Wendy McPhee

Wendy McPhee is a contemporary performance artist, creator and educator. Her early development was stimulated by impromptu backyard performances and raucous Tupperware parties.

Her interest in the female grotesque was developed at the Australian Ballet School, from which she graduated before joining Mantis, one of Britain's most avant-garde physical theatre companies in 1982. Since then, she has held positions as dancer, performer, rehearsal director, creator and educator, collaborating with artists from different disciplines producing work for dance, theatre, cabaret and circus, along with art gallery installations, events and chaos.

Having worked with companies including Dancenorth and Tasdance, in 2002 she formed Softcore Inc to create, produce and perform her own work investigating gender and social constructs. She was Lecturer in Contemporary Dance at QUT, co-director of WaW Dance, has co-created projects with Vulcana Women’s Circus, and is the creator of PoleBarre. She holds a Master of Fine Arts (Dance), a Diploma of Contemporary Pilates and Teaching Methodology and a Graduate Certificate of Public Health. Her creative work is influenced by the carnivalesque, and her teaching practice emphasises creativity, body awareness and the joy of moving.