Performances

New Breed 2023

Meet the choreographers!
6 — 16 December 2023

Four choreographers, four world premieres.

“Cowboy Barbie dolls, riots and an alien invasion: Welcome to the future of dance” – Sydney Morning Herald (New Breed 2023)

NEW BREED Principal Partner
Co-Presented with

Info, Dates & Prices


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course
language, depictions
of sexual violence,
graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and
coercion. Recommended for
ages
15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

In 2023, we are delighted to celebrate a decade of New Breed at Carriageworks. 

Leading the next generation of rich choreographic voices, this year’s program will feature works by Tra Mi Dinh, Beau Dean Riley Smith, Eliza Cooper and Riley Fitzgerald.  

Everyb0dy’s g0t a b0mb – by Riley Fitzgerald
Revenge Tales and Romance by Eliza Cooper
Somewhere between ten and fourteen by Tra Mi Dinh
Gubba by Beau Dean Riley Smith

Supporting emerging Australian artists and the future of contemporary dance is at the core of everything that we do. With the unwavering support of The Balnaves Foundation, New Breed has seen 35 emerging dance artists present world premiere works on the Company since its inception ten years ago. 

Don’t miss the chance to see four more dynamic, vibrant and thrilling works grace the stage this December. 

“There is no understating the importance of New Breed for choreographers, composers and dancers alike…” Fjord Review (New Breed 2021) 

Performance Dates

Wednesday 6 December – 7.30pm – Past event
Thursday 7 December – 7.30pm – Past event
Friday 8 December – 7.30pm – Past event
Saturday 9 December – 2pm & 7.30pm – Past event

Wednesday 13 December – 7.30pm – SOLD OUT, Same-day Rush Tickets
Thursday 14 December – 7.30pm – SOLD OUT, Same-day Rush Tickets
Friday 15 December – 7.30pm – SOLD OUT, Same-day Rush Tickets
Saturday 16 December – 2pm & 7.30pm – Best Availability 

 

Single Ticket Prices

TypeStallsFloor
Adult$59$52
Concession$49$42
Under 30$49$42

Playwave

Sydney Dance Company is partnered with Playwave, a membership platform for young people aged 15-24 that offers unprecedented access to discounted tickets, exclusive events, original content and more sweet features.

All Playwave members can enjoy $25 tickets to New Breed.

Limited allocations available – book now so you don’t miss out!

Follow @SydneyDanceCo and #2023SDC on Facebook and Instagram.

Buy a Performance Voucher here.

*Concession tickets are only valid for Australian Pensioners, Senior Card holders and Full-Time Students.

Authorised ticket sellers
The only authorised ticket seller for Annual Subscriptions is Sydney Dance Company.
The only authorised ticket sellers for Single Tickets are Sydney Dance Company, Playwave and Today Tix. Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered valid and reliable. In accordance with Terms and Conditions, Sydney Dance Company reserves the right to cancel tickets purchased from a Third Party Website (reseller) and the ticket holder may be refused admission to the event. For more information on purchasing tickets safely and securely, read Live Performance Australia’s Safe Tix Guide here.

Meet the Choreographers


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and coercion. Recommended for
ages 15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

Beau Dean Riley Smith

Beau is a Wiradjuri and Gamillaraay man from Dubbo NSW, raised on Yuin Country in Culburra Beach and Nowra, now living on Gadigal land.  

Beau is an award-winning dancer, choreographer and actor who performed with Bangarra from 2013 – 2022 under the artistic direction of Stephen Page. He studied Theatre at WAAPA and later joined NAISDA Dance College graduating with a Diploma of Dance. In his 10 years with the company, he has performed in over 22 major productions. Also performing in films, SPEAR (Stephen Page) and Moving Targets (Tony Albert) and choreographed Miyagan from OUR land people stories – a work that Bangarra returned to Country as part of the 2018 regional tour and won a Helpmann Award for best regional touring program.  

Beau’s career highlights include performing the title role in Bennelong (2017) of which he later won a Helpmann Award for Best Male Dancer in a Ballet, Dance, or Physical Theatre Production, an Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer and was nominated for the Greenroom Award for Dance (Male Performer).  

