On the Shoulders of Giants

Leonard Donahue is a descendant from the Djabugay people of the rainforest in far-north Queensland. Leonard has pursued a career focused on Indigenous tourism and the arts. Following high school, Leonard moved to Brisbane to study at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts and has since worked professionally in the industry in theatre, film and television, storytelling, music and dance. It was at ACPA Leonard met fellow eXcelsior crew and has since performed with them at the Sydney Opera House, festivals around Australia and at Festival 2018 in the Commonwealth Games. In addition to his role as Senior Indigenous Officer at Dreamworld Corroboree, Leonard travels the country providing song, dance, poetry and story experiences to schools and communities.

Tibian is Girramay & Kalkadoon tribes descendent from North Queensland. He is a graduate of The Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts (ACPA) in Brisbane. He appeared in Black Diggers (Sydney Festival, Brisbane Festival) as well as appearing in several ACPA productions including: Oedipus the King, Romeo & Juliet, & Spirit Of the Lore. He is an Ambassador for DigiYouth Arts, and worked with Indigenous students to present the play Glad Tomorrow. More recently Tibian appeared in Legs on the Wall’s production ‘The Man with the Iron Neck’ written by Ursula Yovich which premiered at Brisbane Festival 2018 then toured major festivals around the country in 2019, Sydney Festival, Darwin Festival and Adelaide Festival. His dance appearances include Baru (Sydney Opera House), Clancestry (Byron Bay Blues Festival); Treaty (Brisbane Festival) and Backwards (Queensland Poetry Festival); Festival 2018 in the Commonwealth Games. Outside of eXcelsior Tibian toured as a dancer with DJUKI MALA to Lebanon, Egypt and across Europe.

Born and raised in Cairns and of Torres Strait Islander heritage, Joshua is one of The 2015 Yumpla Project team members at Phunktional Ltd. With a Diploma in Performing Arts, he is currently undertaking an Advanced Diploma in Acting at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts. Joshua has had numerous roles in the Queensland 150th Anniversary, in ‘Soul Music’, ‘Souls Entwined’ and ‘Up the Ladder’, all performed at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Onscreen performances include appearances in the Queensland Government Advertisement for HIV Awareness, the ‘Talking Families’ Queensland Government Advertisement, and as an extra in the television series ‘The Straits’. Joshua is a skilled dancer and talented actor, evident in his comprehensive background participating in community events such as the 2012 Brisbane Festival, the Indigenous Festival ‘Clancestry’, the 2015 Acting Showcase, NAIDOC Week dance events, the Asia World Cap Draw, Festival 2018 in the Commonwealth Games.

Benjamin is a founding member of eXcelsior, dancer/actor and graduate of Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts (ACPA) in Brisbane with a major in Acting. Benjamin also writes and performs poetry for the collective and has performed at Festival 2018 in the Commonwealth Games and Sydney Opera House and Boomerang Festival in association with Byron Bay Blues Fest. He continues his traditional dance practices with his community dance group who have also performed at Dance Rites competition.

Benjin Maza is a Brisbane based singer/songwriter, dancer and actor. In 2012 he toured with Queensland Theatre’s production ‘Stradbroke Dreamtime’ directed by Sue Rider, covering regional Queensland. Benjin debuted at La Boîte Theatre Company with Steven Oliver’s ‘From Darkness’ as a part of Brisbane Festival 2019. Benjin has also been a part of numerous creative develop- ments in musical theatre, theatre and dance at venues such as QPAC, Laboite Theatre and more. Benjin is also a part of an Indigenous Fusion dance group called ‘eXcelsior’, performing at various events such as; the NRL’s All Stars, Sydney Opera House’s ‘Homeground’, Woodford Folk Festival and Boomerang Festival at Byron Bay Blues Fest and the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Benjin joined forces with artist, ‘Alinta’ to birth ‘Balairi’ – performing original music and covers at community and corporate events. Benjin’s most recent work has been with Karul Projects as a part of  ‘Silence’, debuting Brisbane Festival 2020.

Manduway completed an Advanced Diploma in the Performing Arts at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in Brisbane studying piano, songwriting and recording technology in 2014. In 2016, he went on to complete a Bachelor of Music degree (specialisation jazz and pop) at the Central Queensland Conservatorium of music where he majored on the piano. He has performed at the Boomerang Festival in 2017