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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.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Daniel Riley choreographing Hit the Floor Together with QL2 dancers, 2013

Lorna Sim

inkjet print on paper

Wiradjuri dancer and choreographer Daniel Riley became the first First Nations Artistic Director of the Australian Dance Theatre in 2022. Riley began his career with Canberra youth dance company QL2 before becoming a senior artist with Bangarra Dance Theatre, from 2007 to 2018.

Speaking of the role of dance in First Nations culture in a 2021 ABC News article Riley said, ‘I’ve been able to continually explore my cultural identity and my heritage, and dance is a big part of storytelling. It doesn’t matter what culture or language you speak. It is a universal language. It’s how we all connect to something. Through dance, I just found my voice.’

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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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