In 2022, Beau made his musical theatre debut as Dave Daylight in The Sunshine Club by Queensland Theatre under Wesley Enoch’s direction. In 2023 Beau will make is his Sydney Theatre Company debut in The Visitors directed by Wesley Enoch. Beau’s passion for First Nations storytelling crosses artistic disciplines to bring to life the distinctive energy and nuanced quality central to cultural and contemporary Indigenous life. 

Tra Mi Dinh

Tra Mi Dinh (b. Darlinghurst 1993) is an Australian dancer and choreographer working across Naarm/Melbourne and Sydney/Gadigal. Tra Mi is the most recent recipient of the Keir Choreographic Award for her work The ___ in 2022, and is incredibly grateful to receive a fellowship from the late Chloe Munro AO and Lucy Guerin Inc.  

As a dancer, she’s worked for artists and companies including Lucy Guerin Inc, Chunky Move, Stephanie Lake Company, Dance Makers Collective, Victoria Chiu, Joel Bray Dance, Lee Serle, Michelle Heaven, Nithya Nagarajan, Siobhan McKenna, Isabelle Beauvard, and Monica Bill Barnes & Company.  

Dinh has developed her choreographic work through the support of residencies at Tasdance’s On the Island Program, Sydney Fringe’s Art in Isolation, Critical Path, March Dance, Ausdance’ DAIR program, LGI’s Moving Forward Residency, and DirtyFeet’s Out of the Studio program. She premiered her debut solo work HOLDING at March Dance in Sydney 2021, presented (UP)HOLDING at Brand X, Darlinghurst in January 2023 and at Dancehouse, Carlton April 2023.  

Tra Mi studied at Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, graduating in 2014 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) and the Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship for Most Outstanding Dancer. 

Eliza Cooper

Eliza graduated from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts (2015) and received a Certificate IV in Dance in Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year program (2016). She continued her studies with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in the MASA Program (2017) and completed the Advanced Diploma in Dance accreditation at Sydney Dance Company (2021). 

Since 2018, Eliza has worked as a seasonal dancer for Opera Australia (Dance Captain), Dance Makers Collective and Pepa Molina’s ‘Las Flamenkas’ flamenco ensemble. She presented numerous short choreographic works at esteemed venues including PACT Theatre, Riverside Theatres, NIDA Theatres, the Zichri Theatre (Kibbutz Ga’aton) and Town Hall Sydney. 

In 2019, Eliza’s first full-length work ‘Old Life/ Dead Life’ premiered at the Old 505 Theatre in a highly successful sold-out season. In 2022, her second full-length work ‘Bat Lake’ premiered at Riverside Theatres in Form Dance Project’s ‘Dance Bites’ series.  

In 2022, Sydney Dance Company’s Youth Ensemble presented her work ‘Play’ in it’s Neilson Studio and Configuration Company’s junior ensemble premiered ‘An Army of Frogs’ in ‘Movement Display’. In 2023, Eliza began developing her next major solo work ‘Snake Battle’ and worked with the PPY2s on an ensemble work ‘Chasing Fowls, Catching Rabbits’. 

In 2023, Eliza received a prestigious ATLAS Choreographic Training Programme scholarship for ImPulsTanz: Vienna International Dance Festival. She will undertake intensive choreographic development and mentorship in Vienna with sponsorship from Life Long Burning and the EU’s Creative Europe programme. 

Eliza works as a movement director in fashion for leading designers such as Lee Mathews and Martyn Thompson and is a freelance costume designer and maker. 

  

Riley Fitzgerald

Riley started dancing when he was 10 years old joining an all-boys hip-hop class in country Victoria. He quickly progressed to training with the Anita Coutts School of Dance, which set the tone for the years to come. 

Following this Riley moved to Melbourne to the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School where he studied for 3 years, during which he made his professional debut featuring in The White Prince by Stephen Agisilaou. 

Riley then completed his Level 6 Diploma of Dance Performance at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington where he trained under James O’Hara and Tor Columbus to name a few. Whilst in New Zealand he performed work by Damien Jalet and Huang Yi as a part of his graduate year. 

Riley’s professional career took off in 2019 when he became a member of Sydney Dance Company under director Rafael Bonachela. Whilst a member of Sydney Dance Company he performed soloist roles nationally and internationally in works such as ab [intra], Lux Tenebris, Impermanence and the critically acclaimed Six Breaths. He also performed work by Gideon Obarzanek. 

