Strategic Choreographies (2021)

- single-channel video with sound, 8 minutes.

Commissioned by Firstdraft

Sparked by a basketball documentary in a climate full of protests, riots and community organising, Strategic Choreographies is a short film exploring the use of choreographies with strategic intentions outside of the context of dance.

It uses basketball as a medium to investigate how the corporeal can be used in relation to changing structuring of power and the role physicality plays for individual agency and sociality.

Director: Leo Tsao
Editor: Leo Tsao
Choreographer: Leo Tsao
Production: Firstdraft
Motel Picture Company
Performers:
Isaac Bradley
Michael Francisco
Taiga Kita-Leong
Feras Shaheen
Maria Wang
Wendy Yu
Costume Designer: Leila El Rayes
Sound Designer: Del Lumanta

-2021 Dance (Lens): Live Screening, Dance house, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 Good Sport Short Film Night, Good Sport Magazine, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 No Show, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia

-2021 Close Contact, Firstdraft, Sydney, Australia

Read an interview about the work here.

Exhibition Image of Strategic Choreographies

No Show, Carriageworks 2021, Photo by Zan Wimberley

Strategic Choreographies (2021)

- single-channel video with sound, 8 minutes.

Commissioned by Firstdraft

Sparked by a basketball documentary in a climate full of protests, riots and community organising, Strategic Choreographies is a short film exploring the use of choreographies with strategic intentions outside of the context of dance.

It uses basketball as a medium to investigate how the corporeal can be used in relation to changing structuring of power and the role physicality plays for individual agency and sociality.

Director: Leo Tsao
Editor: Leo Tsao
Choreographer: Leo Tsao
Production: Firstdraft
Motel Picture Company
Performers:
Isaac Bradley
Michael Francisco
Taiga Kita-Leong
Feras Shaheen
Maria Wang
Wendy Yu
Costume Designer: Leila El Rayes
Sound Designer: Del Lumanta

Read an interview about the work here.

No Show, Carriageworks 2021, Photo by Zan Wimberley

-2021 Dance (Lens): Live Screening, Dance house, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 Good Sport Short Film Night, Good Sport Magazine, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 No Show, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia

-2021 Close Contact, Firstdraft, Sydney, Australia

Leo Tsao (he/him) is a Taiwanese Australian artist working predominantly with film and movement. Through practice as research methodology, his work is experimental and open ended. He often brings together disparate and unlikely disciplines and collaborators through formal explorations to rupture expectations, heteronormativity, cisgenderism and whiteness to create new modes of perception and possibilities.

His art practice often crosses over with his work in facilitation and advocacy as director of Camp Skateboarding and his work in Trans Health.

He has been awarded the 2019 Inner West Art and Culture grant, first prize for the International Competition for Intermedia Artwork in Kraków, Poland and exhibited in Carriageworks, FirstDraft, PACT, Dance House and more.

Leo Tsao (he/him) is a Taiwanese Australian artist working predominantly with film and movement. Through practice as research methodology, his work is experimental and open ended. He often brings together disparate and unlikely disciplines and collaborators through formal explorations to rupture expectations, heteronormativity, cisgenderism and whiteness to create new modes of perception and possibilities.

His art practice often crosses over with his work in facilitation and advocacy as director of Camp Skateboarding and his work in Trans Health.

He has been awarded the 2019 Inner West Art and Culture grant, first prize for the International Competition for Intermedia Artwork in Kraków, Poland and exhibited in Carriageworks, FirstDraft, PACT, Dance House and more.

2024

¤ If the light at the end of the tunnel flickers...

¤ Untethering

2021

¤Strategic Choreographies

¤ Queer Skate Research Lab II: Workshops

2019

¤ Camp Skateboarding

¤ don't call it a lover's quarrel

2018

¤ Four Walls

COLLABORATIONS

¤ Animate Loading: Art Gallery of New South Wales - Sydney Modern

¤ Animate Loading: Pari Gallery

¤ Offerings: Gesture Share

2024

¤ If the light at the end of the tunnel flickers...

