Kate McDonald, creative producer, The Inaugural Annual Dance Affair
Begin as you mean to go on, write your own story, work with courage and bravery, be kinder than you need to be ...
Kate McDonald is one creative lady, she has been involved with some of the country’s most renowned festivals, community cultural development projects and multi-art events including the Woodford Folk Festival and more locally on Bleach* and the Swell Sculpture Festivals. Gold Coast-raised, Kate has embarks on projects all over the country including a stint at the Salamanca Arts Centre in Hobart as the Arts Programmer but always finds her way back to her happy place in Currumbin. Kate is the Creative Producer and the mastermind behind the original concept for The Inaugural Annual Dance Affair that kicks-off in Tugun this weekend and she spared a few minutes to chat with The Weekend Edition Gold Coast about soul trains and spectacles.
We’re getting ready to bust a move at The Inaugural Annual Dance Affair, for those who may not have heard, can you tell us a little bit about the dance events?
It’s a part theatre performance, part awesome night of dancing inspired by the rise and fall of the social dance scene particularly on the Gold Coast. The show has been created with myself, a professional theatre director and choreographer from Melbourne working with local dance legends of the Gold Coast to put to together a interactive and participation based performance experience. It will not only get you up dancing but share stories about peoples dancing memories of the GC and how dancing has interacted with there lives. Plus there’s a cracking live band The Rooftops and we’ve had a bit of fun with playing up on all the traditions of your old time country dances – meat trays, raffles, supper – you could even go home as Belle of Ball (with a sash of course).
How did the idea come about?
I love creating projects where the audiences are co-creators of the artistic experience. It creates an element of real, live interaction that I think is really exciting in contemporary performance – all be it, a bit of a blind date for the artists involved. Also, for a long time I’ve been interested in where social dance lies in our community as an human expression. There is something really interesting in the ecology of the dance floor, the relationships and shared intimacy that can be formed both in temporary and life long ways. I was wanted to create a work that was site specific and told stories particular to place, I love knowing more about the cultural history of place and how that can help define people’s current perspectives of identity. So those three interests have come together in this show.
If you could jump in a time machine to any era, which would it be?
This show has made me want to step back in time to the 1970s. I want to be in the Soul Train! In my mind that’s what I look like when I dance – I don’t really but who can’t help themselves but to bust out the funky moves when a 1970s beat comes on. We have a Soul Train moment in the show so if anyone else has a 1970s dream you can jump right back there with me!
What inspires you creatively?
The shared human experience – finding those threads in our lives that connects us all and weaving those into art. Working with community, particularly in large groups – it’s really inspiring what can be achieved on large-scale projects like this. I also am continually inspired by peoples stories and that wonderful moment that occurs when a relationship evolves between a professional artist and the community, when the artist is entrusted to share that persons story through a performance or other kind of creative expression.
What is your proudest achievement?
I would have to say producing the Opening and Closing Ceremonies (called the Fire Event) of the Woodford Folk Festival is a pretty proud and humbling experience. I started my foray into professional arts at the WFF when the then long term Fire event director Neil Cameron bought a group of university theatre students to the festival as a street theatre troupe (I’ll admit that was as a rainbow paint wearing clown performing Shakespeare on soap boxes in the street but hey you’ve got to start somewhere) – so to be back there 10 years later working for this extraordinary organisation, with an amazing team of directors, musicians and artists to create a huge spectacle show for 18,000 – 20,000 people is a real honour.
Take us back to the beginning, were you always interested in art and performance?
If we go way back, it probably all started with backyards plays – I was always the organiser, a little bit bossy perhaps, I’d come up with an idea for a show and then rope everyone a I know into playing a role – which is pretty similar really to what I do now. Studying theatre bought me into connection with Neil Cameron who became a strong mentor for me and creating performance and events with community, everyday people with extraordinary stories to tell.
Do you have any favourite memories of growing up on the Gold Coast?
There are lots of great memories about the outdoor lifestyle of being a kid on the Gold Coast – there just seemed to be so much freedom. It was particularly exciting once we got our licence and could do continuous of laps of the Coolangatta, Snapper, D’Bar circuit.
What are your thoughts on the local creative scene at the moment?
Oh my gosh so exciting! It feels like there is amazing momentum growing behind a dedicated and hard working arts community that have been at it for a long time, plus lots of new ideas, people and spaces popping up full of energy. One of the most exciting things I think, is how supportive the local creative scene is of each other. At the Bleach* Festival launch this year I left feeling electrified about the work of my fellow creatives and how much genuine peer support there is not only between artists but from local government, arts organisations and festivals like Bleach* who are really getting behind the commissioning of really exiting and ambitious new work for the Gold Coast.
Are there any local artists or creative people who have piqued your interest?
I am really looking forward to Tim Baker’s (m)Ocean as part of Bleach* at Burleigh, another Bleach* Festival commission. He is exploring surfing as a performing art with a live and improvised surfing and music performance on Burleigh headland. I think this is a really cutting edge, brave and experimental idea. It’s live art being creating right here on the Gold Coast – I think that will be piquing the interest of the arts community nationally.
If you had one wish for the Gold Coast, what would it be?
That it continues to grow into a place where ambitious and exciting art can thrive. That is a place where people can have meaningful work, artistic play and enjoy the amazing outdoor lifestyle that is the Gold Coast
What is it that you love most about living here?
Being a Currumbin Valley resident I love how close the coastline and hinterland connection is – within 15 minutes you can go from the most pristine beaches to some of the most diverse and lush subtropical forest in the region.
Over the years a lot of our homegrown talent have moved to bigger cities, do you have any advice for someone looking to pursue a creative career on the Gold Coast?
Now is a great time to be doing it. Shortly after I finished studying I did exactly that and moved interstate – at that time there was very little contemporary performance and arts on the Gold Coast. Living in different states gave me great exposure to working with a range of artists. I think this is an important part of any young artists / creatives career, to get out there and to be immersed in different environments but is good to know that you can now return to the Gold Coast to do your work too.
How do you like to start your weekend?
Palm Beach Farmers’ Markets for really great fresh produces and bumping into lots of friendly faces, swim at the Currumbin Estuary and at the moment, a prenatal yoga class is essential to Saturday mornings.
Any words of wisdom?
Some of my favourite words of wisdom that have been given to me; begin as you mean to go on, write your own story, work with courage and bravery, be kinder than you need to be.
What is your personal definition of success?
Working on good projects with good people. Being able to do work that has heart, humility and generosity.
Any exciting plans in the pipeline for 2015?
Well I’m having a baby in a few months time so that’s a pretty exciting project coming up. We also have a dream to get The Inaugural Annual Dance Affair on the road. We’d love to for this Bleach* Festival, Gold Coast-born project to tour nationally so I’ll be getting stuck into spreading the word and building relationships for that. Fingers crossed it’s coming to a dancefloor near you!
Only a Gold Coast local would know … that the Gold Coast is so much more then the tourist image of theme parks, glitter strips and bikinis.
FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … Hit the dance floors of the Gold Coast. You can dance seven nights a week on the coast if you want, from the tango to the two step – it’s out there!
Relax … Secret southern Gold Coast rainforest swimming spot.
Dine … Little Asia.
Indulge … Pablo Pablo at Palm Beach.
Be inspired … Miami Marketta and Currumbin Estuary.