but will collaboratively design the intensive in response to the needs and aspirations of the group.
Pitch Lab provides an environment:
to refine skills in collective decision-making and working collaboratively
to pitch and test new ideas
to practice the art of articulating ideas and participating in other people’s ideas
for collective ideas to emerge
to facilitate the consolidation of ideas
DMC is a democratic organisation, with a co-led director structure, which means the work we make is for the collective benefit of those involved and their intended communities. For Pitch Lab, we are seeking expressions of interest from dance makers who wish to contribute to this collective-led process.
About the Facilitator
Miranda Wheen is an independent dancer and choreographer based on Dharug Country in Sydney. Rooted in contemporary dance, her practice weaves intercultural collaboration, community-engaged arts, teaching, advocacy, and dramaturgy.
She is a founding member and Co-Artistic Director of Dance Makers Collective (DMC), where she has choreographed all their major works, including DADS(shortlisted for an Australian Dance Award), The Rivoli (commissioned by Sydney Festival 2020, toured nationally 2022/23), The Saturday Night Social (winner of PAC Australia’s Impact Award), and All In (set for major national touring in 2026).
Since 2017, Miranda has been an Associate Artist with Marrugeku, Australia’s leading indigenous intercultural dance theatre company, performing in Cut The Sky, Burrbgaja Yalirra, Le Dernier Appel, and Jurrungu Ngan-ga (winner of a Green Room Award for Best Ensemble and two Performing Arts WA awards).
Her collaborators span the spectrum of Australian dance including a long-standing relationship with choreographer Martin Del Amo (working as Artistic Associate on his Australian Dance Award winning Champions), and work with Stalker Theatre, Shaun Parker and Company, Mirramu Dance Company, Restless Dance Theatre, Ghenoa Gela, Julie-Anne Long, Rakini Devi, Liz Lea, Cadi McCarthy and Tsai Jui-Yueh Dance Foundation.
Miranda is a committed advocate for the independent dance sector and was named as one of Creative Australia’s 2024/25 Creative Leadership cohort. She currently serves as Vice Chair of the DMC Board and was a member of FORM Dance Projects board for six years.
She regularly teaches at DMC and Sydney Dance Company, including choreographing two major works for SDC’s Pre-Professional Year. She is also a support and mentor for DMC’s emerging artist ensemble Future Makers. Miranda holds First Class Honours from Macquarie University, a Dean’s Medal from Western Sydney University, and trained in Traditional and Contemporary African Dance at L’École des Sables in Senegal.
How to Apply
Applications open Monday 27th April
Applications close Friday 15th May
Notifications Friday 22nd May
6 x places available
$750 stipend per artist
