Dance

Australian dance is recognised for its athleticism, distinctive style and diversity.

A host of outstanding dancers and choreographers has earned Australia a global reputation for taking the artform to new heights.

The dance board fosters the development and growth of Australian dance. It supports excellence, encourages participation, increases distribution and builds artistic sustainability. Its vision is to see dance thrive.

The dance board shares the strategic directions of the Council. It also engages in international market development and promotion, education and creative communities via partnerships and strategic relationships with other sections of the organisation and government. Read more about the board

Image: Paul White in The Oracle by Meryl Tankard. Photo: Regis Lansac

Dance Skills Development Opportunities

Explore a variety of funding opportunities available across Australia and internationally. Find out more

Why the world stage is so important today for Australian dance?

Opinion piece by Carin Mistry, Director of the Dance Board

Until the 1970’s, many successful Australian dancers just packed up and left for Europe. For most, this was a permanent move – there was little zipping back and forth between the hemispheres – for most, a choice had to be made. Europe offered them an established dance infrastructure, a dance culture of practice and appreciation, with career opportunities not then available in Australia.
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Latest News and Projects

Dance on Tour

Dance on Tour (DOT) is a joint initiative of four internationally acclaimed and award winning dance companies, Expressions Dance Company, Australian Dance Theatre, KAGE and Shaun Parker & Company. This initiative has been created to maximise awareness, access and engagement with outstanding dance theatre in regional and remote areas of Australia.

The Australia Council and the National Cultural Policy

New investment in Australian creativity

Rupert Myer AM, Chair of the Australia Council for the Arts has today welcomed the launch of the National Cultural Policy and response to the recommendations of the Australia Council review. Read more >

Massive month of dance in Melbourne - Dance Massive in Artery

Two weeks. Fourteen shows. Hundreds of dancers. Thousands of steps. This March, Dance Massive returns to Melbourne for a fortnight of Australian contemporary dance. There are new works, including the final piece of Matthew Day’s solo trilogy, Intermission, and Lee Serle’s P.O.V. There are works you might have missed the first time around, such as Lucy Guerin’s Conversation Piece and Natalie Abbott’s Physical Fractals, as well as the chance to engage with works still in development that may just become the next big thing.

Dance dialogues: Carin Mistry and Jeff Khan on the 2013 National Dance Forum

Dance dialogues: Carin Mistry and Jeff Khan on the 2013 National Dance Forum in Artery.

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Dance Board members

Elizabeth Walsh Chair, community interest representative (TAS)
Sandra Collins, producer, Version 1.0 (NSW)
Matthew Morse, Executive Director, Strategy and Programs of Creative Partnerships Australia (VIC)
Michelle Ryan, Artistic Director of Restless Dance Theatre (SA)
Rosemary Hinde independent creative producer who for more than 20 years has specialised in projects that connect Australian and Asian arts and artists (VIC)