Encounter — Emma Saunders

You’re in a place where the eels lay down and the cars light up. Where the Maccas sign is the biggest moon in the sky. It’s Parramatta. Summertime. Early evening. ENCOUNTER is your invitation to the neighbourhood.

This joyful, site-specific work of music and dance, set in the parklands of Parramatta’s Prince Alfred Square, is an exploration of the everyday extraordinariness and power of young people living in Western Sydney and regional Australia.

Directed by Emma Saunders and developed with a cast of 16 dancers and 48 musicians, in collaboration with award-winning artists, composers Amanda Brown (The Go-Betweens) and Jodi Phillis (The Clouds), writer Felicity Castagna, conductor James Pensini, and associate artist Rob McCredie, ENCOUNTER invites you to celebrate the indomitable spirit of youth and the world they find themselves in.

Arrive early at Prince Alfred Square Park and bring your picnic blankets to enjoy PRELUDE, a warm-up to ENCOUNTER, featuring a rotating showcase of short performances by local dance revolutionaries and community dance leaders.

︎ “Feras is one of those rare performers who is able to keep a cool head with the most heartfelt, expressive body. As a dancer and maker, he is able to access both an intricate understanding of choreography but deliver it with a well of deep emotion. To work with him is a total treat.”
///Emma Saunders

Images: Heidrun Lohr, Sunny Gill and 

Full Credits
Director : Emma Saunders///
Choreography in collaboration with the dancers

Associate Artist : Rob McCredie///
Composers : Jodi Phillis & Amanda Brown///
Orchestrator : Jessica Wells///
Western Sydney Youth Orchestra Conductor : James Pensini///
Writer : Felicity Castagna///
Visual Artist : David Capra///

Western Sydney Dancers :
Sarah Kalule, Lawrencea Mateariki, Sabrina Muszynski, Joshua O’Connor, Naomi Reichardt, Feras Shaheen, Caylan Spendlove, Xara Zaineddine///

The FLING Company :
Esme Barker, Ebony Constable, Gabriela Green Olea, Ebony Ryan-Miners, Lara Scrivens, Bodhi Turner, Rory Warne, Luca Yi///

Orchestra : Western Sydney Youth Orchestra///
Spoken Word : Pola Fanous///
Trailer Spoken Word : Bilal Hafda///
Photography : Heidrun Lohr///
Video & Trailer : Dominic O’Donnel///
Production Manager : Rebecca Poulter///

FORM Dance Projects Director and ENCOUNTER Executive Producer : Annette McLernon/// 
Program Manager : Agnes Michelet///
Business Manager : Sally Ebert///
Admin & Marketing : Maya Gavish///

FLING Physical Theatr Co-Artistic Directors :
Rob McCredie & Gabrielle Rose///

Sydney Youth Orchestras SYO General Manager : Mia Patoulios///
SYO Artistic Program Manager : Katie Garman.