THE “FIRST XI” ANNOUNCED FOR AN EMPOWERING WOMEN SAY SOMETHING

Sydney’s Town Hall will be filled with the voices of women breaking through the ceiling as Women Say Something (WSS) has started announcing its diverse line-up of inspiring women for Dancing on the Ceiling, which will be taking over Sydney Town Hall on Friday, February 28.

Presented in partnership with IVF Australia, the event celebrates the achievements of women in an evening of insightful dialogue, entertainment, engaging film, fine food and wine, lavish spectacle and inspiring stories.

Lt. Col. Cate McGregor, joins the line-up as the highest ranking transgender individual in the army and well-known cricket commentator. Cate has been instrumental in pushing an agenda in the Australian Army against unacceptable behaviour towards women.

Popular 2013 keynote speaker, Clover Moore will also be joining the discussion. Currently serving her third term as the Lord Mayor of Sydney, she will be bringing first-hand insights into the world of women in politics. From the world of sport, beach volleyball star Natalie Cook will be bringing her experience as the first female Australian athlete to compete at five Olympic Games.

“We’re celebrating women who have been inspiring and successful in their chosen fields,” says WSS Founder and artistic Director Steph Sands. “It’s an empowering and entertaining event. People can hear individual stories and be inspired by other women who have ‘made it’ regardless of any adversity they have had to face along the way, while at the same time be entertained by women who use their voice in other ways  such as music and lyrics. ”

Dancing on the Ceiling will be an event not to be missed, bringing together women from all walks of life to share their stories and struggles, and discuss issues ranging from feminism to family, from pop culture to politics.This fully accessible event caters for all audiences including event only seating through to packages with fine food & wine for tables of up to 10 friends

The impressive line-up will also see Australian country music singer, Beccy Cole, and jazz performer, Libby O’Donovan, take the stage alongside 2 time Aria award winner  Sally Whitwell, and performers Sexy Galexy and Martine Locke,. Daring insights can also be expected from Recognise’s Tanya Hosch, Wine maker Lisa McGuigan, and editor-in-chief of Curve Magazine, Merryn Johns.  More speakers will be announced shortly, adding to this highly anticipated event line-up.

What: Women Say Something: Dancing On the Ceiling

When: Friday, 28th February 2014, 6:30pm onwards

Where: Sydney Town Hall, 483 George Street, Sydney, SW, 2000

Tickets: From $30 + BF, available at www.mardigras.org.au/events

For info: www.facebook.com/WomanSaySomething

Editors notes:

Lieutenant Colonel Cate McGregor

Lt. Col. Cate McGregor is a serving member of the Australian Defence Force, and a well-known cricket commentator and author. In 2012, McGregor was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in the Military Division, for "exceptional service to the Australian Army as the Director of the Land Warfare Studies Centre."

 

She is the highest ranking transgender individual in the army, and the speechwriter for Chief of Army, David Morrison, AO. She has been instrumental in pushing an agenda in the Australian army regarding unacceptable behaviour, predominately against women. She is one of only six transgender people serving in the Army’.

 

 

The Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore

Clover Moore is currently serving her third term as the Lord Mayor of Sydney after being elected in 2004, 2008 and 2012. Clover is the first popularly elected woman to lead the City of Sydney. Currently, Clover chairs the Central Sydney Planning Committee and Sydney Festival. She also represents Sydney at the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, a network of cities established to address global warming.

 

Clover served as a member of NSW Parliament from March 1988 to September 2012. Initially she served as the member for Bligh and more recently as the member for Sydney. Between 1992 and 1995, she held the balance of power in parliament with fellow independents John Hatton and Peter McDonald. This led to the development of a reform charter that included 4 year fixed terms for MPs, stronger freedom of information provisions, whistle-blower legislation, an independent Legal Services Commissioner and the Royal Commission that forced major reform of the NSW Police Service.

 

 

Natalie Cook

Natalie Cook is the first Australian athlete to compete at five Olympic Games. The Queenslander is also the only athlete to have competed in all five of the Olympic women’s beach volleyball tournaments since the sport was introduced to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. She is also the only competitor – male or female – to have reached the medal matches in each of the first three Olympic contests.

