Biographies
Maggi Sietsma AM
Artistic Director
 When Maggi Sietsma established Expressions Dance Company, she already had a wealth of experience gained in the theatres and concert halls of North America, England, France and Europe. A graduate of the Australian Ballet School, Maggi toured extensively with the Australian Ballet and as a soloist with the London Festival Ballet before pursuing her interest in contemporary dance.
Maggi's choreographic debut was at the prestigious Spoleto Festival in Italy where she performed to great critical acclaim with the ‘Theatre du Chene Noir’. She subsequently founded the multi-media performing ensemble ‘Muance’ which toured the major cities of Europe. Returning to Australia in 1982, Maggi became resident choreographer of the North Queensland Ballet Company and was a prime mover in effecting the Company's transition to professional status (now Dance North). From 1983 to 1985, Maggi was a lecturer in dance at the Brisbane College of Advanced Education (now QUT), where she was involved in developing the first Bachelor of Arts Dance course in Queensland. Links with Education-in-Dance have remained an important part of Maggi's artistic philosophy and in 1992 she collaborated with the Queensland Education Department in the development of the Making Ideas Dance video. In 1995, Maggi was awarded an MA in Dance from the Queensland University of Technology.
As director and choreographer Maggi places great emphasis on research and collaboration and in her work she frequently re-examines the roles and relationships of men and women within our society. Under Maggi’s direction Expressions has won several awards including the Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award, Australia’s most prestigious performing arts award. Also under Maggi’s direction the Company has toured extensively throughout Australia as well as the U.S.A., Germany, Papua New Guinea, India, the U.K., Israel, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, China and Mexico.
Since 1985, she has created over thirty works for the Company including the highly successful and internationally acclaimed Alone Together, Vanities Crossing and Virtually Richard3
In 2000, Maggi was awarded an Asialink fellowship to choreograph and teach for the Beijing Modern Dance Company and the Beijing Dance Academy in China. On Australia Day 2002, Maggi was appointed a member of the Order of Australia for services to dance and dance education. Maggi created a work That Time for Hong Kong’s flagship contemporary dance company, City Contemporary Dance Company in 2003, and was awarded a Centenary Medal for her work with dance and society. Maggi recently became the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship.
Emily Amisano
Dancer
 Emily graduated with an Associate Degree in Dance from Queensland University of Technology in 1996. Joining Expressions in January 1997, Emily made her debut in Maggi Sietsma’s Under Her Breath. Whilst with Expressions Emily performed throughout Australia and internationally including Israel, Singapore, Wales, England, Taiwan, Philadelphia, New York, Korea, and Tokyo. Emily left Expressions in July 2001 to pursue her career in Europe. In 2001, 2002 and 2003 Emily performed throughout Europe working for Carte Blanche in Norway and Company Kriztina de Chatel in Amsterdam. Emily rejoined Expressions in July 2002 for performances of Virtually Richard3 at the Ludwigsburg Festival in Germany, and in 2003 for performances in Toowoomba and Sydney. Most recently Emily performed with the Company at the Festival of Mexico in March and rejoins the Company full time.
Lizzie Chittleborough
Dancer
 After graduating from QUT's Academy of the Arts in 1999, Lizzie joined Expressions’ Dance-In-Education team touring Surf's Up! and Lines in the Sand to primary schools in Queensland during 2000 and 2001. She also danced with Opera Queensland for the 2001 season of The Pearl Fishers. Throughout 2000 and 2001, Lizzie taught community dance classes at the Academy of the Arts, QUT and worked on a collaborative project under the direction of Dale Johnston. Lizzie made her main company debut for Expressions in Virtually Richard3 in 2002, and toured with the Company to the Beijing Modern Dance Festival in May and the Ludwigsburg Festival in June of the same year. In 2003, Lizzie performed in Virtually Richard3, Flight!, and Sketches, Expressions choreographic development season in November. Most recently Lizzie performed at the Festival of Mexico in the Historic Centre in March.
