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deon hastie

Deon is a descendant of the Tjapukai people of Far North Queensland.

Deon graduated from the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association in 1998 with a Diploma in Dance. He undertook the Emerging Artist program with LWD in 1999 and was invited to become a full member of LWD in 2000. His first major role for the company was as Pierrot in Glen Tetley's Pierrot Lunaire, part of the Masterpieces of the 20th Century program. As a longstanding member of the company Deon has worked with a number of different choreographers including William Forsythe, John Utans, Michael Whaites, Peter Sheedy, Tony Rizzi and Gina Rings. Deon also performed in the Opera Trilogy series, Ahknaten, Einstein on the Beach 1,2,3&4 and Satyagraha, works by world renowned Composer Phillip Glass, presented by LWD and the South Australian Opera. With LWD Deon has collaborated with companies such as Junction Theatre, Ballet Frankfurt, Australian String Quartet, Tankstream String Quartet and Zephyr String Quartet.

Deon has toured and performed in Germany, USA, Japan, and Holland.

In 2006 he co-choreographed a work for Kurruru Youth Performing Arts Group, which was performed at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and won best Youth work at the Fringe Awards. Deon was nominated for the Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative 2006. In 2007 Deon was invited to work with Gina Rings and Soo Yuen You in Company Miji's performance of Reliquary, fusing aboriginal and Korean styles of dance.

He was one of 2 dancers of LWD chosen to work on a collaboration between Leigh Warren and Japanese choreographer Uno Man - Wanderlust - which was premiered in Japan 2006.

In 2008, Deon performed in Seven an award winning LWD performance which premiered at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and in collaboration with the Zephyr String Quartet LWD premiered Impulse and the award winning production Shimmer at the Adelaide Space theatre.

In 2009 he choreographed and performed in Saltbush, a collaboration with the 'Come Out Festival' Adelaide and Italian based Children's company 'Teatro Piazza de O'caissionne'.

Deon continues to teach contemporary dance at different levels, including Adelaide Centre for the Arts 2007 and in 2009 Deon was invited to teach the LWD work Impulse at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts.

Deon continues to tutor and choreograph for Kururru Youth Performing Arts opening events such as NAIDOC and Reconciliation weeks, Womadelaide 2008-2010 and The World Police and Fire Games 08.