Charcoal explores the embodiment and physicality of caring for country through visual art and movement. An interdisciplinary dance work embodies the fire that forms it. Charcoal investigates the impacts of land management or lack thereof, as well as the importance of First Nations stewardship.

Lead creative | Keia McGrady
Wulli Wulli performer/artist | Oliva Adams
Composer | Waveney Yasso 
 

Keia McGrady (Lead creative) is a Githabul, Migunberri – Yugumbeh woman. Keia is a multi-faceted artist and choreographer, performing at festivals and events such as Junction Arts Festival, 10 Days on the Island, Panama Festival, Perth Festival, Sydney Contemporary and more. With the desire of truth telling through movement Keia has performed in seasons such as Taree Sansdbury’s MI:WI season at QPAC, Mel O’callaghan exhibition Centre of the Centre, Jo Loyds work Collision, and recently joining the national tour with Karul projects for their show Silence.
Keia has a passion in guiding the next generation through the arts with song writing and movement workshops. Facilitating and performing in Assembly197 educational program Trolls, Drill Performance Company's Dance Nexus program and facilitating songwriting and movement workshops throughout lutruwita (Tasmania) and Ieramugadu (Roebourne) WA.

Keias practise is rooted in deep listening, weaving stories through visual art and movement while valuing collaborations to create safe spaces to express.

Olivia Adams (Performer) is a proud Wulli Wulli woman from and based in Meanjin (Brisbane). Olivia graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts: Dance from the Queensland University of Technology and has since built a career as an independent artist, dancer, choreographer and producer at BlakDance. She has worked with Digi Youth Arts, Polytoxic, Bangarra Dance Theatre’s youth program Rekindling, Richard Bell’s Tent Embassy for Documenta 15 and presented at Western Arts Alliance’s Advancing Indigenous Performance symposium in Calgary. Most recently Olivia has performed in Michele Rizzo’s Coalescing Towards and Karul Project’s national tour of Silence. In 2024 Olivia premiered her first full length work Matriarchs as a part of Metro Art’s new festival DANCE24. Olivia is proud to work in and on works that champion First Nations voices and stories and is passionate about continuing the practice of healing and storytelling through dance.

Special thanks to previous collaborators, artist/dancer Amarina (Githabul, Gaangalu peoples) supported by visual artist, D Harding (Bidjara, Ghungalu and Garingbal peoples), Courtney Scheu and Githabul, Migunberri - Yugumbeh artist/dancer Alinta McGrady. Special thanks to Performing lines Tasmania.

This project received support from the BlakDance residency and Dana Waranara Digital programs.