Dan Crestani
Dancer
 Dan holds a Bachelor of Theatre from James Cook University and has worked under the direction of Jean-Pierre Voos. Dan danced with Extensions and Dance North under the direction of Jane Pirani, touring to Japan and Korea with Faust and across the top end of Australia with Luuli. In 1999 Dan was choreographic consultant for the Queensland Theatre Company's production Antigone. Dan then joined Expressions, making his debut in Vanities Crossing. In 2000, he performed the lead role in Maggi Sietsma's Virtually Richard3, and has performed with the Company throughout Australia and overseas in Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, Germany, Asia and Mexico. Dan was selected as a finalist for Best Male Dancer in both the 2002 and 2003 Australian Dance Awards for his performances in the lead role of Virtually Richard3.
Ryan Males
Dancer
 Ryan trained at Adelaide University before receiving a scholarship to the McDonald College in Sydney. He has danced with Opera Australia, South Australian Opera and Opera Queensland, and had the opportunity to work as the Assistant Director on Opera Australia’s Gondoliers. Ryan has danced with One Extra Dance Company, TasDance and on numerous projects with choreographers including Garry Stewart, Lucy Guerin, Kim Walker, Natalie Weir and Graeme Murphy. His career highlight for 2000 was performing with Nicole Kidman in Baz Luhrman’s feature film, Moulin Rouge. Ryan joined Expressions in May 2001, and toured throughout Australia with Vanities Crossing. He has toured internationally with the Company to Singapore, China, Germany, and most recently performed in Mexico City last March.
Zaimon Vilmanis
Dancer
 Zaimon's early training was in Adelaide under the direction of Robyn Richardson. He then moved to the U.K. and performed with Random Dance Company, and toured the U.K. with Labarax. Zaimon directed Narc Dance Company in 1996. The company explored various interactions with live film and dance, and toured throughout the U.K. Also at this time Zaimon performed with Attic Dance Company, and worked as a workshop leader and modern technique teacher for the company until 1998. In 2001, under the direction of Cheryl Heazlewood, he performed in Out of Time in Canberra and explored butoh and physical theatre techniques. Zaimon joined Expressions in 2002, and has performed internationally with the Company in China, Germany and Mexico. In 2003, Zaimon performed the lead role ‘Dave’ in the world premiere of Maggi Sietsma’s Flight! in Brisbane. He then choreographed Nea Hallas for Expression’s choreographic development season Sketches in November. Most recently Zaimon performed with the Company at the Festival of Mexico.
Sally Wicks
Dancer
 Canadian born Sally Wicks trained with Mary Heath, Ecole Classique and QUT Dance Department. In 1994, she was a finalist in the Fourth Asia Pacific Competition, Tokyo, and in 1995, was awarded Best Contemporary Dancer at the Sanlam Competition, South Africa, performing a work by Natalie Weir. Sally joined Sydney Dance Company in 1996 and has performed both nationally and internationally. Roles in the works of Graeme Murphy include those in Berlin, The Protecting Veil, Free Radicals, Beauty and the Beast, Salome, Ellipse, Air and Other Invisible Forces and Body of Work. Sally choreographed In Time for the New Blood season in 1998. She received scholarships to the International DanceWEB in Vienna in 2000 and 2001. She has worked with Elizabeth Cameron-Dalmon and the Mirramu Dance Company. Her debut with Expressions was in 2003 in Virtually Richard3 and Sally choreographed Hanta’s Head for Sketches in November. Most recently Sally performed with the Company at the Festival of Mexico.
Lisa Wilson
Dancer
 A graduate of QUT's Academy of the Arts, Lisa joined Dance North in 1991 under the directorship of Cheryl Stock. After four and a half years of working with Dance North, Lisa left Australia to pursue her career in London. Whilst there she worked with independent choreographers and project companies including Bunty Matthias and Dancers, David Massingham Dance, Jeremy James, Emily Burns and Rambert Dance Company. She choreographed and taught extensively for Rambert’s Education Department and in early 2000 formed Icon Dance Company to produce a work for the London Resolution! Season. Since joining Expressions in 2001, Lisa has toured throughout Australia and overseas to Austria, Switzerland, Singapore, China, Germany and Mexico. Lisa choreographed Out of Sight… for Expressions’ choreographic development season Sketches III in 2001, and choreographed Identify for Sketches IV last November.
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