TAFE SA Dance graduate Abbey Harby has landed her dream role, gaining a full-time job with SA-based international dance company Lewis Major Projects, which will take her to Europe and the United States in the next six months.
Abbey, who completed her Bachelor of Creative Arts (Dance) through TAFE SA and Flinders University in 2024, says she couldn’t have hoped for a better opportunity.
“I did a secondment with Lewis last year, working on Epilogue, and ever since I’ve been hoping I might get a job with his company,” she says.
Company founder Lewis Major, a choreographer and director, says Abbey brings a great mix of talent, strong work ethic and positive attitude.
“Abbey used to come and do a class with the company and she really stood out, we’ve been watching her throughout her time at AC Arts (Adelaide College of the Arts),” he says.
“In our company we want someone who can not only do the job physically, but someone who can have fun in the studio and get the job done with a smile on their face and when you’ve had a hard time on tour, they still want to hang out and have a drink with the team at the end of the week.
“Abbey’s that kind of person and I think that has to do with the training at AC Arts, too. There’s a very humble, gracious, open kind of energy that all the students have, very generous, and Abbey’s very generous on stage.”
Confident in her ability to perform under pressure, Lewis threw her in the “deep end” for this year’s Adelaide Fringe season, casting her in all three of his company’s productions - Thunderstruck, Triptych and Lien.
Thunderstruck: A Night of Classic Rock is a collaboration with Blue Violin, founder and first violinist of the Boston String Quartet, which blends rock music reimagined through live violin loops and contemporary dance in a candle-lit concert experience.
Triptych is a mixed bill of dance works, exploring “various poetic possibilities, universal rhythms and cycles” while Lien is an intimate experience where one dancer creates a short, spontaneous performance for one audience member, bringing into focus the power of shared moments.
While conceding some nerves on the opening night of Thunderstruck, Abbey says the experience of dancing in three very different productions has been “exhilarating”.
“The connection with the audience has been incredible,” she says.
“I love the diversity of the productions. Each one presents its own challenges and it’s been amazing to explore these.”
Thunderstruck and Triptych were both Fringe weekly award winners and Triptych, which went on to win the Edinburgh Fringe Award at the end of the Adelaide festival, stands out as Abbey’s favourite for its “beautiful mixed bill of repertoire pieces that explores a range of poetic possibilities, universal rhythms, and cycles”.
“The entire experience is set within a dynamic whirl of movement, sound and light, creating something truly special,” she says.
Ensuring regional communities have access to “quality live performance” is a priority for Lewis, who was raised in the state’s South East, and he has been touring two of his productions, Lien and Triptych, around South Australia since the end of this year’s Fringe.
The three-week regional tour has been a highlight for Abbey who says, “the energy in the rooms has been incredible with audiences really connecting to the performance in their own special way”.
“Travelling across South Australia has given me a deeper appreciation for the diversity of the region and seeing how dance can bring people together has been such a rewarding experience,” she says.
Her next adventure will provide some insight into international dance audiences and venues as she embarks on a tour of Europe and the United States with the company.
“Every place brings its own unique vibe and I can’t wait to experience that with the team,” Abbey says.
“Lewis Major Projects has such a creative and forward-thinking approach and I’m excited to continue growing both professionally and personally through these experiences.”