Alum | Andrew Koblar

Andrew Koblar began his dance training in 1991 at the Julie Melrose School of Dance in Sydney. He received a scholarship at The McDonald College for Performing Arts in 1999, followed by a full scholarship for creative excellence in 2000. He graduated in 2002 and launched a successful career in Australian film, theatre, and television, working with top companies like the Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Belvoir Street Theatre, and Griffin Theatre Company. Concurrently, Andy taught high school performing arts across Sydney.

Involvement with Auslan and the Deaf Community:

In 2010, Andy began studying Australian Sign Language (Auslan) and progressed through various courses, obtaining certificates II and III from TAFE NSW by 2012. Immersed in the Deaf community, he lived with Deaf flatmates in 2013/14. By 2014, he was teaching Auslan Community courses at Macquarie University and The University of Sydney and became a Patron of Deaf Australia.

Performances and Leadership Roles:

Andy joined The Wiggles in 2015, creating the role of Andy the Conductor and later appearing as Andy, the Mayor of Wiggle Town. He performed at the TEDx Sydney Convention in 2017 and directed a sign language choir for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s production of Elijah. In 2017, he founded the Sydney Auslan Ensemble (SAE) and produced an international television segment for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Recent Work and Contributions:

In 2018, Andy collaborated with Deaf West in Los Angeles and appeared in the 9th season of The Voice Australia as an Auslan Consultant in 2020. He resigned as Ambassador of Deaf Australia in 2020, leaving a lasting impact on both the performing arts and the Deaf community.