Thomas E.S. Kelly is a proud Minjungbal-Yugambeh, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu man. He studied at NAISDA Dance College and graduated in 2012. Thomas is an artist that works with multiple art forms which include choreography, dance, theatre, music composition, puppetry and teaching. In 2017 Thomas co-founded and became Artistic Director of Karul Projects. Thomas' performance credits include;
Long Grass - Vicki Van Hout
Les Festivities Lubrufier - Vicki Van Hout
Am I - Shaun Parker & Company
Trolleys - Shaun Parker & Company
Dinosaur Zoo - ERTH Visual & Physical Inc.
1770: A Tale Not Often Told - Founding Modern Australia
Accumulation - Chunky Move
Throttle - The Farm
First Floor - Tasdance
A Perpetual State of what the F@#K - The Farm
Redlight Distancing - David Carberry
Thomas creates work that offers audiences an opportunity to learn about Aboriginal Australia and where that fits into the modern world. Acknowledging the past, to understand the present, to better the future, knowledge is a source of power and it must be shared. Thomas choreographic credits include;
[MIS]CONCEIVE - Karul Projects
CO_EX_EN - Karul Projects
SILENCE - Karul Projects
SAND CIRCLE. - Karul Projects
WEREDINGO - Karul Projects
VESSEL - Outer Urban Projects
MASS (from Accumulation) - Chunky Move
JUNJEIRI BALLUN-GURUL GAUREIMA - Tasdance
COMMUNAL TABLE - Dancenorth
Thomas won a Green Room Award for Outstanding Choreography by an Emerging Artist/Choreographer for his work [MIS]CONCEIVE - 2016
Green Room Award Nomination for Best Male Performer [MIS]CONCEIVE - 2016
Green Room Award Nomination for Best Performer and Shirley Mckechnie Award for Choreography for CO_EX_EN - 2019
Best Dance Award at Adelaide Fringe for [MIS]CONCEIVE - 2020
Thomas is the 2018 recipient of The Dreaming Awards which is apart of the National Indigenous Arts Awards.
Thomas is the 2019 American Australian Association Alumni
Thomas is the 2020 Mcknight Institute International Choreographer Fellow.
Photo Credits:
Top Left - Simon Woods (CO_EX_EN)
Top Centre - Mick Richards
Top Right - Simon Woods (SILENCE)
Bottom - Kate Holmes