The Training Ground

Bonnie Neate and Suzy Piani (co-directors of The Training Ground in Phillip ACT) both have strong backgrounds in contemporary dance and performance, Bonnie in WA, QLD and overseas, and Suzy in NSW, Victoria and overseas.

Bonnie and Suzy have been choreographing together for a number of years, creating dance pieces that have been highly successful in performances and competitions. Together they create choreography that showcases a unique blend of experimentation in shape and contact improvisation, with a strong focus on pas de deux and innovative concepts. They are well-known for their linear and quirky choreography in a range of dance genres.

In 2021, Bonnie and Suzy embarked on an ambitious new project under their partnership “The Training Ground” and created their first full length contemporary dance work, “Unveiled”. The rigorous 6-month contemporary training program and performances were highly successfully and critically acclaimed, landing them a Canberra Area Theatre Award and Canberra Critics Circle Award. This was followed by "Unravel" in 2022, which was awarded a Canberra Critics Circle Award.

In 2023 The Training Ground has continued its community-based contemporary dance project each year for dancers in the ACT and surrounding areas. These projects have provided dancers with a ‘dance company’-like experience and have seen participating dancers be accepted into tertiary and pre-professional dance courses, such as Sydney Dance Company Pre-Professional Year, New Zealand School of Dance, Victorian College of Arts (Melbourne University) and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (Edith Cowan University).

In 2023, we embarked on opening a dance studio specialising in training dancers in a range of dance genres to an elite level. We have had an incredibly successful first year of operation. We have celebrated a range of achievements, including numerous top places at regional and national competitions, outstanding RAD Ballet Examination results, presentation of a full-length contemporary work - Unhinged - which received high praise from Arts Critics and the broader community.