Bio
Darwin-born Lonii Garnons-Williams trained at Queensland Dance School of Excellence and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.
In her early career as a freelance artist, Garnons-Williams worked with many celebrated companies such as Dancenorth, Leigh Warren & Dancers, State Opera of South Australia, Co3, Queensland Ballet and Australian Dance Theatre.
She joined Australian Dance Theatre as an ensemble member in 2015 performing Be yourself, Habitus and Beginning of nature. Garnons-Williams was nominated at the Helpmann Awards 2016 for Best Female Dancer for her role in Habitus presented in the Adelaide Festival.
Garnons-Williams then spent time in Toronto, Canada, joining Red Sky Performance for their 2017-2019 seasons in 3 main stage productions and choreographing for one of their collaborations with Harbourfront Centre. During this time she performed at the prestigious Jacob’s Pillow, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at the Roy Thompson Hall and performed 26 shows around the Netherlands, Germany, Brussels and Poland during a European tour. She also worked with Human Body Expression and Pro Arte Danza in several of their productions.
Returning to Australia in 2020, she debuted with Australasian Dance Collective in Arc at Brisbane Festival, also appearing in ADC’s two dance films – Cass Mortimer Eipper’s Liminal, and Jack Lister’s Still Life.
In 2021, she performed in Amy Hollingsworth and Jack Lister’s collaboration with The Kite String Tangle’s Danny Harley - Aftermath. Garnons-Williams not only performed in Succession – the company's joint-production with its Youth Ensemble - she also choreographed one of the works, A study of you and I.
In May 2021, she took to the QPAC stage in THREE – ADC's triple bill featuring works from Jack Lister, Melanie Lane and Hofesh Shechter and again, in September in Alisdair Macindoe’s Forgery for Brisbane Festival.
The following year Garnons-Williams again joined the company in a national tour of the original THREE and took part in presenting the second iteration with works by Cass Mortimer Eipper, Kate Harman and Gabrielle Nankivell at the Brisbane Powerhouse. She was also showcased in a film by Kiosk Film highlighting Bethany Cordwell designs, Warped Observance choreographed by Jack Lister.
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Since having her daughter in fall 2023 Lonii has worked as an adjudicator for Brisbane International Contemporary Dance Prix, taught at Queensland College of dance, Queensland Ballet Academy, assisted at the Australian Classical Grand Prix, performed and choreographed for a piece commissioned for Dots + Loops, been a movement director for 2 dance films and choreographed the bursary piece for Dirty Feet Outback Dance Festival competition.