Danielle Cresp

A Creative History

1970’s

Born into an artistic, nature loving family in Melbourne, Australia, it’s no surprise that Danielle was encouraged to participate in the arts (dance, theatre, film) alongside an avid appreciation of flora and fauna across Australia.

1980’s - 2020’s

Danielle trained as a dancer from an early age and by the time she was in her 20’s she was working as a dancer/choreographer whilst training at commercial dance schools in Melbourne, Dance Factory & DanceWorld 301. Shortly after this she attained an Associate Diploma in Dance Instruction and Management at Box Hill Institute and then later completed a Bachelor of Arts Performance Studies (Hons) at Victoria University of Technology in 1997. Danielle worked extensively as a performing artist and physical theatre teacher. Danielle’s fervor for the performing arts took her across the world to learn, teach and perform. She worked as a Director, Teacher, Choreographer and Producer for local and international artists. Artists she worked for and with include Ruth Zaporah (USA), Cass Tunick (USA), Giovanni Fusetti (Italy), Al Wunder (Australia), Fraser Hooper (New Zealand), Kate Kantor (Australia), Sten Rudstrom (Germany), Ira Sedenstein (Australia), John Bolton (New Zealand), Peter Trotman (Australia), Clare Bartholomew (Australia), Angela De Castro (Brazil), John Britton (UK), Trevor Patrick (Australia), Patti Styles (Canada), Margaret Cameron (Australia), Patch Adams (USA), Keith Johnstone (UK) and Susan Bamford-Caleo (Australia), Andrew Morrish (Australia) and Brenda Waite (Australia).

Some highlights which gained acclaim, awards, sold out seasons and green room nominations include: “The Dirty Mother” (2020) at Perth Fringe World in The Blue Room Theatre and “Happy-Go-Wrong” (2019) at Melbourne Fringe Festival, “Deja Vu: and other forms of knowing” (2016) and “#DearDiary” (2015).

2012 - 2021

Danielle worked extensively as a director, teacher, mentor and site specific improvisation artist. Her motto was and still is: “The more you notice, the more you have to play with!” and she agrees with Banksy that “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable”.

2000 - 2018

Danielle has spent a lot of time traveling extensively through Europe & America furthering her specialties in improvisation, clowning and physical theatre.

2011 - 2023

In 2011, in the heat of the New Mexican desert, she completed her Action Theater teacher training with the creator of Action Theater, Ruth Zaporah. Danielle was Creative Director at Action Theater Australia (2013 -2023), a creative arts business with it’s focus on teaching, coaching and directing artists in the methodologies of physical theatre improvisation. From 2013 to 2023 Danielle taught over a hundred SOLD OUT Action Theater workshops across Australia and in the UK. During that time she was the ONLY Action Theater Practitioner actively teaching in Australia.

2021 - 2023

Danielle undertook an 18 month sabbatical away from the limelight of teaching & directing in which she spent time deepening her practise and focusing on her motto: “the more you notice, the more you have to play with”. At the completion of this sabbatical Danielle and her partner felt called to move away from the city-lights to a small farm in Central Victoria, Australia. They bought a small certified organic farm and moved to rural Victoria where they now live.

2023 - 2025

Hawthorn House Organics, a Certified Organic farm, is born!