Watch Julie’s dance film, ba(ME)
30 September 2022: INFINITY 2022 in Osaka, Japan
7 October 2022: Portland Dance Film Festival in Oregon, U.S.A.
30 November 2022: International Portrait Film Festival in Sofia, Bulgaria
9 December 2022: InShadow – Lisbon Screendance Festival
14 - 15 January 2023: Subtropical Independent Film Festival, Taipei, Taiwan
Julie Ann Minaai
Originally from Honolulu, Hawaii, Julie is an international award-winning dancer, choreographer, teacher, body double, model and rehearsal director based in Melbourne, Australia. She studied dance at Queen Emma Ballet under the guidance of Eve and Michael Sanders (former members of the Nederlands Dans Theatre) and Mid-Pacific Institute’s School of the Arts, Hawaii (under Paul Maley, former member of Atlanta Ballet, Sylvia Yamada, former member of Rambert Dance Company and Australian Dance Theatre) . In California, she danced for Donald McKayle’s Etude Ensemble, performing his renowned repertoire, Rainbow ‘Round My Shoulder, Songs of the Disinherited and To Artina.
Julie completed her MA degree in Contemporary Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School investigating “What is Creativity?”. Her research included the devising and delivering of creative dance workshops (while working with Ludus Dance Company) along with an exploration of the theory and literature on creativity.
Julie has toured nationally and internationally (UK, USA, Norway, Israel, China, South Korea, Colombia & Peru) with renowned choreographers and dance companies. Selected credits: Meryl Tankard’s KAIROS, Elena Kats-Chernin, Regis Lansac, Royal Opera House's Die Zauberflote, Peter Darling & Ellen Kane (Groundhog Day and Matilda The Musical), Duwane Taylor, James Cousins, Flexer & Sandiland, English National Opera's Madam Butterfly, and Richard Malone's LFW Presentation, as well as commercially with Lynne Page (Pet Shop Boys, Jess Glynne's The BRITs 2019), Caroline Pope (ITV’s Mr. Selfridge), Lucy Hind (Nick Frost & Simon Peg’s Truth Seekers), La Dispute’s Woman (Reading) and ASDA & Th1ng Corp’s Battles Campaign.
In 2016, Julie was endorsed by Arts Council England as a dance artist of exceptional promise.
In 2022, Julie joined University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) Dance faculty as a contemporary dance specialist in Melbourne / Naarm, Victoria, Australia. She additionally teaches at Chunky Move, Lucy Guerin Inc and other organisations.
Julie has been commissioned to choreograph works and teach in the USA, UK and Australia, which have been performed at the Laguna Beach Dance Festival (California), National Dance Festival (Pennsylvania), Paliku Theatre (Hawaii), U.Dance National Festival (Plymouth), The Place’s Certified Advance Training (CATs) (London), University of Melbourne’s Victorian College of the Arts (VCA).
She has devised and delivered educational outreach work for many companies to participants of all ages and backgrounds.
Julie has been choreographic and rehearsal assistant to Lynne Page for Stormzy’s 2018 Brit Awards performance. She has been Rehearsal Director for James Cousins Company’s Epilogues Production and Avant Garde Dance Company’s Fagin’s Twist (Shanghai Tour 2017, UK Tour 2017 & 2018, and Colombia & Peru Tour 2019), Kristina Walsh x Cathy Waller’s Autonomy of Architecture Project, Yukiko Masui’s Falling Family (2019) & Dream Deprivation (2021) and Dickson Mbi Company’s MOKITA (2021).
In 2020-2022, Julie created, choreographed and performed in a new dance film, ba(ME), funded by Arts Council England with filmmaker Michael Garrett, co-director Cathy Waller and co-director / dramaturg Ailin Conant. ba(ME) has been selected for screening at Utah Dance Film Festival and Indepen-dance’s Gathered Together Festival at Tramway, Glasgow, Scotland.
Absolutely honored to be featured on my alma mater, Mid-Pacific Institute’s website and the Mid-Pacific Alumni Annual Fund Dinner! Thank you for Paul Maley and my MPSA dance family for all your love and support!
