'I Have Seen How The Arts Has Changed People': Remembering Roz Hervey And Her Contribution To Australian Dance

(MENAFN- The Conversation) Much loved and respected Adelaide-based dancer, choreographer, director and producer Roz Hervey passed away last week. Her passing followed the diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND) in 2022.

In her gracious manner, Hervey wrote a farewell letter stating:

Hervey was able to access South Australia's voluntary assisted dying scheme which, in her own words:

I only met Hervey once at the performing arts market this year in Adelaide. I spoke to her having seen a video where she commented:

I commended her for the grace and courage she had brought to her condition. Her modest reply was“what would you do?”. She was keen to come and see my production in the Fringe and was indeed renowned for seeing everything, such was her supportive nature.

Perhaps the most salient feature of her farewell letter is her comment she drew from Dr Seuss:

And indeed it did happen in Hervey's outstanding career. She left a stellar mark on the state, national and international arts community.

In a career that extended over 30 years, Hervey performed for companies such as Meryl Tankard Company, DV8, Sydney Front, Dance North, Theatre of Image, One Extra Company and Sue Healey.

She toured widely throughout Europe, South East Asia and Australia.

She worked closely with Force Majeure for over 10 years and her performance in Kate Champion's Same, Same But Different (2002) won her the Ausdance award for outstanding performance by a female dancer.

Hervey choreographed for South Australian companies including Brink Productions, Slingsby, Patch Theatre Company and Theatre Republic. She also worked for major events such as the Adelaide Festival, DreamBig Festival and directed the Adelaide Fringe parade over a number of years.

For the past nine years she devised and produced work as the creative producer for Restless Dance Theatre, one of Australia's preeminent dance companies working with artists with and without disability.

One might describe her energy as restless, but generous might be a more apt description. For her, a supportive community fostered such a diverse career :

Her passion and drive for her work came from a profound belief of the transformative capacity of the arts:

Restless Dance said they are“heartbroken” but“will step into the love Roz shined on us”.

Head of dance at Creative Australia, Sarah Greentree, called Hervey“a powerhouse of Australian dance”.

State Theatre Company of South Australia artistic director Mitchell Butel described Hervey's work as the concept creator and dramaturg on Restless' Private View for the Adelaide Festival“helped make it one of my favourite festival shows ever”.

Theatre Republic, where Hervey served as a board member, said Hervey“was the embodiment of everything good about us humans”.

Hervey created work that was able to have a profound impact on audiences. Those present at her work were witness to an authenticity that emanated from the performers she worked with.

As she said in 2021:

The authentic, warm hearted ways that Hervey lived her art and her life in making the most out of every moment until the end, shines a light for all artists seeking to balance the responsibilities of family and a life in art.

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