People
Debora Di Centa
Debora Di Centa (DDS SDCS DIDA) is a Canberra-based independent dance artist, teacher and choreologist. Debora grew up in Italy and started dancing at a young age. She has extensive training in ballet, modern and contemporary dance, dance theatre, experiential anatomy, creative dance, improvisation and contact improvisation. She started teaching dance in 2004 and developed her research in dance practice and performance becoming an expert in Choreological Studies, the contemporary development of Rudolf Laban principles and practices, Laban Movement Analysis (2013). Debora graduated and specialized in dance studies at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London after getting a Diploma in Academic Ballet Teaching at A.I.D.A. (in collaboration with Scuola Di Ballo La Scala, Milan). Since then she has collaborated in various dance works, research and performances with many artists and dance specialists around Europe Asia and the U.S. In 2018 she studied fundamental elements of BMC/Body Mind Centering with Bonnie Bainbrigr Choen at Pomona College, CA. In 2020 she had the privilege of attending last January Workshop with Contact Improvisation founder Nancy Stark-Smith and most recently she has participated and trained with Contact Improvisation co-founder Nita Little Nelson gaining specific new training in the study of somatic communication research through the Institute of the Study of Somatic Communication/ISSC, (Sydney 2025).
Between 2017 and 2019 Debora has presented her Scaffolding Process Workshop at the Australian Contact Improvisation National Gathering ACIC, NZCR New Zealand Contact Retreat 2018, WAPA Western Academy of Performing Arts 2017 Perth and at the International Dance Event East Point West 2019, KL Malaysia. This process was so well received in the dance community that Debora was asked to write about it and her work has been published as an article (Title: The Scaffolding Process) in the book The Art of Embodiment, Copyright 2021 DTAA & BMCA (2021). In 2023 Debora completed an Australasian Course in Applied Dramaturgy with Dramaturg Lou Cope (CoAD 2023).
Debora currently teaches, performs, choreographs, and directs dance events working for professionals, pre-professionals and in community settings.
Since 2016 Debora has led the Canberra Contact Improvisation Community and is a team member of the independent program ZEST Dance for Wellbeing, for which she is a co-founder. Since 2016 Debora has been teaching at the Dance Development Centre, in Canberra and other prestigious youth dance centres of the capital. After directing Ausdance ACT’s Program "Escalate 2020", YDF 2020 – Teachers in Schools and other collaborations, Debora has become Program Officer for Ausdance ACT, currently managing YDF/Youth Dance Festival, the Dance Artists in Schools Program and the Ausdance ACT Workshop Series Program 2021/2022 to present. Debora has an Undergraduate Certificate in Secondary Education with Curtin University, Perth Au. (2024) and teaches dance as guest teacher in various secondary schools and Colleges in Canberra.
