Founded in 2018 by dancers Frankie Snowdon and Madeleine Krenek, GUTS Dance is the beating heart of contemporary dance in Central Australia. GUTS is based at the Araluen Art Centre in Mparntwe/Alice Springs, and is the only contemporary dance organisation within a 1,500km radius. At its core is the belief that healthy communities dance together, and that artistic excellence and community engagement must go hand in hand.
The seeds of GUTS were planted in 2012 when Frankie and Maddy, as independent artists, created Alice Can Dance, an in-schools education initiative. Alice Can Dance now engages over 200 students annually across Central Australia – from all government-funded schools, including Alice Springs School of the Air and Owen Springs Youth Detention Centre – culminating in a community showcase where students create, rehearse, and perform their own dances.
GUTS is a vital partner in the Central Australian region in providing students access to the Arts curriculum and world class dance teachers, artists, and practitioners who understand the unique context of the area. Alice can Dance 2025 will showcase at the Araluen Arts Centre on 21 November.
Creating pathways and spaces for young people is foundational to GUTS’ work, and this legacy has continued through programs like Brave Bodies, a weekly initiative for female-identifying and non-binary young people aged 12–18 that provides access to dance, mentorship, and public performance opportunities. The program is focused on First Nations engagement, but also includes culturally diverse and other disadvantaged youth, providing them with transport, food, uniforms, mentorship, and paid performance opportunities.
Since its inception, 30 young women have engaged with the program, showcasing their work on multiple public platforms including Parrtjima Festival, DesertMob, The Desert Festival and Alice Can Dance. Brave Bodies has also supported the professional development of local teaching artist Toni Lord (Arrernte, Yankunytjatjara), who facilitates the program.
I have had the privilege to be able to watch my granddaughter Toni Lord…evolve as a role model and mentor for the young women of Alice Springs who participate in the program. I have been able to observe the development of the program, and the positive impact it makes in our community for young women to have the opportunities to learn, perform and create dance within a positive and safe environment that nurtures them as individuals and artists.
– Phyllis Gorey, local Arrernte Elder
Participating in the various programs GUTS offers in our community has helped me with my dance training, connected me with other young Aboriginal women/girls that share the same interests as me, and most importantly it has always been a safe place for me and my peers to go.
– Jasmine McGinness, who has danced with GUTS for nine years.
A recent increase in requests for activities for young men to participate in has resulted in GUTS introducing Young Men’s Intensives in partnerships with schools, facilitated by Chandler ‘Cheeky’ Connell (Wiradjuri, Ngunnawal) and Casey Natty (Kamilaroi), creating inclusive spaces for young men to grow in confidence and creativity.
GUTS is equally committed to making and touring new contemporary dance works from the region. Since 2018, it has supported artists to develop and present six new works – all of which premiered in the Territory before touring regionally, nationally, and some internationally. GUTS is dedicated to ensuring the Australian cultural narrative is reflective of artistic expression found all over the country.
It’s exciting to discover high-quality Australian dance companies. It’s even better when they’re from regional locations, where nurturing new art is important…GUTS is top-quality Australian modern dance, of the calibre and polish you might ordinarily associate with big cities.
– Chantelle Ngyuyen, reviewing a Sydney performance of Value for Money in 2023 for the Sydney Morning Herald.
Looking forward, GUTS’ strategic goals focus on:
GUTS embodies the vibrancy of regional Australia. Through its youth programs, artist residencies, public classes, and touring works, it is creating pathways for the next generation while raising the profile of regional and remote artists on the national stage.
At its heart, GUTS is about connection, creativity, and courage – using dance to bring communities together, invest in young people, and ensure that bold artistic voices from Central Australia are heard across the country.
Cover photo: SUB, GUTS Dance X Ashleigh Musk 2023. Photo: Ivan Trigo Miras. All photos courtesy of GUTS Dance.
GUTS Dance is supported through the Resilience funding stream.
