Watch dance film, ba(ME)
14 - 15 January 2023: Subtropical Independent Film Festival, Taipei, Taiwan
1 November 2023 - 2 December 2023: Immigration Museum, Naarm / Melbourne, Australia
Choreographer
As an international choreographer, Julie aspires to collaborate with a wide range of artists in the hopes of making dance accessible and to connect to a wide range of audiences. She has collaborated on dance films with Garrett & Garrett, music videos, site-specific works and stage commissions in Australia, UK, US and South Korea.
Julie’s artistic vision combines elements from her interdisciplinary practice to give audiences a layered experience in the exploration of immigration themes and stories as well as practices and elements from Japanese culture. Connection with audience and community outreach are focal points in her work.
In 2018, Julie was commissioned by her alma matre, Mid-Pacific School of the Arts, to create a new work in Honolulu, Hawaii. She was featured in the Alumni Magazine and Mid-Pacific website. Read more about Julie’s works and experience.
Julie’s dance film ba(ME), funded by Arts Council England, was part of the UK’s first East and South East Asian Heritage Month hosted by besea.n in September 2021.
In 2022 to this year, ba(ME) has been selected and shown internationally in London (UK), Glasgow (UK), Oregon (USA), Utah (USA), Osaka (Japan), Sofia (Bulgaria), Lisbon (Portgual), Taipei (Taiwan).
Julie is currently resident artist at The Bowery Theatre, St. Albans, Brimbank and the Immigration Museum. She has also been selected to be part of Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Diasporas 2023 Project.
ba(ME)
ba(ME) sheds light on an intertwined journey of being both an immigrant in the UK and a minority artist in the dance industry.
The short film explores situational experiences of being a 'model immigrant / minority', and adds to a dynamic conversation on immigration and diversity in the arts.
Accessibility: There are two accessible versions of ba(ME) - Audio Described version and a subtitled version.
Age Recommendation: All ages
Duration: 08:48mins
ba(ME) was funded by Arts Council England in 2021. It has been awarded 2023 Best Short Film and Best Screenplay by Subtropic Independent Film Festival (Taipei, Taiwan) and 2022 Self-Portrait Winner by International Portrait Film Festival (Sofia, Bulgaria).
ba(ME) has been selected for screenings internationally: The Place (London, UK), besea.n’s East and South East Asian Heritage Month 2021 (London, UK), Utah Dance Film Festival 2022 (USA), Indepen-dance’s Gathered Together Festival 2022 (Glasgow, UK), Portland Dance Film Festival 2022 (Oregon, USA), INFINITY 2022 Festival (Osaka, Japan), International Portrait Film Festival 2022 (Sofia, Bulgaria), InShadow - Lisbon Screendance Festival 2022 (Lisbon, Portugal), Subtropic Independent Film Festival 2023 (Taipei, Taiwan) and Beirut International Women’s Film Festival 2023 (Beirut, Lebanon), Immigration Museum 2023 (Melbourne, Australia), FilmFest by Rogue Dancer 2023 and enCore Dance on Film 2024 (Georgia, USA).
Photo Credit: Camilla Greenwell
Current & Previous Works
-
KOKORO (2024)
(as part of Art Souk 2024)
A duet by Julie Ann Minaai & Noriko Tadano, Art Centre Melbourne’s The Showroom, Australia
-
OKAGE SAMA DE: SHIROI 白い (2023)
Celebrate generations of cultural ancestry and witness the mastery of traditional Japanese art forms in this live dance and musical performance by international award-winning Japanese artists Julie Ann Minaai, Noriko Tadano, Toshi Sakamoto and Junko Azukawa.
-
HANA (2023)
(as part of RESONANCE, MAV’s Diasporas Program)
6 Dancers, 5 Taiko Drummers, Melbourne Museum, Australia
HANA - Julie Ann Minaai and Bella Waru collaborate to create a new dance work with Wadaiko Rindo
RESONANCE - Gathering around shared rhythm, values, and purpose, 6 Narrm-based interdisciplinary and intergenerational artists of the diaspora, weave together their creative and cultural practices for the crafting of story and ceremony.
-
OKAGE SAMA DE (2023)
Performed by international award-winning artists, residency artist Julie Ann Minaai and Japanese musician Noriko Tadano, the duet combines contemporary dance with a live performance of the shamisen - a traditional Japanese instrument.
-
CONFIGURATION COMPANY (2023)
14 dancers, Stage Production, Sydney Australia
Julie was commissioned to create a new work for Sydney-based Configuration Company as part of their season, The future and NOW.
-
BORO (2022)
11 dancers, Stage Production
BORO explores the complexities and myriad facets of identity.
Commissioned for VCA Dance’s Graduation Season 2022 in collaboration with Production and Design Students -
MANA (2022)
Music & Dance Collaboration
with Taiko Master Toshi Sakamoto, award-winning Shamisen Virtuoso Noriko Tadano and award-winning international dance artist, Julie Ann Minaai.
Stage performance at the Melbourne Spring Taiko Matsuri 2022 -
ba(ME) (2021-2022)
Dance film, London U.K.
Awarded 2023 Best Short Film and Best Screenplay by Subtropic Independent Film Festival (Taipei, Taiwan) & Winner of Self-Portrait Category - International Portrait Film Festival 2022, Bulgaria
Funded by Arts Council England -
Momtad (2021)
11 dancers, Stage Production
Commissioned for London Contemporary Dance School’s Centre for Advanced Training (CAT), U.K
-
Yeodeolb (2019)
6 dancers, Stage Production
Created on dancers of North London Collegiate School, Jeju, South Korea
-
Ex Nihilo (2018)
10 dancers, Stage Production
Commissioned by Mid-Pacific School of the Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii. Performed at Paliku Theatre, Hawaii
-
The Tempest (2016)
Duet for Live Music Concert
Commissioned and Performed alongside The Flying Tailor, O2 Arena, London U.K.
-
Somewhere In Between (2015)
9 Dancers, Stage Production
Commissioned by Ludus Youth Dance Company; *Invited & performed at U.Dance Nationals 2015, Plymouth U.K.
-
You Will Drown For Your Poems (2015)
Dance film, London U.K.
Commissioned by Dance Film Festival UK | Filmmakers: Michael & Katie Garrett, Poem: Ron Villanueva
-
Woman (Reading) (2015)
Music video, London U.K.
Artist: La Dispute, Director: Niall Coffey; *Featured on NPR & SpinMedia’s Stereogum
-
Protean (2012)
8 dancers, Stage Production
Commissioned by Mid-Pacific School of the Arts, Hawaii; *Re-staged & performed at the National High School Dance Festival 2012, Philadelphia, PA
-
Verve (2011)
12-14 dancers, Stage Production
Commissioned by Mid-Pacific School of the Arts, Honolulu, Hawaii. Performed at Paliku Theatre
-
Abstraction (2011)
8 dancers, Stage Production
Commissioned by Queen Emma Ballet, Honolulu, Hawaii.
-
About Her (2007 - 2011)
Solo, Stage Production
Commissioned by Laguna Beach High School, California; *Re-staged at American Dance Festival (2009) and Mid-Pacific Institute School of the Arts, Hawaii (2011)
-
Surfaces (2009)
4 dancers, Site-specific work: What happens when there is an actual fourth wall separating performer and audience? Performers and audience are located in separate spaces, where audience is able to observe. London, U.K.