Contemporary dance performance maker and arts educator Amaara Raheem is the current recipient of the Frank van Straten Fellowship at Arts Centre Melbourne where she is delving into the Performing Arts Museum archives to investigate the birth and ongoing practice of contemporary dance company Chunky Move…  but our conversation doesn’t touch there…  Amaara also talks about her beginnings as an actor at St Martins Youth Arts Centre (despite her mother’s wish for her to be a layer)… issues of race in casting during the early to mid-nineties for a Sri Lankan artist being constantly offered indigenous roles… and the way older bodies can still pursue work in dance…  we cover all this and more in this conversation for Behind the Scenes with me Chris Thompson.

Contemporary dance performance maker and arts educator Amaara Raheem is the current recipient of the Frank van Straten Fellowship at Arts Centre Melbourne where she is delving into the Performing Arts Museum archives to investigate the birth and ongoing practice of contemporary dance company Chunky Move…  but our conversation doesn’t touch there…  Amaara also talks about her beginnings as an actor at St Martins Youth Arts Centre (despite her mother’s wish for her to be a layer)… issues of race in casting during the early to mid-nineties for a Sri Lankan artist being constantly offered indigenous roles… and the way older bodies can still pursue work in dance…  we cover all this and more in this conversation for Behind the Scenes with me Chris Thompson.

The Australian Arts community is as diverse as its population. Each week Behind The Scenes looks at how people carry out these arts projects. Many stories, both fascinating and amusing are waiting to be told. 

The Australian Arts community is as diverse as its population. Each week Behind The Scenes looks at how people carry out these arts projects. Many stories, both fascinating and amusing are waiting to be told.&nbsp;

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