Spotlight on
Bradley Chatfield

Written by Teagan Lowe

The influence that Bradley Chatfield’s career has had on the international dance community is a spotlight that will never dim.

Audiences may no longer cheer his performances each night in theatres across cities, towns and countries, however it is widely known that Bradley’s legacy will be applauded indefinitely. The theatre industry without Brad would be like the ocean without water - simply unfathomable. 

Bradley’s humble beginning was in the seaside suburb of Mordialloc, Victoria. He commenced his dance training with Vivienne Dunn at ‘The Studio’. This inception for Bradley was one to change not only his life, but countless lives of others who also wish to pursue the marvellous, yet chaotic world of dance.

Long before his appointment as head of contemporary dance at Transit, Bradley completed his elite training with The Australian Ballet School. These formative training years lead Bradley straight to his first professional contract with Hong Kong Ballet. Bradley was then snapped up by world-renowned choreographer, Graeme Murphy AO, and was asked to join Australia’s leading contemporary dance company - Sydney Dance Company (SDC). Having had a plethora of incredible mentors over the years Bradley now reflects: “Every experience with a teacher, positive or negative, was an opportunity to for me to learn, it shaped the way I work.”

Having personally worked, trained, toured, laugh and cried alongside Bradley at SDC, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Bradley has cemented himself as not only SDC royalty, but contemporary dance royalty. This is no surprise as Bradley views success as something that “is measured individually by your achievements, and how others measure your success doesn’t matter. We all have something to contribute, learning how to implement that is success to me.” This is evident in Bradley’s ongoing longevity within the Arts community. 

Bradley’s ever growing success, not only in contemporary dance, but the greater Australian Arts scene, is now evident in his contributions as Head of Contemporary Dance at Transit. As a teacher, coach, mentor and educator Bradley believes “that every student will want a unique experience and that they will want different opportunities and careers, we (at Transit) individually cater to the students by offering numerous pathways to help achieve their goals.” Knowing personally the strength and individuality it takes to thrive in the contemporary dance world - Bradley ensures that persistence is perused in each of his students. Bradley’s focus at Transit is to “keep instilling knowledge to those wishing for a career in the performing arts.” 

Bradley has been involved with Australia’s leading Arts companies - Sydney Dance Company, Dance North, Australasian Dance Collective, Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts; the list goes on. Each of these roles and opportunities has given him a new edge to his dance, teaching, coaching, directing and mentoring abilities. Bradley has starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Cats’ the musical, allowing him to live out his love for the feline form on stage each and every night. Bradley toured extensively with ‘Cats’, whilst blowing audiences away with his charismatic performances each night. Bradley’s captivating nature is not only felt from the seat in the audience, but in every interaction he has. 

Each student at Transit Dance has the ability to learn and grow exponentially with Bradley as their guide. What he can bring to each student’s life is incomparable to others in the industry. Bradley is drawn to people who have a willingness to learn and want to fully engage in all that life has to offer. He relishes in watching the ebb and flow of new students and seeing them achieve their goals. 

Bradley is thrilled to be working alongside the incredible and incomparable team at Transit Dance and sees his role in the future of Transit Dance as someone who can “keep creating a pathways for those wishing to enter the profession by providing the skills and necessary knowledge for them to make informed decisions that benefit them personally.” This nurtured individuality is something that not only Bradley, but Transit Dance, prides itself on offering all of its students. Bradley is so thrilled that this year’s cohort are inquisitive and have a real thirst for knowledge. 

Bradley believes that “you never stop learning in life, it’s about how you apply those lessons to your daily routine to continually improve your skillset.” Showing that his humility and grace can also be seen through his teaching and mentoring methods. 

Bradley has an innate way of being able to mesh work and play so very well. There wasn’t a day that would go by at SDC where Bradley wasn’t making us roll around the studio floors in fits of laughter, tears streaming down our face and gasping for air - that was a standard Tuesday at the SDC wharves. I am so very jealous of the people that still get to interact with Bradley on a daily basis as I am eternally grateful for Bradley’s influence on me personally as a human, my career and teaching me so much that I didn’t even know had to be taught. 

Bradley is someone who will never, and could ever be replaced. Cherish each moment that you get with Brad; learn from him, laugh with him, chat with him, drink coffee with him and dance your heart out with him! Do you know if you’re a student or even a colleague at Transit that you’re in the presence of such dance royalty? Perhaps not, but you do now!

Want to be guided by Bradley? Click here to learn more about our contemporary dance course.