Frances Rings is a descendant of the Kokatha Tribe from the West Coast of South Australia. She was appointed Associate Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2019. In December 2021, Rings was announced as the next Artistic Director of the company, after Stephen Page steps down from the role in 2023 after 32 years.

Frances made her main stage choreographic debut with Bangarra with the work Rations (Walkabout, 2022) and received outstanding critical acclaim. Frances has followed this by creating or co-creating a further seven works for the company: Bush (2003, co-choreographed with Stephen Page), Unaipon (2004), X300 (2007), Artefact (2010), Terrain (2012), Sheoak (2015) and SandSong (2021, co-choreographed with Stephen Page).

In 2016, Terrain toured regionally to Western Australia and South Australia, continuing in 2017 to regional Victoria and Tasmania. Unaipon was remounted as part of Bangarra’s 30th anniversary program, 30 years of sixty five thousand, in 2019.

Terrain is currently listed on the NSW Higher School Certificate Dance, as compulsory study for Appreciation (Dance).

In 2004, Bulletin Magazine named Frances in their Smart 100, following the world premiere of her work Unaipon at The Adelaide Festival of the Arts. Frances has choreographed works for many of Australia’s leading dance companies including West Australian Ballet and Tasdance, as well as continuing a successful independent career. Frances has also danced in works by many of Australia’s leading choreographers and companies including Meryl Tankard, Leigh Warren and Legs on the Wall.

Internationally, Frances has been fortunate to establish important intercultural relationships with both Kahawi Dance Theatre in Six Nations, Turtle Island (Canada) and Atamira Dance Company in Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand), where she was invited as guest collaborator and performer for their production MITIMITI choreographed by Jack Gray in 2015. In 2018, she was commissioned to create a new work for Atamira as part of their triple-bill, Kotahi.

Frances was appointed Head of Creative Studies at NAISDA Dance College from 2016-2019, and has directed five NAISDA end-of-year productions between 2014-2018: Your Skin, My Skin (2014), Kamu (2015), From Sand to Stage (2016) Restoration (2017), and Storyplace (2018).

Frances has received multiple awards for her work including six Helpmann Awards (2003, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2017) , a Deadly Award (2003), Australian Dance Award (2004) and a Green Room Award (2011).