ZACHARY LOPEZ

Zachary Lopez is an artist working with dance and choreography. An Australian-Filipino, his practice is primarily concerned with the experience of the ‘other’ with focus on identity dualism and draws from the experiential, myth and archive. 

In 2022, he joined Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) as a company artist. Recently, as one of the commissioned artists for the company’s Cultivate:One season, Lopez choreographed ‘Down Trodden Punk’ which premiered on Kaurna Yerta. He has performed ‘The Hum’ in collaboration with The Australian Ballet, ‘SAVAGE’ and ‘The Third’ by Artistic Director, Daniel Riley. 

Previous to this role, he has worked on a diverse range of projects and main stage performances with independent practitioners and companies in contemporary dance, physical and immersive theatre and opera. Performing in public spaces, art galleries, dilapidated buildings and theatres.

Lopez has worked with Marrugeku, The Farm, Co3, Opera Australia, West Australian Opera, Legs on the Wall, Sydney Dance Company as an Associate Artist and with Co-artistic director of Punchdrunk (UK) Maxine Doyle through Strut Dance. He has also worked with choreographers Amrita Hepi, Melanie Lane, Ivey Wawn, Tra Mi Dinh, Charmene Yap/Cass Eipper, among others.

Choreographically, he has been commissioned to make work for Sydney Dance Company (Pre-Professional Year) premiering ‘Like a Salmon in the Sahara’ (Carriageworks, 2016), Dance Makers Collective (Sydney Festival, 2021) and the Keir Choreographic Awards 2020 presenting ‘Peril’ at Dancehouse (VIC). He has also exhibited an installation work ‘Roil Horizon’ at 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art (NSW), supported by Diversity Arts Australia.

He has received a Young Creative Leaders Fellowship from Create NSW (2019) and creative development grants for research and choreographic work that has informed his current creative processes. He has also received an Australia Council Artstart Grant (2015), the Sydney Dance Company Mary Zuber scholarship (2014) and the Patricia Macdonald scholarship from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 2013.

Lopez has trained with Sydney Dance Company as a Pre-Professional Year (2014) and began his dance training at QUT, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts (2013).