Performances

International Tour 2025

March 27 - April 6
Somos
Neilson Studio, Sydney Dance Company
October 22 - November 1
Continuum
Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay
December 3 - December 13
New Breed
Carriageworks, Eveleigh

“★★★★ Bold… impressive athleticism and energy… has to be seen to be believed.” – Sydney Morning Herald

Repertoire Archive

2024

Love Lock
Choreography / Melanie Lane
Inspired by the power of love stories, Melanie Lane’s bold new work Love Lock deconstructs love songs to create a folk dance that celebrates the fantasies and realities of love.
Duration: 25 minutes
momenta – Contemporary Dance Work
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
A journey into the poetry and physicality of human bonds.
Duration: 75 minutes

2023

The Shell, A Ghost, The Host & The Lyrebird
Choreography / Marina Mascarell
This piece poses many questions: the body's meaning and its capacity to transform; the relationship with technology, and the connection with nature.
Duration: 26 minutes
I Am-Ness
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
I Am-ness calls for the convergence of the moving body and creative mind, charting a world in flux where simplicity dominates, and expectations are subverted.
Duration: 15 minutes
Somos
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Meaning “we are” in Spanish, Somos features a cascade of intimate solos, duets and trios with a distinct Spanish flavour.
Duration: 50 minutes

2022

Summer
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
An uplifting new work from Rafael Bonachela, capturing the lightness and positivity of new beginnings. With a score by Australian composer Kate Moore, recorded by the Australian String Quartet and striking costumes by the masters of colour Romance Was Born, Summer will have your spirits soaring.
Duration: 16 minutes
The Universe is Here
Choreography / Stephanie Lake
Fusing movement and music, The Universe is Here brings blistering light to the stage and a fizzing glimpse of a haunted dreamscape. Poetic, fresh and forceful, Stephanie Lake's work is intricate and dynamic dance that hits you in the solar plexus.
Duration: 35 minutes

2021

Impermanence
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
A visceral and thrilling exploration of the juxtaposition of beauty and devastation, this full-length work features a new score full of emotional power from Grammy Award-winning composer Bryce Dessner performed in association with the Australian String Quartet.
Duration: 65 minutes

2020

Cuatro
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Four dancers. Four musicians. Four Films.
Duration: 14 minutes

2019

Us 50
Choreography / Gideon Obarzanek
Us 50 is a grand-scale work by Gideon Obarzanek featuring 50 performers made up of past dancers that have graced our stage, current Company dancers, and members of our community.
Duration: 40 minutes
Neon Aether
Choreography / Gabrielle Nankivell
Gabrielle Nankivell’s premiere, Neon Aether, is a theatrical adventure into the infinite unknown. Inspired by science fiction and outer space, audiences will be transported into a vivid, ethereal world beyond the clouds.
Duration: 25 minutes
Cinco
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Be moved by a “dazzling technical display of flexibility” (★★★★, Sydney Morning Herald) in the world premiere of Rafael Bonachela’s Cinco. Watch “elastic dynamic dancing” (The Daily Telegraph) from our award-winning dancers, in delicate costumes by revered fashion designer Bianca Spender, set to Alberto Ginastera’s soaring String Quartet No.2.
Duration: 26 minutes

2018

ab [intra] – Contemporary Dance Work
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
ab [intra],​ meaning ‘from within’ in Latin is ‘an exploration of our primal instincts, our impulses and our visceral responses’, says choreographer Rafael Bonachela. From tenderness to turmoil, ​ab [intra]​ is a journey of intense human existence that will command your attention.
Duration: 70 minutes
Forever & Ever
Choreography / Antony Hamilton
Set to a sonically stimulating score by The Presets’ Julian Hamilton, Forever & Ever fuses together a killer mix of dance, techno, high fashion and vivid lighting to hypnotic effect.
Duration: 36 minutes

2017

Ocho
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Explosive and powerful, Ocho, is "sexy, athletic choreography…" (Time Out Sydney), showcasing the dancers' virtuosity. Fusing a brutalist industrial dreamscape with a surging electronic score by Nick Wales that features haunting vocals by Aboriginal singer ​Rrawun Maymuru​ of the Mangalili clan, ​Ocho explores​ the infinite connections that exist between us all.
Duration: 40 minutes
Full Moon
Choreography / Cheng Tsung-lung
Cheng Tsung-lung's Full Moon harnesses the power of the moon and the mythology and poetry of mankind to thrilling effect.
Duration: 38 minutes
WOOF
Choreography / Melanie Lane
WOOF​ generates variations of collective actions that speak from matters of the heart. In an imagined physical future, stealing from classical dances, romantic paintings and pop culture, a re-invention of community takes place. In dialogue with Clark’s bold musical score, ​WOOF​ relentlessly forges a duality of instability and empowerment, harnessing the fantasy of a post-human collective spirit.
Duration: 20 minutes

