DANCE STAR’S TALENT PUTS CITY STEP AHEAD

A TOWNSVILLE dance company director has been named one of the 2017 Sidney Myer Creative Fellows, recognising outstanding talent and courage in the arts industry.

At 17, Kyle Page was already a professional dancer with Dancenorth and just 10 years, later in 2014, he returned to the city to assume the role of artistic director of the company.

Over the past 13 years he has performed around the world and collaborated with renowned choreographers including Meryl Tankard, Garry Stewart, Lucy Guerin, Gideon Obarzanek, Gavin Webber, Ikuyo Kuroda, Antony Hamilton and Stephanie Lake.

Last month, Mr Page was named one of 10 Sidney Myer Creative Fellows and awarded an unrestricted grant of $ 160,000 over two years.

“I think it’s an extraordinary recognition and one of the most inspiring reflections upon being awarded this is the fact it’s an investment in the future of the creative industries in Australia,” Mr Page ( pictured) said. “For the panel to feel as though my contribution to the arts in Australia is worth this recognition is an amazing honour.”

Mr Page said the investment had inspired him to continue to carve out the dance and arts industry in the North.

“Townsville has been incredibly generous to my wife Amber and I, and we have just had our little boy Jasper and he is loving Townsville, so we have no plans to move on in the foreseeable future,” he said.

“We have forged amazing relationships here in the community and our work … is just beginning and we want Dancenorth to continue to grow.”