STEPHEN AGISILAOU-
VERTICAL SHADOWS
CONTEMPORARY DANCE COMPANY
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Established in 2009, Vertical Shadows quickly became one of Australias most respected independent dance companies. Performing at many of Melbourne's landmark theaters to sold out audiences and five star reviews.
We deliver full length productions that are unapologetically musically driven.
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Stephen Agisilaou - the founder, artistic director and choreographer, is the driving force behind the company's success. Choosing to produce as a project based company has proven to always keep the artistic integrity of his work at the highest caliber.
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When viewing Agisilaou’s work, you will find a remarkable balance of restraint and ease. An extremely heavy theatrical atmosphere whilst keeping the movement dramatic, this allows the piece to be rich with beauty & depth.
REPERTOIRE
I DON'T CARE FOR SUGAR, HONEY!
PREMIERED AT
Palm Springs Art Museum
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Charles Eugene Scheland, Katherine Liu, Natalie Stys,
Taylor Kate Ennen, Rawinan Asawakanjanakit
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INSPIRATION
Music and movement mesh perfectly together in this sweet and spicy jazz piece to the score of Annie Lennox! Stephen puts entertainment at the forefront and apologetically camps up the stage.
THE WHITE PRINCE
PREMIERED AT
Arts House, Meat Market
STEPHEN AGISILAOU Direction/Choreography
JESSICA MORTLOCK Creative Assistant/Rehearsal Director
CRAIG BOYES Lighting Design / ELISSA HULLAH Costume
PERFORMED BY The Australian Ballets Damien Welch & Marc Cassidy returned to the stage along side contemporary goddess Teagan Lowe & breakout stars Riley Fitzgerald & Joshua Hunt.
KNIGHTS: Rosie Osmond, Josie Hodges, Alana Curtis, Sophia Lewis
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INSPIRTATION
The White Prince defies genre and the typical contemporary dance
experience by creating heightened view of reality meeting the imagination.
ON THE ROCKS
PREMIERED AT
Chapel Off Chapel
DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Jessica Mortlock, Sean-Marcs, Jayden Hicks, Tim Barnes, Aaron Lynch, Joshua Austin, Jake Walasek, Tony Keeble, Josh Cetin
Kristopher Brian, Nicolas Mena
INSPIRATION
A lifetime battle for another existence, accepting who you are in this present state is in many instances easier than the effort to move forward. Is accepting who you are in this present moment easier than risking everything for the chance to be someone,
something more?
CRIMSON
PREMIERED AT
Chapel Off Chapel
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Donna-Mae Burrows & Geoffrey H Watson
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INSPIRATION
A pas de deux of an avian exploration. Across the crimson sky, two birds flying: they're ominous flight silent and solitary.
Warred and warred with the earth, and when she yielded stabbed her heart, gathered her blood in a chalice, spilling it over the crimson sky.
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Selected for SPLASH DANCE FESTIVAL
GROW UP AND BLOW AWAY
PREMIERED AT
Theatre Works
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Lauren Drago, Hayley Uberti, Erin Hooper, Robyn Max Wyngaard, Catherine Elis, Bec Demarte
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INSPIRATION
A jazz piece about being a woman in this modern age.
‘The emotional, sexual, and psychological stereotyping of females begins when the doctor says, "It's a girl!”' - Shirley Chisholm
HOME
PREMIERED AT
Gas Works Theatre
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Cheyne Whichello, Timothy Walsh, Leroy Curwood, Caitlin Wheeler, Eley May, Alice Dixon, Rachael Ireson, Kristy Sellars, Libby Abbot, Benjamin Cure, Diana Ricks, Stephanie Brunno, Stephen Agisilaou
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INSPIRATION
HOME is a modern dance piece performed to current electric pop music follows the story of peoples home lives, who they are and the experience of living in a neighborhood
FOX TIMES
PREMIERED AT
Forum Theatre Melbourne​
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Winner of SHORT & SWEET Award: Best Choreography
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Benjamin Hancock, Rachael Ireson, Heather Craig, Leah Watts, Megan O'Mally,
Dana Gishen, Kara Bertoncini, Steph Bertoncini
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INSPIRATION
A contemporary work about the environments ever changing problems.
THE NITTY GRITTY
PREMIERED AT
Chapel Off Chapel
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Short & Sweet Dance Festival Offical Selection
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DIRECTED BY
Jessica Mortlock
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PERFORMED BY
Stephen Agisilaou & Jessica Mortlock
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INSPIRATION
When friendship is easy and fun life can be a party.
THE FOUNATIN
PREMIERED AT
Melbourne Town Hall
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Mietta Gornall, Brandan Yates, Paris, Stephen Agisilaou
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​INSPIRATION
A magical realism romantic dance drama that blends elements of fantasy, history, spirituality, and science fiction.
CROSSING THE RUBICON​
PREMIERED AT
The Annenberg Theater Palm Springs
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Audrey Casey, Aaron Czuprenski, Kat Cheng, Andrew Perez
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INSPIRATION
Crossing The Rubicon delves into the idea of stability within relationships, relationships are fragile and weathered by our decisions and the point of no return is not often in our foresight until it's too late.
HER
PREMIERED AT
Federation Square Deakin Edge Theatre
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Kristy Lee Donovan
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INSPIRATION
Het was created for PROJECTion Ballet Gala. The program featured incredible Australia dancers such as Juliet Burnett, Kristy Lee Donovan and acclaimed international artists like Dominic James Ballard and Mara Galeazzi from the Royal Ballet.
