Ella Havelka
Dancer
Wiradjuri Woman Ella Havelka is passionate about creating new pathways for First Nations storytelling through both dance. Having danced for both The Australian Ballet and Bangarra Dance Theatre, Havelka was the subject of the documentary film ELLA, which premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in 2016. In 2020 Ella founded The ELLA Foundation which provides dance scholarships and mentorship to First Nations youth across Australia. Ella is also the Creative Director of Eco Dancers, a Board Director for Ausdance National, and a traditional weaver with Wagga Wagga’s Hands on Weavers group. In 2021 Ella became an Atlantic Fellow for Social Equity completing a Masters in Social Change Leadership through Melbourne University. Ella currently resides on Cameraygal Country working as a freelance creative, performer and cultural liaison.
Ella
The film follows Ella as she faces the challenges of adapting back to being en pointe after four years of barefoot dancing with Bangarra, and we see her face fierce competition for roles. We also go with The Australian Ballet on tour to China where Ella dances in Graeme Murphy’s celebrated interpretation of Swan Lake in Beijing.