ORBIT 2026 | Expression of Interest

ORBIT 2026 is a new pilot touring program developed to address a critical gap in the Australian dance ecosystem: the absence of a sustainable touring model for small-to-medium scale independent dance works. Led by a consortium of Dancehouse (VIC), Sydney Dance Company (NSW), and Australian Dance Theatre (SA), ORBIT is built on the shared ambition to amplify and extend the life of existing independent works through strategic remounting and national presentation.

In 2026 ORBIT will present and tour four curated works. Each ORBIT tour offers a rich “whole night of dance” experience for audiences while providing independent choreographers the opportunity to remount and reintroduce significant works to new audiences.

ORBIT is designed for works that deserve more. This may be your greatest hit—a critically lauded or audience-adored work that only had a short life—or a standout piece from your body of work that never reached its touring potential. Whether it premiered last year or a decade ago, ORBIT is a platform for works that still have something to say, something to show, and somewhere else to go. We’re looking for powerful, polished, tour-ready works that have proven resonance and the potential to find fresh meaning and reach in 2026.

ORBIT has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body and delivered in partnership by Australian Dance Theatre, Dancehouse and Sydney Dance Company.

Each selected work will receive:

— Remount/licensing fee, paid directly to the creative team.
— One week of remount rehearsal space, at Dancehouse or Sydney Dance Company.
— Creative weekly wages for the touring party (up to 4 weeks total per tour across both works).
— Presentation in Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide.
— Travel, accommodation, and per diem for all artists in the touring party.

Professional tour support, including:

— One Lighting Realiser & Operator per touring party (shared).
— One Stage/Production Manager per touring party (shared).
— Technical, Front of House, Ticketing and Marketing coordination via ORBIT Producer (at Sydney Dance Company) and Core Partner organisations.

Each ORBIT tour presents two curated works (4 works total). Remount and Tour will occur during October – November 2026.

Each tour includes:

— 1 week remount in either Sydney or Melbourne.
— 3 city (minimum) presentation – Sydney, Melbourne & Adelaide.
— 3-4 performances per venue.

Works are selected and programmed together to ensure variety in tone, form, style, technical alignment or aesthetic.

ORBIT is open to independent Australian dance artists, collectives and companies who:

– Have previously presented a full-length work (public season, festival, premiere, or regional run).
– Can tour the work with a maximum of 5 artists.
– Are seeking to remount and tour an existing work.
– Are seeking to remount and tour a standout piece from your body of work that deserves another life.
– Can adapt the work to a variety of black box venues with minimal touring production needs.
– Are based in Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide (non First-Nations artist).

We encourage applications from:

– Artists from all career stages (emerging to established).
– Artists who identify as First Nations, from any state or territory.
– Artists who identify as part of the CALD, Deaf or Disabled and LGBTQIA+ communities.
– Artists based regionally or outside metro hubs.

** If you are a multi-year, state or federally funded arts organisation please seek advice from the ORBIT producer before submitting your application.**

ORBIT is open to independent Australian dance artists and/or collectives.

Geographic Eligibility:

At a minimum, one work will be selected with lead creatives of each host state (South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales) and one selected work will be First Nations-led. Noting that many First Nations artists create work on Country / outside of city centres, we are pleased to welcome applications from First Nations artists that are based anywhere in Australia.

Works led by non-First Nations artists living outside of the host states are not eligible for ORBIT in 2026.

Creative Eligibility:

Eligible works must have been presented previously and be able to be remounted and toured with a maximum of five artists.

Works need to be of outstanding quality and must be adaptable to a variety of black box venues with minimal touring and production needs. If your proposed work has high production needs but you’re proposing to reimagine the work for the ORBIT program, please outline this in your application.

Emerging, mid-career and established artists and collectives are all welcome to apply for ORBIT.

Works will be selected by the ORBIT Artistic and Programming Panel based on:

1. Artistic Strength & Distinction
— Clarity of choreographic voice.
— Innovation and craft of the original work.
— Continued relevance for audiences in 2026.

2. Viability for Touring
— Feasibility of technical tourability across venues.
— Adaptability for remount.
— Geographical location and size of touring party.

3. Audience Engagement Potential
— Evidence of strong audience or critical reception.
— Capacity to excite, stimulate and grow new audiences in all cities.

4. Alignment with ORBIT Values
— Strategic career opportunity for artist.
— Representation of diverse perspectives.
— Contribution to the broader ecology of independent dance.

The selection panel will include representatives from the ORBIT core partners — Dancehouse, Sydney Dance Company, and Australian Dance Theatre. The panel will also include two First Nations artists or arts workers, along with additional independent artists and arts workers, ensuring a diversity of voices and perspectives are part of the decision-making process.

Submissions will be via the Expression of Interest (EOI) form. Artists must provide:

1. Written Materials:
— Description of the work.
— Artist bio and summary of team.
— Production History.

2. Photographic & Video Documentation:
— Hi-Resolution production images.
— A full-length video of the original performance (no development showings).
— A short excerpt or promo no longer than 5min.

3. Technical Requirements:
— Full Technical Specification (sound, lighting, set).
— Description of how you may need adapt your work to be suitable for touring version and remount needs.

Applications will open on 2 February 2026 and close 24 March 2026.

The ORBIT core partners are committed to ensuring First Nations voices and stories are part of the program, with at least one (1) First Nations–led work included. We warmly encourage First Nations artists to submit an EOI.

