Michael Fuller inspires hundreds of South Australian students in movement and dance at Flinders University

Michael Fuller’s contribution to Flinders University drama centre and beyond was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Adelaide Critics’ Circle.

Michael Fuller was an inspirational teacher of movement and dance for hundreds of students during his 15 years on the staff at Flinders University drama centre. He was remembered by his colleagues and former students for his extraordinary talent, dedication and professionalism.

Born in England in 1947 and educated in England and Ceylon, Fuller studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He came to Australia where he worked as a teacher at the National Institute of Dramatic Arts, a choreographer for the Sydney Theatre Company and Australian Theatre for Young People and as an actor/choreographer for The Sydney Theatre of The Deaf.

Involvement with director Colin George brought Fuller to Adelaide in 1977 where he was an actor/choreographer with the State Theatre Company and Troupe Theatre. He choreographed for State Opera, South Australia Film Corporation, Patch Theatre Company, Red Shed, Doppio Teatro and Vitalstatistix, as well as for high school productions at Pembroke and Norwood Morialta.

He joined Flinders University to lead the teaching of movement in the drama centre. In addition to his Flinders role. He instruct many prominent Australian actors and collaborated with directors such as Jim Sharman, George Ogilvie and Gale Edwards.

Fuller’s contribution was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Adelaide Critics’ Circle. Accepting the award on Fuller’s behalf due to illness, Flinders University professor emeritus Michael Morley reflected on his extraordinary talent, professionalism and dedication as a choreographer, movement teacher and fight instructor.

Morley also read out a tribute from Australian actor Susan Lyons, then living and working in New York, who said Fuller “made all of us better than we could have been without him. Never pretentious, always wanting the best from us and for us. It’s so wonderful that a man who has given others so much and yet remained so modest should be recognised by the Adelaide Critics’ Circle.”