Frances Rings

Frances is a Mirning woman from the Far West Region of South Australia and also has German heritage. She was appointed Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2023. Frances has created nine works for Bangarra: Ration, Walkabout, (2002) Bush (2003, co-choreographed with Stephen Page), Unaipon (2004), X300 (2007), Artefact (2010), Terrain (2012), Sheoak (2015), SandSong (2021, co-choreographed with Stephen Page), Yuldea (2023) and Illume (2025). Frances has received multiple awards for her work including six Helpmann Awards, a Deadly Award, an Australian Dance Award and a Green Room Award. Yuldea is currently listed on the NSW Higher School Certificate Dance, as compulsory study for Appreciation (Dance). ? ? Internationally, Frances has been fortunate to establish important intercultural relationships with both Kahawi Dance Theatre in Six Nations, Turtle Island (Canada) and Atamira Dance Company in Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand), where she was invited as guest collaborator and performer for their production?MITIMITI?choreographed by Jack Gray in 2015. In 2018, she was commissioned to create a new work for Atamira as part of their triple-bill,?Kotahi.? ? Frances was appointed Head of Creative Studies at NAISDA Dance College from 2016-2019, and has directed five NAISDA end-of-year productions between 2014-2018:?Your Skin,?My Skin?(2014),?Kamu?(2015),?From Sand to Stage?(2016)?Restoration?(2017), and?Storyplace?(2018).?She was Associate Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre from 2019 – 2022. ? Frances has received multiple awards for her work including six Helpmann Awards (2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017) , a Deadly Award (2003), Australian Dance Award (2004) and a Green Room Award (2011).