Mathew Mizyed is the founder and director of DUTI Studios in Newtown (2015) and artistic director of DUTI Dance Company (2010). As a creative, he has divided his time between being a dance practitioner and choreographer (devising 5 full length dance works). Additionally he is contributing to the development of the Australian dance industry by running an enterprise which trains new practitioners. 
Mathew has trained in the USA (in New York City and Los Angeles), and worked with some of the best in the commercial and contemporary industry. He has choreographed and worked commercially for brands like Vogue, Benefit, Clarins, Sunglass Hut and more.

You are a dancer, choreographer and arts organisation founder and director. This is an ambitious set of roles. How do you divide your time between them? 
To be honest I try to not to think about it all too much. I take everything as it comes and complete what needs to be done with a priority system in place. It is something I have learnt to do over the years of running DUTI STUDIOS.
Why and how did you first get involved in dance? 
It always made me feel like my ultimate self. I was a shy and introverted kid but always had an interest in anything creative. It’s all I knew and what I did from a very early age. I loved watching pop music videos in the late 80s and all through the 90s. My mother loved music and social dancing too. She was always one of the first ones on the dance floor at weddings and functions.
Is your choreographic work focused on telling a story or using abstract dance forms, or neither/both?
I would probably say somewhere in the middle of both. My works like None of Us are always a feeling/mood/thought of an experience that l have gone through or want to explore. My works aren’t obvious stories as I like to leave it open to interpretation to some degree. I always start by creating works for me and it goes from there. Of course I want to entertain the audience, but if that’s all I am thinking about, then the essence of my works will be lost and not genuine. 

What motivated you to start the DUTI company?  And why in Newtown? 
DUTI Dance Company started in 2010 as an independent dance company out west. I started it to create my own work and to have a creative outlet for me to play and explore. I always knew I wanted a studio to accompany the company, to have a HQ to rehearse, host classes etc. By 2015 I had opened DUTI STUDIOS and I was operating classes for the public. There weren’t many studios like this at the time, especially in Newtown. I love dance so much and I wanted to be able to share it and make Sydney dance. Newtown felt right; I knew it had to be here and be surrounded by the incredible people here.  
DUTI is the acronym for Dancing Under The Influence. What do you mean by ‘influence’?  
‘Influence’ meaning all the things that influence(d) me creatively and in dance: other dance styles, music, thoughts, art, artists etc. These things are constantly evolving for me, which I find interesting in how it has affected my style and work positively. As creatives, I believe we’re sometimes made up of everything that inspired and influenced us growing up until now. We sometimes navigate our interests and style based on these things, which in some way makes us who we are.
What qualities do you look for in a teacher of dance? 
Teachers with knowledge and experience in their styles. Being able to engage and communicate with students in the room; and being a nice, respectful person is important too!  
What opportunities do you prepare students for? 
We have forwarded work to dancers for big brands in corporate entertainment (Benefit, The Macallan, Sunglass Hut etc.) TVC’s/Ads Theatre and Concerts (Hugh Jackman). 
What is your favourite dance related thing to be doing? 
Creating and choreographing. I love the process; I love that now I can start something from nothing. I love being in the theatre seeing it all come together. I also love watching dance and seeing new up and coming artists emerge as well as established choreographers.
Photos:
Mathew Mizyed (Johnny Diaz Nicolaidis) 
None of Us (Nat Cartney)

Article by Tamara Winikoff
Tamara Winikoff is an independent consultant with extensive experience in arts advocacy, policy, and cultural leadership. She was a a founding member of the Inner West Creative Network and served as Executive Director of the National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) for 22 years, championing artists’ rights and sector development. As Co-convenor of ArtsPeak, she coordinated national arts policy initiatives. Previously, she managed the Community, Environment, Art and Design (CEAD) program at the Australia Council for the Arts and lectured in Cultural Environment and Heritage at Macquarie University. Based in Sydney, she continues to influence the cultural landscape through strategic consultancy.