Jeanette's cultural heritage is Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Papua New Guinean and South East Asian. Born in Papua New Guinea, Jeanette’s Aboriginal heritage stems from her Great Grandmother, Rosie Bombay, who was of the Stolen Generation, from Djabera Djabera, Western Australia. Rosie was raised on Thursday Island by an Irish family and trained to become one of the first Catholic missionaries to service Papua New Guinea, where she met and married a missionary from The Philippines.

As a proud descendant of such a strong Aboriginal woman who lived through immense diversity, Jeanette continues to search for her great grandmother’s family, utilising Indigenous contemporary performing arts to heal and reconnect her to her ‘fruit salad’ heritage.

Jeanette Fabila is a Teacher, Choreographer, Cultural Consultant and Performing Artist specialising in contemporary Indigenous dance.

Jeanette works to promote and maintain her Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, Papua New Guinean and South East Asian cultural heritage through a unique and innovative style of contemporary performance.

In 1994, Jeanette trained at National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) Dance College, graduating with a Certificate in Dance and Associate Diploma in Dance with Honours. She continued on as a Cultural Educator and Trainer at the Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts completing her Certificate IV in Assessment and Training in 2007, and Certificate IV in Assessment and Training in 2012. Since 2001, Jeanette has continued to deliver and share her knowledge as a Sessional Guest Lecturer for the World Dance Unit and more recently the Acting Department at Creative Industries at the Queensland University of Technology.

In 1998 Jeanette worked as a Dance Artist with Bangarra Dance Theatre on the inaugural Dance Clan season, dancing in Albert David's work Bipotim.

Highlights of her career include performing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics Flag Handover Ceremony and the Centenary of Federation Opening Ceremony (Sydney, 2000). She has also received great reviews for her work as Choreographer of the 2002 production Black Chicks Talking by Leah Purcell and for Bungabura Productions, later assisting them in the 2004 Cherbourg Youth Theatre Project as Director of Dance. Jeanette has also choreographed and performed as lead female Dancer and Singer for The Sing Sing Productions from 1996-2010.

Jeanette has established and revived the Jinibara Aboriginal Dance Troupe to welcome visitors and guests to the internationally-renowned Woodford Folk Festival as Traditional Owners for the first time in 30 years. Jeanette continues to educate and assist her Torres Strait Islander colleagues through Wyniss - a Musica Viva production which shares Torres Strait Islander cultures with the next generation.