2016

Lux Tenebris
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Lux Tenebris​ explores light and darkness with fiercely physical movement and deep, electronic beats by composer Nick Wales.
Duration: 40 minutes

2015

Frame of Mind
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Frame of Mind features a dramatic contemporary-classical soundtrack by Bryce Dessner (from American hit rock band The National), recorded by San Francisco’s virtuosic Kronos Quartet. ​Frame of Mind w​on four Helpmann Awards in 2015 – Best Choreography, Best Dance Work, Best Male Dancer and Best Female Dancer – in its critically acclaimed premiere season.
Duration: 35 minutes

2014

Wildebeest
Choreography / Gabrielle Nankivell
Gabrielle Nankivell’s eloquent creation, Wildebeest, showcases the power of dancers as individuals and strength en masse. Moody and animalistic, it’s backed by a stormy and industrial score by Luke Smiles.
Duration: 30 minutes

2010

6 Breaths
Choreography / Rafael Bonachela
Since the 2010 premiere of Rafael Bonachela’s award-winning 6 Breaths the work has toured to New York, London, Barcelona, the Venice Biennale in Italy and the prestigious Movimentos Festival in Germany. A symphony of dance, music by Italian composer Ezio Bosso and costume design by Josh Goot, this emotive work will take your breath away.
Duration: 40 minutes

Overview

Dates & Locations

2025


Dates 2 June – 30 August
Further dates to be revealed


Locations
France, Slovenia, Finland
Further locations to be revealed


In 2025, Sydney Dance Company’s ensemble of “awe-inspiring” (In Daily) dancers will tour internationally. From Paris to Ljubljana to Helsinki, we are thrilled to be bring our repertoire of works to international audiences.

DATES & LOCATIONS
2025
Date/sVenueLocationWork/s
2 JuneCankarjev domLjubljana, SloveniaTwofold
28 & 29 JuneTeatro RomanoSpoleto, ItalyImpermanence
11 - 15 JunePresented by La Villette and Chaillot - Théâtre national de la Danse, at La VilletteParis, FranceTwofold
28 - 30 AugustDance House Helsinki, Erkko HallHelsinki, FinlandImpermanence, Forever & Ever

Works & Creatives

Twofold

“Sydney Dance Company confirms its world-class status in this dazzling, superhuman double bill.” –
Sydney Morning Herald ★★★★★

Twofold is a monumental double bill featuring the return of Rafael Bonachela’s Impermanence alongside Melanie Lane’s new work, Love Lock.

Impermanence

A visceral and thrilling exploration of the juxtaposition of beauty and devastation, this full-length work by Rafael Bonachela features a score full of emotional power from Grammy Award-winning composer Bryce Dessner.

Best known as a founder of American rock band The National and for his film scores for The Revenant and The Two Popes, Dessner was initially inspired by the tragedy of the Australian bush fires and the Notre-Dame fire in Paris. Sydney Dance Company’s ensemble is joined live on stage by the Australian String Quartet. This is epic, driven performance that packs an emotional punch.

Choreographer: Rafael Bonachela
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Original Music Performed By: Australian String Quartet
Music Features:
 Another World by Anohni
Lighting Designer: Damien Cooper
Stage Designer: David Fleischer
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart

Love Lock

Inspired by the power of love stories, Melanie Lane’s bold new work Love Lock deconstructs love songs to create a folk dance that celebrates the fantasies and realities of love. With striking costumes by the iconic designer Akira Isogawa and a score by UK electronic artist Clark, don’t miss the world premiere of this rare and ambitious work.

Melanie Lane’s Love Lock is generously supported by Sydney Dance Company’s Visionary Patron Brett Clegg and the Clegg Foundation.

Choreography: Melanie Lane
Composer: Clark
Lighting and Set Design: Damien Cooper
Costume Design: Akira Isogawa

Media Reviews

Impermanence

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Impermanence displays some of Bonachela’s finest choreography: achingly beautiful, fluid shapes that power across the stage with breathtaking athleticism and sophisticated musicality.” – Sydney Morning Herald

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Impermanence is classic Sydney Dance Company repertoire: gorgeous, abstract, athletic.” – BachTrack

“Extraordinary… Form and function meet seamlessly in every aspect — Bonachela’s huge, fast, juicy movement, Damien Cooper’s luscious lighting, David Fleischer’s imposing stage design and Aleisa Jelbart’s nature-­inspired costumes, all in the tight embrace of Dessner’s score.” – The Australian

Love Lock

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “…choreographed with electric intelligence by Melanie Lane.” – Sydney Morning Herald

★ ★ ★ ★ “Each element of Love Lock is expertly crafted and together creates an unparalleled synergy. Every aspect – choreography, score, costuming and set – synthesises into a spectacular explosion of colour, richness and immersion that leaves the audience craving more.”- State of the Art 

“…Love Lock feels exceedingly contemporary. In fact, it feels like a glimpse into the future. You just can’t look away.” – ArtsHub

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Love Lock is a work of bold genius and unfiltered creativity… Cross oceans if you must. This is the real deal.” – Bach Track

+

Overview

Dates & Locations

2025


Dates 2 June – 30 August
Further dates to be revealed


Locations
France, Slovenia, Finland
Further locations to be revealed


In 2025, Sydney Dance Company’s ensemble of “awe-inspiring” (In Daily) dancers will tour internationally. From Paris to Ljubljana to Helsinki, we are thrilled to be bring our repertoire of works to international audiences.

