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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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