LET DOWN YOUR HAIR
PREMIERED AT
The Malthouse Theatre
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Winner of DANCE CREATIONS Award in Choreography
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Stephen Agisilaou, Jessica Mortlock, Jayden Hicks, Benjamin Cure, Dylan Mcewan, Brett Fisher, Jake Alan O'Brian
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As we worked with theatrical ideas through contemporary dance, we paradoxically found both restraint and ease in the choreography without venturing over to the contemporary cliché of minimalism.
OLD GROUND
PREMIERED AT
Chapel Off Chapel
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Scott Pokorny
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INSPIRATION
When we feel we have nothing left to give,
And we are sure that the song has ended;
When our day seems over and the shadows fall,
And the darkness of night has descended.
THE BAD PLACE
PREMIERED AT
The National Theater
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Over 60 dancers.
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INSPIRATION
Come and join the cult, everyone loves the cult.
US
PREMIERED AT
The Renaissance Theater
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COMMISSIONED BY SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Stephen Agisilaou & Caitlin Wheeler
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INSPIRATION
A love story from beginning to end.
PARALLAX
PREMIERED AT
Chapel Off Chapel
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Jayden Hicks, Stephen Agisilaou, Jessica Mortlock, Grace Hooper, Sarah Mealor, Megan Sayce
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To celebrate Chapel of Chapel’s 20th Anniversary, Vertical Shadows was asked to create a brand new work exclusively for this momentous occasion. PARALLAX: A Brief Love Encounter indulges in the unforeseen shot of adrenaline driven by the infatuating nature of an uncontrollable short term relationship.
SCENT OF A CHARM
PREMIERED AT
The Space Dance & Arts Center
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Jessica Mortlock, Benjamin Cure, Ellen Mary Simpson, Aaron Lynch, Lauren Drago, Jake Alan O'Brian, Alarna Curtis
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INSPIRATION
We all have a desire to abandon ourselves, people are always looking for an escape from reality. It is part of human nature to want to feel something other than the banality of our own existence. Euphoria, paranoia, ease, hunger, recklessness, elation, inspiration, vibration, transformation.
SILENCE ON THESE SEEDS
PREMIERED AT
The Renaissance Theater
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DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY
Stephen Agisilaou
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PERFORMED BY
Stephen Louis Agisilaou, Matt Dillon, Nick Geurts, Caitlin Wheeler, Sarah Ambros, Hayley Uberti, Eleanor Majpruz
Apprentices: Kara Bertoncini, Brendan Daynes,
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INSPIRATION
The premiere work from the company, director Stephen Agisilaou relives the story of his experience living in Canada.
PHILANTHROPY
The success of Vertical Shadows owes much to the generosity and commitment of our patrons and audience. With each passing year, the difference that can be made by private individuals becomes more important to sustaining the company at its current level of scale and style.
As a non-government funded independent company that provides professional dancers with paid work and the opportunity to be a part of world class productions, we rely on special individuals and companies like yourself to leave your footprint on the arts. When selecting Vertical Shadowsas your avenue into the arts, patrons involved have the pleasure of being assured their contribution is firstly helping create jobs for both established and up and coming artists and thus helping us to create transcending theatre experiences for our audiences.
Our shows attract a discerning audience of all ages including industry professionals, dance students and teachers, artists, designers, actors, parents, directors for film & television and more. Vertical Shadows taps into various advertising avenues including social and dance media, newspapers, dance studios, theatres and more, giving your company's sponsorship increased exposure.
We would love to have you join the Vertical Shadowscommunity with a sponsorship that suits the needs of your business while supporting our unique company and the arts scene at large.
For more information on the benefits of becoming a patron, please contact our arts administrator at
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MAJOR SUPPORTERS
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Vertical Shadows is made possible by the generous contributions by Susan Thacore @ The National Theater Melbourne & The Space Dance & Arts Center
REVIEWS
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"A new benchmark for other independent dance companies throughout Australia."
KARA HAMILTON - THE ARTS CENTER
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"Boundaries become more and more irrelevant"
ARTS HUB
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"Agisilaou has created a masterpiece."
DANCE INFORMA
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"Exquisitely mesmerising images in this dreamlike production will stay with the audience forever"
STAGE WHISPERS
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"Vertical Shadows have once again raised the barre in Australian contemporary dance"
THE AUSTRALIAN STAGE
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"By embedding elements of social dances in a classical jazz structure, choreographer Stephen Agisilaou's work is referential and new; retro and modern. It really should not work. But it does!"
HERALD SUN
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"Crimson, is just about spot on."
DANCE INFORMA
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"Floaty and flamboyant."
DANCE AUSTRALIA
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"Anything less than a worldwide audience now seems inadequate."
DANCE INFORMA
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"Stephen Agisilaou has certainly released a new generation of stars with this production." -
THE AUSTRALIAN STAGE
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"Will have you on the very edge of your seat."
THE AUSTRALIAN STAGE
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"Agisilaou’s choreography is fresh and new!"
THEATRE PEOPLE
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"This is art personified, an experience through all the realms of emotion."
THE AUSTRALIAN STAGE
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"The whole performance is as breathtaking as it is desirable."
AUSTRALIAN STAGE
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