BIOGRAPHIES

OMER BACKLEY ASTRACHAN

Omer Backley-Astrachan is a NSW-based dancer and choreographer. Originally from Israel, Omer has worked extensively overseas with an array of choreographers and dance companies such as Kamea Dance Company, Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company 2, Idan Cohen Dance Company, Jerusalem Dance Theatre, Jerusalem Ballet, Maya Levi, and Rotem Tashach.

In 2014 Omer relocated to Australia where he based himself as an independent artist. He has worked and collaborated with Australian and international artists such as Kay Armstrong, Dean Walsh, Vivienne Linsley, Mel O’Callaghan, Sue Healey, Marina Abramović and Nick Cave.
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In 2018 Omer was appointed Course Coordinator for Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year where he mentors and guides the next generation of dance creatives in Australia.

As an artist in residence Omer’s choreographic works have materialised through the support of various arts organisations such as Bundanon Trust, BrandX, FORM Dance Projects, Catapult Dance and PACT.

His works have performed in venues and festivals both in Australia and overseas such as Carriageworks, PACT, Sydney Fringe Festival, Fringe World Festival, Suzanne Dellal Centre, Tel Aviv Summer Dance Festival, Newcastle Art Gallery, The Lock-Up Gallery (Newcastle) and State Theatre Centre (Perth).

Zackari Watt

Zackari is a singer, musician & musical producer. He has written, recorded, produced, & often live produced or performed, bespoke music for a wide array of different productions including a touring theatrical glam rock stage show, a sci-fi rock opera, multiple cabaret shows & live theatre productions. He has written over 500 pieces of music & performed over 1000 shows. He has also been a director, producer & creator of creative adventures in Newcastle over the past 10 years. Zackari has been heavily involved Catapult as a composer: Warriors Rest, In Search of the Lost Thing, Art Bender, The Edge and as a 2016 & 2017 Propel Collaborative Artist  collaborating with Joshua Thomson’s The Sum of Parts, and with Omer Backley-Astrachan on Twelve Tall Trees