DATES & LOCATIONS
2025
Date/s: 2 June
Venue: Cankarjev dom
Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Work/s: Twofold
Date/s: 28 & 29 June
Venue: Teatro Romano
Location: Spoleto, Italy
Work/s: Impermanence
Date/s: 11 - 15 June
Venue: Presented by La Villette and Chaillot - Théâtre national de la Danse, at La Villette
Location: Paris, France
Work/s: Twofold
Date/s: 28 - 30 August
Venue: Dance House Helsinki, Erkko Hall
Location: Helsinki, Finland
Work/s: Impermanence, Forever & Ever
+

Works & Creatives

Twofold

“Sydney Dance Company confirms its world-class status in this dazzling, superhuman double bill.” –
Sydney Morning Herald ★★★★★

Twofold is a monumental double bill featuring the return of Rafael Bonachela’s Impermanence alongside Melanie Lane’s new work, Love Lock.

Impermanence

A visceral and thrilling exploration of the juxtaposition of beauty and devastation, this full-length work by Rafael Bonachela features a score full of emotional power from Grammy Award-winning composer Bryce Dessner.

Best known as a founder of American rock band The National and for his film scores for The Revenant and The Two Popes, Dessner was initially inspired by the tragedy of the Australian bush fires and the Notre-Dame fire in Paris. Sydney Dance Company’s ensemble is joined live on stage by the Australian String Quartet. This is epic, driven performance that packs an emotional punch.

Choreographer: Rafael Bonachela
Composer: Bryce Dessner
Original Music Performed By: Australian String Quartet
Music Features:
 Another World by Anohni
Lighting Designer: Damien Cooper
Stage Designer: David Fleischer
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart

Love Lock

Inspired by the power of love stories, Melanie Lane’s bold new work Love Lock deconstructs love songs to create a folk dance that celebrates the fantasies and realities of love. With striking costumes by the iconic designer Akira Isogawa and a score by UK electronic artist Clark, don’t miss the world premiere of this rare and ambitious work.

Melanie Lane’s Love Lock is generously supported by Sydney Dance Company’s Visionary Patron Brett Clegg and the Clegg Foundation.

Choreography: Melanie Lane
Composer: Clark
Lighting and Set Design: Damien Cooper
Costume Design: Akira Isogawa

+

Media Reviews

Impermanence

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Impermanence displays some of Bonachela’s finest choreography: achingly beautiful, fluid shapes that power across the stage with breathtaking athleticism and sophisticated musicality.” – Sydney Morning Herald

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Impermanence is classic Sydney Dance Company repertoire: gorgeous, abstract, athletic.” – BachTrack

“Extraordinary… Form and function meet seamlessly in every aspect — Bonachela’s huge, fast, juicy movement, Damien Cooper’s luscious lighting, David Fleischer’s imposing stage design and Aleisa Jelbart’s nature-­inspired costumes, all in the tight embrace of Dessner’s score.” – The Australian

Love Lock

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “…choreographed with electric intelligence by Melanie Lane.” – Sydney Morning Herald

★ ★ ★ ★ “Each element of Love Lock is expertly crafted and together creates an unparalleled synergy. Every aspect – choreography, score, costuming and set – synthesises into a spectacular explosion of colour, richness and immersion that leaves the audience craving more.”- State of the Art 

“…Love Lock feels exceedingly contemporary. In fact, it feels like a glimpse into the future. You just can’t look away.” – ArtsHub

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Love Lock is a work of bold genius and unfiltered creativity… Cross oceans if you must. This is the real deal.” – Bach Track

Featuring works


Impermanence

Choreography

Rafael Bonachela

Duration

65 mins

First performed

2021

A visceral and thrilling exploration of the juxtaposition of beauty and devastation, this full-length work features a new score full of emotional power from Grammy Award-winning composer Bryce Dessner performed in association with the Australian String Quartet.

Love Lock

Choreography

Melanie Lane

Duration

25 mins

First performed

2024

Inspired by the power of love stories, Melanie Lane’s bold new work Love Lock deconstructs love songs to create a folk dance that celebrates the fantasies and realities of love.

Dancers
Chloe Young
Dancer
Coco Wood
Dancer
Dean Elliott
Dancer
Emily Seymour
Dancer
Jacopo Grabar
Dancer
Liam Green
Luke Hayward
Choreographer, New Breed 2022
Mia Thompson
Dancer
Madeline Harms
Artist
Morgan Hurrell
Dancer
Piran Scott
Dancer
Sophie Jones
Dancer