¤ Untethering

2021

¤Strategic Choreographies

¤ Queer Skate Research Lab II: Workshops

2019

¤ Camp Skateboarding

¤ don't call it a lover's quarrel

2018

¤ Four walls

COLLABORATIONS

¤ Animate Loading: Art Gallery of New South Wales - Sydney Modern

¤ Animate Loading: Pari Gallery

¤ Offerings: Gesture Share

Strategic Choreographies (2021)

Commissioned by Firstdraft

Sparked by a basketball documentary in a climate full of protests, riots and community organising, Strategic Choreographies is a short film exploring the use of choreographies with strategic intentions outside of the context of dance.

It uses basketball as a medium to investigate how the corporeal can be used in relation to changing structuring of power and the role physicality plays for individual agency and sociality.

Director: Leo TsaoEditor: Leo TsaoChoreographer: Leo TsaoProduction: FirstdraftMotel Picture CompanyPerformers:Isaac BradleyMichael FranciscoTaiga Kita-LeongFeras ShaheenMaria WangWendy YuCostume Designer: Leila El RayesSound Designer: Del Lumanta

-2021 Dance (Lens): Live Screening, Dance house, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 Good Sport Short Film Night, Good Sport Magazine, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 No Show, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia

-2021 Close Contact, Firstdraft, Sydney, Australia

Strategic Choreographies (2021)

Commissioned by Firstdraft

Sparked by a basketball documentary in a climate full of protests, riots and community organising, Strategic Choreographies is a short film exploring the use of choreographies with strategic intentions outside of the context of dance.

It uses basketball as a medium to investigate how the corporeal can be used in relation to changing structuring of power and the role physicality plays for individual agency and sociality.

Director: Leo TsaoEditor: Leo TsaoChoreographer: Leo TsaoProduction: FirstdraftMotel Picture CompanyPerformers:Isaac BradleyMichael FranciscoTaiga Kita-LeongFeras ShaheenMaria WangWendy YuCostume Designer: Leila El RayesSound Designer: Del Lumanta

-2021 Dance (Lens): Live Screening, Dance house, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 Good Sport Short Film Night, Good Sport Magazine, Melbourne, Australia

-2021 No Show, Carriageworks, Sydney, Australia

-2021 Close Contact, Firstdraft, Sydney, Australia

His art practice often crosses over with his work in facilitation and advocacy as director of Camp Skateboarding and his work in Trans Health.

He has been awarded the 2019 Inner West Art and Culture grant, first prize for the International Competition for Intermedia Artwork in Kraków, Poland and exhibited in Carriageworks, FirstDraft, PACT, Dance House and more.

His art practice often crosses over with his work in facilitation and advocacy as director of Camp Skateboarding and his work in Trans Health.

He has been awarded the 2019 Inner West Art and Culture grant, first prize for the International Competition for Intermedia Artwork in Kraków, Poland and exhibited in Carriageworks, FirstDraft, PACT, Dance House and more.

2024

2021

2019

2018

COLLABORATIONS

2024

2021

2019

2018

COLLABORATIONS

Director: Leo Tsao
Editor: Leo Tsao
Choreographer: Leo Tsao
Production: Firstdraft
Motel Picture Company
Performers:
Isaac Bradley
Michael Francisco
Taiga Kita-Leong
Feras Shaheen
Maria Wang
Wendy Yu
Costume Designer: Leila El Rayes
Sound Designer: Del Lumanta

Director: Leo Tsao
Editor: Leo Tsao
Choreographer: Leo Tsao
Production: Firstdraft
Motel Picture Company
Performers:
Isaac Bradley
Michael Francisco
Taiga Kita-Leong
Feras Shaheen
Maria Wang
Wendy Yu
Costume Designer: Leila El Rayes
Sound Designer: Del Lumanta