What do the Australasian Dance Collective (ADC) and Gail Sorronda have in common? At a glance, one might surmise their connection lies in being instrumental forces in Brisbane’s creative industries; ADC through contemporary dance and Gail Sorronda through avant-garde fashion. But probe a little deeper and you’ll find their connection carries even greater gravitas: it embodies a pioneering spirit and stands as a powerful emblem of women-led innovation.

Since its establishment by Maggi Sietsma AM in 1984, the Australasian Dance Collective has operated with a unique leadership mode. That is, the company has always been and continues to be led by a woman. From Sietsma herself to Natalie Weir and Libby Lincoln in the 2010s, and ADC’s current Artistic Director and CEO Amy Hollingsworth, it is with these visionary women at the helm that ADC has become a cornerstone of contemporary dance.

In a vein that is very much similar, Gail Sorronda and her eponymous label owe their success to her own unwavering and undivided female leadership. From winning the Mercedes-Benz Start Up Award with her graduate collection, to launching her label at Australian Fashion Week in 2005 and garnering international acclaim by the likes of Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce & Gabbana, Winona Ryder and Lorde, Gail has remained the sole creative force behind the brand—shaping its identity through her singular vision of poetic, high-concept fashion.

It is no exaggeration then to say that both ADC and Gail Sorronda exemplify the notion of women crafting original and transformative narratives on their own terms. Join The Calile Hotel as they celebrate 60 collective years of this very creative excellence on Wednesday 20 August. Guests will first take in a live performance of the supernatural-inspired Glass Teeth by ADC dancers and costumed by Gail Sorronda, before ADC’s Amy Hollingsworth and Gail Sorronda sit down with Brand Art Director at RUSSH Magazine, Talisa Sutton, for conversation on womanhood, collaboration, and creative legacy.