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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

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Tanja Liedtke, n.d.

Tobin Lush

inkjet print on paper

After dancing with the Australian Dance Theatre and the UK-based DV8 Physical Theatre, Tanja Liedtke became an award-winning choreographer. She tragically died aged 29, on the eve of becoming the youngest director of Sydney Dance Company. To commemorate Liedtke’s life and work, her partner Sol Ulbrich and fellow dancers staged a world tour of her works Construct and Twelfth Floor. As Ulbrich noted in the 2011 film Life in Movement, ‘There’s a lot to be said for giving everyone a chance to still speak through her voice. This is the thing that they’re left with, that they hold in their bodies.’

This photograph was taken during Liedtke’s performance in the Australian Dance Theatre’s production of Birdbrain, directed by Garry Stewart.

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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