Stephen agisilaou biography

Independent Melbourne-based contemporary dance company Vertical Shadows will premiere its latest work, The White Prince, in May.  Dance Australia caught up with the company’s artistic director, Stephen Agisilaou to find out more about the man behind the company.

Contrary to what one might expect, Stephen Agisilaou believes that his late start in dance was an advantage.  “I started out as a hip-hop dancer originally but when I moved to LA from Australia to continue my training I ended up in a contemporary company in Canada despite having never had any contemporary training,” he says.  “The fact that I started dancing at 17 was, I feel, more of an attribute than a hindrance to me.

I had always choreographed my own movements but I was basically learning as I went. Becoming exposed to theatre and dance at such a late age helped me stay passionate and driven.”

Agisilaou spent three years in Canada, danc