Cadi McCarthy
Artistic Director & Founder
Cadi McCarthy
Cadi McCarthy has been actively engaged in dance as a professional dancer, choreographer, educator and director. Cadi holds a Masters in Education, Diploma of Education (Secondary) and (Further Education & Training), and a BA Dance.
In 2014, Cadi founded Catapult Dance Choreographic Hub in Newcastle. In 2018 Cadi was the recipient of of the NSW Mid-Career Regional Arts Fellowship and in the same year received funding from the Australia Council for the Arts to create: That Place in Between, in partnership with the Civic Theatre, Newcastle presented in the subscription season in October 2018.. In 2017 Catapult’s youth initiative: The Flipside Project was the recipient of an Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth Dance.
Between 2009 – 2013, Cadi was the Artistic Director of Buzz Dance Theatre, WA. With the company Cadi created over 10 full length works to critical acclaim. The work Look the Other Way, received a 2014 Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Youth and Community Dance. Whilst with the company Cadi established and grew numerous community programs. The Big Stretch program was awarded the 2010 Outstanding Achievement in Community/ Regional Dance at the WA Dance Award and the 2010 Arts and Aboriginal Health Award. Cadi also been the education consultant for the Queensland Ballet and the Western Australian Ballet.
Cadi was the recipient of a 2007 Churchill Fellowship, Cadi spent time working with dance companies in Denmark, UK, Germany, USA, and Canada. In the same year she was awarded a residency at Chez Bushwick in New York. In 2009 Cadi travelled to Taiwan as the Australian Delegate of the World Dance Alliance, International Youth Choreographic Project.
She created the independent company Cadi McCarthy & Company in the ACT in 2002, where she created 6 full length works including Awkward, Shambles and Grappling for the Edge. With the company she was the Recipient of a 2004 & 2006 Canberra Critics Circle Awards.
Cadi danced professionally with Paige Gordon and Performance Group (1996 – 1998) and with Buzz Dance Theatre (1998–2002).
Omer Backley-Astrachan
Producer
Omer Backley-Astrachan is an accomplished dancer, choreographer, and educator based in New South Wales. Originally from Israel, Omer has had the privilege of working with a diverse range of choreographers, independent artists, and companies, including Kamea Dance Company, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, Idan Cohen Dance Company, Jerusalem Dance Theatre, Jerusalem Ballet, Maya Levi, Rotem Tashach and Sally-Anne Friedland.<br /> Since relocating to Australia in 2014, Omer has collaborated with Australian and international artists, such as Kay Armstrong, Dean Walsh, Vivienne Linsley, Mel O'Callaghan, Sue Healey, Marina Abramović, and Joshua Thomson.In 2018, Omer was appointed as course coordinator for Sydney Dance Company's Pre-Professional Year, where he mentored and guided the next generation of dance creatives in Australia for five years.<br /> Omer's body of work has been supported by esteemed arts organizations such as Bundanon Trust, BrandX, FORM Dance Projects, Catapult Dance, Dance Makers Collective, PACT and more. His works have been performed in prestigious venues and festivals across Australia and internationally, including Carriageworks, PACT, Sydney Fringe Festival, Fringe World Festival, Suzanne Dellal Centre, Tel Aviv Summer Dance Festival, Newcastle Art Gallery, The Lock-Up Gallery (Newcastle), and State Theatre Centre (Perth).<br /> Omer was recently appointment as producer and associate artist with Catapult Dance in Newcastle, Omer continues to work with the independent sector and further explore and develop his artistic practice and work.
Adam Deusien
Touring Producer
Adam is a director and physical theatre maker with over 15 years’ experience in creating original narrative driven performance, adaptations of canonical texts and contemporary performance, in Bathurst, regional NSW. He is a graduate of Charles Sturt University BA – Communication: Theatre/Media and MA - Directing for the Stage, and in 2018 graduated with distinction as part of NIDA’s inaugural cohort of the MFA – Cultural Leadership. Adam is Artistic Director of Lingua Franca, working extensively with Local Stages, Bathurst’s Performing Arts Development Program, as a director, producer and dramaturg, presenting work in regional Australia, nationally and internationally. He has directed numerous works with the company including Right Behind You, Unsustainable Behaviour and Mighty. As a freelance artist, Adam has adapted and directed Lysistrata, The Bacchae, The Trojan Women and The Fox (CYCLE Productions) as well as working as assistant/rehearsal director for companies Ensemble Theatre, Griffin Theatre, Stalker Theatre and Siren Theatre Co. In recognition of his work in regional Australia, in 2016 Adam was awarded the CreateNSW Regional Arts Fellowship, and in 2017 continued this work as Artistic Associate with the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre. In 2018 he was appointed Artistic Director/Director of the Arts Program for Artstate, New South Wales regional arts festival and conference. In 2019 he was the recipient of a Sandra Bates Director’s Award with Ensemble Theatre. From 2019-23 he worked in programming roles with Events ACT and Canberra Theatre Centre as Manager of New Work, and since has returned to freelance making practice in the Hunter Region, regional NSW.<br />