 

 

Beccy Cole

Beccy is an Australian country music singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. She has released eight albums, with three reaching the ARIA Albums Chart top 40, and has received nine Golden Guitar trophies at the Country Music Awards of Australia (CMAA). Her single ‘Poster Girl (Wrong Side of the World)’ was inspired by her time performing for Australian Defence Force personnel in Iraq. The song won the 2007 Song of the Year at the CMAA’s, and its music video hit No. 1 on Australia's Country Music Channel. Beccy came out as a same sex attracted woman in 2012 on Australian Story and has continued to promote acceptance throughout regional Australia.

 

 

Merryn Johns

Merryn Johns is the editor-in-chief of Curve Magazine, America’s best-selling lesbian magazine. She was also the founding editor-in-chief of international lifestyle magazine, BOUND, and Australia’s LOTL Magazine. Merryn is a graduate of N.I.D.A. and has a Ph.D. from the University of New South Wales where she taught Performing Arts and Cinema Studies for 10 years. She is a regular panel speaker and commentator on LGBT rights and culture, and currently lives in New York City.

Libby O’Donovan

Libby O’Donovan is a powerful and sassy performer, renowned for her nuanced interpretations and extraordinary voice. She is a critically acclaimed Jazz and Cabaret performer and an award-winning Musical Director. Most recently, she wrote and recorded with Beccy Cole to create the theme songs for the Adelaide Feast Festival, and Women Say Something, Mardi Gras 2013.

 

Sexy Galexy

Sexy Galexy has finally returned to the Australian shores after years of glamourously skipping his way through the UK and Amsterdam. This self-determined, one-of-a-kind performance artist has designed and promoted many successful nights and numerous shows from Sydney's first Lead Drag King performance artist at Sleaze Ball 2003, Mardi Gras TV presenter on Queer TV 2003-2006 to large scale community shows at Lovedance Amsterdam Aids Benefit and Cafe De Paris in London. With Sexy in the house, you are sure to experience something spectacular!

Tanya Hosch

Tanya Hosch is deputy campaign director for Recognise, the movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution. She was a key contributor in the creation of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, and a foundation director of the Australian Indigenous Leadership Centre and the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute. She is a director of the Australian Red Cross, Bangarra Dance Theatre, the Australian Centre for Social Innovation and Ninti One (a not-for-profit creating opportunities for people in remote Australia). She is deputy chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Equality Council. In 2012, Tanya was one of the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence. She is a Torres Strait Islander woman who lives in Adelaide.

 

 

Martine Locke

Martine Locke has been touring her entire adult life. Independently releasing 6 solo cds and 4 before that with WA based duo, The Velvet Janes, she has a million tales to tell of life on the road and a few songs to match. Performing across the US solo and with her wife, Jamie, Martine has taken her stories to music festivals, house concerts, listening rooms, schools and clubs. Her brand new release ‘deconstructed’ takes it back where it started…one guitar & one voice.  Recorded in her new home in Indianapolis, Indiana, Martine’s latest recording is honest, up close and personal and once again, independently released.

 

 

Lisa McGuigan

Lisa is a fourth generation wine maker from the Hunter Valley. She established Tempus two winery in 1997 which became a global success story. She was named one of the top ten people to watch in 2011 by Sydney Magazine.  In 2013 she launched Lisa McGuigan wines. Lisa was recently named one of the 21 Most Influential Liquor Identities of the Past 21 Years by her peers in the industry

 

 

Sally Whitwell

Sally Whitwell is an Australian classical music pianist, composer, arranger, conductor and teacher. She has released three solo albums which have all peaked in the top 5 on the ARIA Charts' Classical Albums.

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2011 Whitwell won the Best Classical Album award for Mad Rush: Piano Music of Philip Glass. In 2012 she was nominated in the same category for The Good, the Bad and the Awkward. She won the same category in 2013 for All Imperfect Things: Solo Piano Music of Michael Nyman.