Cleo Doyle is a proud Kamilaroi woman, born and raised on Awabakal Country in Newcastle/ Lake Macquarie, NSW. She is currently in her first year at NAISDA Dance College, undertaking the Diploma of Professional Dance for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Cleo has been dancing for 15 years, training extensively at Physical Funk Dance Academy in ballet, contemporary, lyrical, jazz, hip-hop, musical theatre, improvisation, heels and tumbling. She has 10 years of competition experience at state and national level, performing in both solo and group eisteddfods. In 2025, Cleo was selected for the HSC Dance Showcase ‘Callback’ for her Major Study Performance Split Skin, a contemporary Indigenous piece choreographed and performed by her. She also achieved full marks in HSC Aboriginal Studies for her major work Not Yours To Take, a contemporary Indigenous work translating her On-Country experience with the Dunghutti community.
As an emerging artist, Cleo is a dancer and choreographer whose work has been presented across theatres, festivals and high-profile events throughout the Hunter region. She has created and performed original contemporary Indigenous works including Ochre, Cultural Weaving, Dingo in the Dark, My Lost Mob and Banbirrngu. Her choreography has been commissioned for Lake Macquarie City Council events, NAIDOC celebrations, the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Catholic Council Conference, Surfest Indigenous Classic, Reclaim the Night events, Ronald McDonald Charity Ball and Sleapy’s Foundation Gala, performing at venues such as Newcastle Civic Theatre and NEX Newcastle. For 8 years, Cleo’s performed with Aspire (Maitland-Newcastle Diocese) in eight original productions at Newcastle Civic Theatre. In 2024, she was a dancer for The Very Popular Theatre Company’s production Superstars, sharing the stage with Marina Prior, Silvie Paladino and Chloe Zuel.
Alongside her performance career, Cleo has six years’ experience teaching dance, beginning at her childhood studio and expanding into guest teaching roles. She has mentored young First Nations performers, delivered cultural workshops in primary and secondary schools, and founded the St Paul’s Aboriginal Dance Group in 2020.
Cleo’s artistic and cultural leadership has been recognised both nationally and within her community, including being named the 2025 Year 11/12 National Yarning Competition Winner and presenting her choreographic work Ochre at Parliament House in Canberra. In the same year, she was nominated for Lake Mac Young Citizen of the Year, recognised as a Highly Commended Creative and Performing Arts Leader, and awarded the Lake Macquarie Mayor’s Rising Star Award.
Cleo’s movement is fuelled by the power of storytelling. She aspires to join Bangarra Dance Theatre and is committed to deepening her cultural and artistic practice through her training at NAISDA.