Sydney Experimental Arts Ensemble (S.X.A.E) is an independent contemporary dance ensemble founded in 2018 under the directorship of Eliza Cooper.

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S.X.A.E performed their first short work DETKA in the Contemporary Choreographer Competition at NIDA Theatres, an event celebrating you artists hosted by Loredo Malcolm and Vi Lam. The work received 3rd place and a small grant for further development.

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In 2019, S.X.A.E premiered their first full-length work Old Life/ Dead Life in the FreshWorks Program at the Old 505 Theatre in Newtown in a highly successful 6-show season.

The work was developed through Ausdance NSW's DAIR residency program at the Australian Centre Physical Education and through a residency at Erskineville Town Hall in March Dance Festival.

Old Life/ Dead Life was performed at the Io Myers Theatre (UNSW Kensington) in collaboration with the University's School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, the Australian Centre for Astrobiology and Creative Practice Lab. 

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The ensemble's upcoming cinematic work Bat Lake is being developed through DirtyFeet's Out of the Studio and Ausdance NSW's DAIR residency programs. Previous developments of Bat Lake took place at Campbelltown Arts Centre and Glebe Town Hall.

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Recently, S.X.A.E collaborated with Australian fashion designer Lee Mathews on the Lee Mathews Resort 2021 campaign (as seen above).

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Check out the collection here: https://leemathews.com.au/

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