If your work draws on Cultural or First Nations knowledge and stories, we invite you to share a short statement or documentation about how Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) protocols have been considered, respected, and approved. This helps us ensure the work is presented with cultural integrity and care.

You are also welcome to include information about the Country on which the work was created, or the communities and Elders you are connected to, if you would like this acknowledged as part of your application.

EOIs Open: 2 February 2026
Applicant Information Sessions: 4 March & 18 March 2026
EOIs Close: 24 March 2026
Panel Decisions: Late April 2026
Artists Notification & Contracting: Mid to late May 2026
Remount & Tour Dates: 19 October – 22 November 2026

Session Option 1
Wednesday 4 March 2026
2pm AEDT (ACT, NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS)
1:30pm ACDT / ACST(NT, SA)
12pm AWST (WA)

Session Option 2
Wednesday 18 March 2026
2pm AEDT (ACT, NSW, VIC, QLD, TAS)
1:30pm ACDT / ACST(NT, SA)
12pm AWST (WA)

** This schedule is duplicated for Production C & D and runs concurrently **

— All work MUST have had a professional public presentation by the EOI closing date of 24 March 2026.

— All works must be a minimum of 35 minutes in duration.

— The Lead Artist / Choreographer must be an Australian Citizen or permanent resident, creative teams and performers can be made up of Australian and international artists with the right to work in Australia.

— This opportunity is for professional dancers or choreographers with an established practice working within dance.

— Each EOI must be submitted by an individual contact person who may represent groups or collectives.

— Only one (1) Expression of Interest may be submitted per lead artist, choreographer, collective, or company. Multiple applications will not be accepted.

— Works should be the original creation of the lead artist/Choreographer and their creative team.

— The work will involve no more than 5 (five) people as a touring party. The touring party may include: lead artist/choreographer, dancers, performer musicians, actors, technicians etc.

— All works must be suitable and adaptable to be performed live in the Sylvia Staehli Theatre at Dancehouse Melbourne, Neilson Studio at Sydney Dance Company and The Odeon Adelaide. All applicants to familiarise themselves with the equipment and technical specifications of these venues prior to submitting an EOI (please see venue technical specifications).

— All works must be able to safely present two performances in one day, including consideration of performer stamina and technical requirements.

— All works must comply with modifications requested by the ORBIT core partners to create a sustainable touring production.

— All creative teams must be available for the full ORBIT remount, and touring party members must be available for the full ORBIT tour dates which will include travel, technical time, rehearsals and presentation. (please see key dates).

— While film, video, animation and new technologies may be elements within the live work, choreographic works created solely for the screen are ineligible.

— All works must be achievable within the limits of the ORBIT budget.

— All Artist must supply original production elements including but not limited to, costumes, music and set materials.

— “Presenter to Supply” production elements are permitted in your technical specifications.

— All works submitted must have full detailed technical specifications including Lighting and sound plans and show files from the original production in QLab.

— The Lead Artists / Choreographer must have all appropriate permissions, licenses and rights in place prior to submitting an application to remount and perform this work, if successful, ORBIT core partners will seek evidence of these items.

The ORBIT Core Partners reserve the right to require reasonable modification to the production elements or content of a selected work. These changes must be implemented within a reasonable timeframe. Reasons for change include but are not limited to; safety or risk; impracticality; tourability, adaptability for multiple venues and quick changeover etc.

There should not be any significant changes to the technical requirements of the work, from the date your EOI is submitted onwards i.e. lighting and sound cues, props, set and costume designs should remain consistent.

Artists must submit requested paperwork in detail to the ORBIT producer on or before the requested due date. This includes but not limited to:

— Technical Rider (including full equipment list)
— Cue lists (Audio, Video, Lighting)
— Music licensing
— Risk Assessment
— Audio/Video files in cueing order and in requested format.
— Any audience warnings that must accompany the work.
— Any significant changes, additions, or requests to the submitted technical requirements of a work after the stated submission dates may not be accepted.

Equipment

Any equipment required that is not comparable in both type and/or quantity offered by any of the ORBIT core partner venues must be provided by the Artist (with the approval of the ORBIT core partners). This includes all design elements as well as any additional specific technical equipment.

All design and technical elements and equipment used in the performance of the work are subject to the approval by the ORBIT core partners. This includes but is not limited to: any and all electrical equipment, large set items, items requiring rigging, use of potentially hazardous elements such as fire, smoke, liquids, heavy or hazardous objects.

All electrical equipment must be tested and tagged and deemed safe to use in the venues by each venue’s Production Manager.

Lighting

All selected works will have access to the same fixed general lighting rig, which once agreed to and installed, cannot be moved or refocused. This standard rig will be replicated, as closely as is practical, in all venues.

Selected works may request specialty lighting fixtures/special effects that are to be used exclusively for their work subject to budget and availability.

Sound

Standard fixed PA set-up will be provided to in each venue, please refer to each venue technical specifications

Microphones, additional speakers, subs and other miscellaneous audio equipment may be available on request subject to budget and availability.

Audio Visual

Projectors and other Audio-Visual equipment may be available on request subject to budget and availability.

Staging

Flooring — ORBIT core partners will consult with selected artists to determine whether the tarkett is black or white. It is vital that all works can be performed on both colours.

Other Staging Elements — Additional Drapes or a Cyclorama may be available on request; ORBIT core partners will consult with selected artists to determine whether they are available and within budget. It is vital that all works can be adapted to be performed without these elements if required.

Michael Sieders (Associate Producer, Sydney Dance Company & ORBIT Producer)
michaels@sydneydancecompany.com