Eileen Kramer: Celebrating 100 Years of Creativity

A unique and inspiring crowdfunding campaign was launched today by the Arts Health Institute. They hope to raise $26’000 by March 10^th to help fund performances of a new dance work by Eileen Kramer. 

Ms. Kramer, 100, hopes to be able to perform in her production and told the Australian Ageing Agenda that “It’s not easy to make a dance work. There is such a lot involved; costumes, theatre, rehearsals, dancers, musicians, light people. We need help from the people who love dance and would like to see us do this.”

Support Eileen Kramer and her new work 'The Early Ones' from Arts Health Institute on Vimeo.

Ms. Kramer was a member of the Bodenwieser Ballet, the first modern dance company in Australia. She has worked as a choreographer, dancer, costume maker, artist and writer and at 100 years of age, is most likely the longest living working choreographer and dancer in Australia – if not the world!

Her new work is called ‘The Early Ones’ and will be her first choreographed production in Australia, having recently returned to her home country after living in the United States for 40 years.

Ms. Kramer describes the production as “expressive and beautiful. The theme is ‘we have something in us that we don’t always know about.’”

Ms. Kramer lives in a hostel for people at risk of homelessness and in December last year, received a lifetime achievement award from the Arts Health Institute (AHI).

The AHI is calling on supporters to assist in getting Ms. Kramer’s work to the stage. The money raised will be used for the fees and costumes for nine dancers, musicians, music composition, theatre hire and technical and support crew.

“I have a vision of this lovely work and I thank you so much for your support if you help to make this possible,” Ms Kramer said.

Click here to find out more about this crowdfunding project.

The Independent Theatre in North Sydney has been booked for three performances in March.