Helen Herbertson

Award for Dance

Congratulations to Helen Herbertson, recipient of the 2022 Australia Council Award for Dance! 

Melbourne-based performer, choreographer and creative collaborator, Herbertson’s imaginative, highly theatrical work regularly presents at both local and international festivals.

She began creating works as a freelance choreographer in the 80’s including for Tasdance, Dance North and Australian Dance Theatre. She has played a key role in several seminal organisations that shaped the development of contemporary dance in Australia including as Artistic Director of Danceworks (89-97) and Artistic Director of Dancehouse (01-03).

Her work has received multiple Green Room Nominations with Awards for Best Production, Original Choreography, Direction, Outstanding Creative Collaboration and the inaugural 2003 Australian Dance Award for Independent Dance (with Ben Cobham). In 2007 she was recognised with the Kenneth Myer Medallion for Outstanding and Distinguished Contribution to the Performing Arts and honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2017 Australian Dance Awards.

Helen’s award winning pieces with collaborator and designer Ben Cobham, in productions such as Morphia Series, Delirium, Descansos: Resting Places, and Sunstruck typifies her fascination with site and the suggestive properties of lighting and design. Throughout her career her expressive, detailed choreography has presented in prestigious festival contexts (Melbourne, Adelaide, Singapore, Zurich, Paris, Dublin, Glasgow, Tokyo, Portland, New York).

Recently Helen has blended crafting her own work with a curatorial engagement with young artists through education and mentorship while continuing to play a key role in the development of dance in Australia through peer advisory positions.

A sort after performance coach and staging consultant she has worked internationally in residencies in Paris, Singapore, Finland, NY and Banff. She holds a Masters of Arts and was Senior Lecturer/Head Graduate Studies VCA Dance, Faculty of Fine Arts & Music, University of Melbourne.