Is creativity essential for our health? - Panel

(QUT Music)

Director of Altered States at CreateX, leads this panel with other creators and performers to discuss the benefits and possibilities of applying creative thinking to health purposes.

Michael studied Drama at QUT, Jazz at Queensland Conservatorium of Music, and earned a PhD from the University of Queensland where he explored biomedical and pathographic accounts of autism. His book The Other Country: A Father’s Journey with Autism is published by Pan Macmillan and was released in July, 2008. His documentary film What are you doing? was released in 2012 and in 2013 was screened at the United Nations in New York as part of World Autism Day. Michael has worked with Autism Queensland as their manager of post-school services and is responsible for the development and delivery of Studio G, a post-school transition program for young adults on the autism spectrum, based at the State Library of Queensland.

Michelle’s dance career has spanned over 25 years. She was part of Meryl Tankard’s Australian Dance Theatre followed by projects in Europe as Tankard’s assistant including the Andrew Lloyd Webber West End Production,The Beautiful Game and projects in Portugal and Sweden. On returning to Australia, Michelle was a founding member of Splintergroup and worked at Dancenorth for five years in various capacities. At 30, the peak of her career, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Although MS has irreparably damaged Michelle’s physical prowess, it cannot undermine a lifetime of physical artistry and creative expression. Michelle was appointed Artist Director of Restless Dance Theatre in 2013 and has created two works for the company, In the Balance and Touched. During this time she performed in London Southbank at the Unlimited Festival, at the Melbourne Malthouse Theatre and the Adelaide Festival Centre in Torque Show’s Intimacy. The production won the 2015 Australian Dance Award for Independent Dance and Michelle was awarded the Adelaide Critics Circle Award for her performance. Michelle also worked with Meryl Tankard and Hedone Productions on the film, Michelle’s Story directed by Meryl Tankard which premiered at the 2015 Adelaide Film Festival and won the People’s Choice Award for Best Short Film. The film was screened on ABC TV in March 2016. Michelle was inducted into the South Australian Woman’s Honour Roll in 2015.

"I has known Bill Hauritz for twenty years as an academic (or “pracademic”) at QUT working closely with The Woodford Folk Festival. During this time hundreds of QUT Creative Industries students have been involved in the Festival, many stating that it was the best thing so far in their life. It was for many transformational. In addition when I was bid leader for a CRC in Arts and Entertainment in 2012 and we were shortlisted for consideration, Bill was proactive on panels for this and contributed greatly to helping the paradigm shifts that many had to do to move from the traditional arts model of ‘funding for failure’ to the investment model of supporting for innovation and growth in the sector."

(Head of Interactive and Visual Design)

Dr Oksana Zelenko is Head of Interactive and Visual Design at QUT School of Design and Research Program Leader of Design for Health & Wellbeing QUT Design Lab. She is a design academic and researcher at the Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology (QUT). Her area of expertise is in interaction and visual design for e-health applications with a specific interest in using participatory design methodology for researching and developing interactive health promoting resources for youth mental health and wellbeing. Oksana is currently leading a nation-wide study into design of better technologies that assist young people in help-seeking. She is the editor of Design and Ethics: Reflections on Practice (2012) published by Routledge.

(Head of QUT Dance)

Following school Gene graduated from the Australian Ballet School and QUT Dance. After having danced with the Australian Ballet Dancers Company and Queensland Ballet, Gene completed a Masters and Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Psychology. Some career highlights include being a part of the Australian Winter Olympic Team at the Vancouver Games in 2010 and walking in the closing ceremony; dancing on stage in theatres around the world; working with some of the best elite athletes, performers and corporate teams across Australia including the Australian Ballet School, QLD Academy of Sport, Australian Institute of Sport, Energex, Sentis, VOICE and in her private practice – Gene Moyle Psychology.