“I say it a lot. I’m surprised no one has thought of it before. It says it on the T-shirt. We’re Australian Dance Theatre.” For Daniel Riley, ADT’s new Artistic Director, that first word carries tremendous weight. There’s a lot to unpack.

Daniel Riley

Daniel Riley. Photo © Jonathan VDK.

For him, it means putting all his energy and passion – and they are considerable – into telling Australian stories for Australian audiences.

It means making work that resonates with the people of this land at this time. It means wanting to perform in Whyalla and Port Pirie in ADT’s home state of South Australia before thinking about Paris or London. It means declining to look elsewhere for approval. And it definitely means including and honouring First Nations perspectives and experiences. Who could be more Australian than those people whose ancestors have trodden this land for tens of thousands of years?

“I’m leading via my First Nations lens. I’m a fair-skinned Wiradjuri fella. I live urban, I’ve grown up urban, but I practise and continue to connect to my culture in every way. That will just infuse...