ABOUT
Photo by Tilly Parsons
Flynn Dakis is an emerging dance artist and performer currently working in Naarm/Melbourne whose practice blends athleticism, precision and conceptual aesthetics. He is interested in presenting the body in a state of experiencing, where movement and image become a site of perception – revealing the body’s capacity to endure over a range of durations and complexities.
With a background in athletics and cross country running, Flynn first recalls engaging with dance at a community centre where he participated in Tap classes. Transitioning into contemporary dance in high school where he completed his VCE and VET (cert II) studies, Flynn was able to build a strong technical foundation whilst exploring choreography and composition. During this period, he became a member of Origins Dance Company performing in Our own Island by Paul Malek and Damien Meredith (2020) and Impress by Jayden Hicks (2021). Upon completing year 12 he was awarded the Tristan Targett award for dance excellence and was invited to perform in Top Class 2023, a showcasing of high scoring VCE/VET solos.
Flynn is currently concluding a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) at the Victorian College of the Arts where he has received training from lecturers such as Anna Smith, Julie Minaai and Kialea Nadine Williams. Other artists he has engaged with include Jo Lloyd, Phillip Adams, Brooke Stamp, Melanie Lane, Lee Serle, Stephanie Lake, Jenni Large, Kimball Wong, Tra Mi Dinh, Siobhan McKenna, Rachel Coulson, Joel Bray, Jill Crovisier, Chimene Steele-Prior, Yuiko Masukawa, Chloe Chignell, Benjamin Hurley, Oliver Savariego and Emma Riches. In 2023 Flynn was awarded the Cutler Prize for academic excellence and was honoured to participate in a cultural dance exchange in The Cook Island supported by the New Columbo Plan in the following year. His performance credits include Phillip Adam’s Fountain presented in Rising Festival 2025, Under Oath choreographed by Melanie Lane and Le Miracle by Jill Crovisier.
Flynn has been involved with MUSE Festival as both a choreographer and dancer in works including (un)tamed by Rikia Bell (2024) and SsYiNnCk (2025), his choreographic debut co-devised by Jesper Harrison, Toni Stathopoulos and Sarah Ceraso. SsYiNnCk is a full-length dance work that addresses the value of sports-based practices in society over artistic endeavours, premiering in MUSE Jul 8th-10th 2025. Post graduation Flynn plans to extend the work and invites new opportunities to present SsYiNnCk.
Flynn has developed a collaborative relationship with Melbourne based choreographer Jo Lloyd who has been an integral part of his development as a dance artist. Recently he performed in Duo Agitato alongside Jesper Harrison, the outcome of a secondment/workshop that occurred at the Abbottsford Convent, Studio 24. Additionally he has engaged in several practice sessions, a new initiative by Jo Lloyd in which a selection of dance practitioners are invited to share, exchange and collate in an open studio environment. Through this platform, Flynn has engaged with artists including Lee Serle, Benjamin Hurley, Thomas Woodman, Caitlin Mewett, Sophie Gargan, Madelaine Bowman, Lana Sprajcer, Rachel Mackie, Eloise Wright, Jazmine Carter and Hillary Goldsmith, fostering a dialogue between established and emerging voices. Flynn is currently in rehearsal for a new work entitled “Post hoc” choreographed by Jo Lloyd, premiering in the 2025 season of “PIECES” commissioned by Lucy Guerin Inc. and University Melbourne Arts and Culture (UMAC).