Thomas E.S. Kelly - Artistic Director and Performer
Thomas E.S. Kelly is a proud Minjungbal, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu man. A graduate of NAISDA Dance College (2012), Thomas is a choreographer, performer, and cultural leader whose work fuses contemporary movement with cultural practice, voice, and physical percussion. His choreographic credits include the Green Room Award-winning [MIS]CONCEIVE, CO_EX_EN, SANDCIRCLE, SSHIFTT, VESSEL (Outer Urban Projects), MASS (Chunky Move), and Junjeiri Ballun – Gurul Gaureima (Tasdance). He has performed with Vicki Van Hout, Shaun Parker and Company, Branch Nebula, ERTH, Chunky Move, Dancenorth, The Farm, Tasdance, and Urban Theatre Projects. Thomas is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Karul Projects, a First Nations-led dance theatre company based on Minjungbal Country (Gold Coast). His work has been presented at Sydney Opera House, Brisbane Festival, Darwin Festival, BLEACH*, and internationally. He is a 2018 Dreaming Award recipient, a 2019 American Australian Association Alumni, and winner of the 2017 Green Room Award for Outstanding Choreography by an Emerging Artist. His artistic vision drives Karul’s mission to elevate First Nations voices and visibility through dance theatre.
