AllPlay Dance:
Connecting dancers through inclusive teaching practice

Caroline Bowditch

Caroline Bowditch is the Chief Executive Officer/Artistic Director of Arts Access
Victoria and the Creative Lead of the Alter State Festival, having enjoyed an
acclaimed career in the UK for over 16 years as a performance maker and
industry leader. Caroline was Scottish Dance Theatre’s Dance Agent for Change
(2008-2012). She was a Director of Dance with Paragon Music (Glasgow),
Dance4 (Nottingham) and Imaginate (Scotland), and was Visiting Professor at
Coventry University. She has been a regular consultant on accessibility and
inclusive practice to Skånes Dansteater, Sweden, and the British Council.
Caroline returned to Australia to lead Arts Access Victoria, where she has
developed strong partnerships with Arts Centre Melbourne, Regional Arts
Victoria, MAV (formerly Multicultural Arts Victoria), Melbourne Fringe Festival,
Music Victoria and many more. Caroline’s strong advocacy has resulted in
significant reform of funding programs for Deaf and Disabled artists. She has
overseen the development of a new Strategic Plan at Arts Access Victoria and
led the organisation through a successful transition to hybrid delivery
throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Arts Access Victoria’s vision is cultural
equity for all Deaf and Disabled people. Caroline’s leadership is grounded in
delivering on this vision in the years ahead.

Professor Nicole Rinehart

Professor Nicole Rinehart is an international leader in neurodevelopmental conditions and practising clinical child psychologist. In 2021, she was appointed Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychology, and Director of Monash Krongold Clinic, in the Faculty of Education, Monash University. Nicole has been at the forefront of research efforts to improve educational, mental and physical health outcomes for children and adolescents. Nicole founded the AFR award winning AllPlayTM platform est. 2014, taking a strengths-based approach to disability and turning this into tools and strategies that everyone can access to ‘make the world fit for all kids’. Nicole currently serves on the Board of Directors at AMAZE and is an expert advisor to the Victorian Department of Education and Training. She has contributed to the NHMRC Clinical Practice Statement for ADHD and the revision of the Australian Therapeutic Guidelines for Developmental Disabilities. Her research is inspired by the families and children with neurodevelopmental conditions who she has worked with over the last two decades.

Morgan Renolds

Morgan Renolds is a student in the Professional Ballet Program at Canada’s National Ballet School. She began her dance training at Melbourne School of Classical Dance and attended Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School from 2019-2022. Morgan has had a long association with AllPlay, as a Buddy in the AllPlay Dance programs for children with Cerebral Palsy and Autism, performing at the Hawthorn Football Club Inclusion Round and appearing in an AllPlay Learn video. Morgan aspires to work in professional dance companies and is keen to contribute to challenging the perceptions and conventions of Dance.

Dr. Olivia Millard

For the past 25 years, Olivia has worked as a performer, maker and lecturer of dance. After graduating from the Victorian College of the Arts in 1992, Olivia performed with companies and independent choreographers/directors in Australia and overseas including Rosalind Crisp, Sue Peacock, and Peter Sellars (Salzburg Festival). Olivia has created over 20 dance works, both funded and commissioned, including for the Asian Young Choreographers Project in Kaohsuing, Taiwan, and was the recipient of a Creative Development Fellowship from Arts WA in 2003. Olivia taught at West Australian Academy of Performing Arts 1999-2006 and has been working at Deakin University since 2007. Her current role is Senior Lecturer. Olivia’s research focuses on improvisation in dance performance, site-based performance and dance installation. Olivia has worked in the AllPlay dance program since 2018 aiming for the benefits of dance to be available to all children.

Dr. Millard is Acting Associate Head of School (Teaching and Learning) and Senior Lecturer, Film, TV and Performing Arts, Faculty of Arts and Education, School of Comm & Creative Arts, Deakin University.