Philip Channells is a disabled artist and the first artistic director with a disability of an Australian dance company.

He trained at the Northern Rivers Conservatorium of Arts (The Con), the Centre for the Performing Arts (AC Arts) and the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). As a member of Link Dance Company he toured to France performing works by choreographers Chrissie Parrott, Phillip Adams (Balletlab), Anna Smith, and Kim McCarthy.

Before moving to the United Kingdom to work with Candoco Dance Company’s Foundation Course and the Cultural Shift project for emerging disabled choreographers at East London Dance, Philip spent seven years working with Restless as a dancer, workshop leader and assistant director. In this role he worked with Ingrid Voorendt on In The Blood and Michael Whaites on The Laminex Man.

While based in London (2007 – 2009), Philip worked with StopGAP Dance Company as the Community & Health Artist. He toured with the company throughout the UK, Spain and Sweden teaching technique and company repertoire. He was the Project Manager for Corali Dance Company where he toured work to Ireland and established the upstart program at Oval House and Sadler’s Wells for emerging disabled dancers. He founded The Age of Unreason – a company of dancers over 60 and his own company cargogreen focusing on dance education. Before returning to Australia Philip collaborated with disabled artists Kaz Langley, Jenny Sealey (Graeae Theatre Company) and co-founder of Candoco Dance Company, Adam Benjamin on the first stage development of The Fascination of Endurance.

Appointed the Artistic Director in 2009, Philip will be holding onto the company’s purpose, mission and guiding principles, (exploration, collaboration and calibre) and will continue to lead the company with the dynamism, relevance, sustainability and evolution that is very much a part of the foundations of Restless Dance Theatre.

Since his appointment Philip has successfully produced a season of choreographic works called Debut 2 by four emerging disabled artists from the Youth Ensemble collaborating with Tutti Arts and the Adelaide College of the Arts, he led a series of dance workshops at the Riverland Special School where he directed From The Ground Up, and directed a short work for The Siblings Project. He has helped to develop the company’s profile which now in it’s 20th year is more widely recognised and has taught a series of Masterclasses in both NSW and South Australia.

In 2010 Philip made his directorial debut for the company, creating Next of Kin with an intergenerational cast of family and friends. Under his artistic leadership he produced the company’s second touring work by Ingrid Voorendt, BEAUTY. His artistic vision for the company remains key to the foundations of Restless while energising and invigorating the new Touring Company to work with established and renowned directors and choreographers to create new Australian work.

Photographer: Sam Oster