Following this Riley made the move to France, where he joined Ballet National de Marseille performing works by La Horde, Tania Carvalho, Oona Doherty, Lasseindra Ninja and Alexandre Roccoli, touring extensively throughout France and Europe. 

Works & Creatives

Works & Creatives

Everyb0dy’s g0t a b0mb

Choreographer: Riley Fitzgerald
Music: Echoes in Space and Beirut Symphony by Rami Khalifé
Set Designer: Adrienne Andrews
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Revenge Tales and Romance

Choreographer: Eliza Cooper in collaboration with the dancers
Composer: Mason Peronchik
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Somewhere between ten and fourteen

Choreographer: Tra Mi Dinh
Composer & Sound Designer: Tilman Robinson
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Gubba

Choreographer: Beau Dean Riley Smith
Composer & Sound Designer: Brendon Boney
Music: Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds

  • The Eve of War (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne
  • Horsell Common and the Heat Ray (Album version) – Jeff Wayne
  • The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne
  • The Red Weed (Part 1) (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne
  • Brave New World (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne
  • The Spirit of Man (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne

Breathe by The Prodigy – Liam Howlett, Keith Flint, Maxim Reality

Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Audience & Media


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes, partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the Australian Frontier
Wars depicting violent
acts and coercion.
Recommended for ages
15+. Parental discretion is advised.

2022

★★★★ “From sex and horror to romance and escapism: New Breed has it all” – Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★ “exhilarating contemporary dance” – Sydney Arts Guide

“I felt like I was watching the future of dance, nothing like I’d ever seen before” – Audience member

2021

“Choreography and storytelling are finely balanced to make an effective and moving work.” – Sydney Morning Herald (Given Unto Thee by Jasmin Sheppard)

“The moves are interesting, athletic and often original, enhanced by the amusing contrast of operatic arias to accompany them, no doubt another nudge at stereotypes.” – Sydney Morning Herald (Stereotipo Jacopo Grabar)

2021

“SDC’s dancers have re-emerged as technically stunning and emotionally compelling as ever, and this year’s New Breed presents fresh work from an importantly diverse range of Australian voices and backgrounds.” – Bachtrack

“Tackling vastly different subject matters, the works are immersive, full of risk and thoroughly enjoyable.” – Fjord Review

2019

★★★★ “Well worth seeing… Extraordinary… powerful… memorable – The Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★ “Full of a wonderful sense of adventure, but also with the choreographic and theatrical nous to pull off an eclectic and consistently satisfying night of dance.” – Timeout

★★★★ “The programs ends on a buzzing high; the world is on fire, but we still make art, and maybe that makes the art even more urgent, even more beautiful.” – Time Out

‘What a great night of dance: all of it brand spanking new, performed by some of the best movers on the planet and offered at $35 a ticket.’ – The Australian

★★★★ “Elastic dynamic dancing… a thrilling dance work flush with wit and invention” – Daily Review

As the staging tips us to the edge of a precipice we are treated to some riveting moments of almost magically achieved movement. It is extraordinarily emotional.” – Artshub

2017

“New Breed by @sydneydanceco at @Carriageworks is maybe it’s best year yet. Amazing works, especially Melanie Lane’s WOOF which is about as good as contemporary dance gets” – Subscriber

“Last night caught @sydneydanceco New Breed show @carriageworks in Redfern powerful challenging stuff. Highly recommended.” – Subscriber

Chair's Evening


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and coercion. Recommended for
ages 15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

New Breed Chair’s Evening

Make a night of it at our very special Chair’s Evening during New Breed, with an intimate Pre-show Reception hosted by Sydney Dance Company Board Chair, Emma-Jane Newton, and Sydney Dance Company Rehearsal Director Richard Cilli and insight into the work from the dance makers.

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with Sydney Dance Company’s family of supporters and friends, while celebrating the season over drinks and canapés.

Wednesday 13 December 2023
6:30pm: Pre-show Reception at Carriageworks
7:30pm: Performance in Carriageworks Bay 20

Chair’s Single Ticket 
$90

Ticket price includes the drinks and canapés Reception and your Premium seat in the theatre.

The Journey of New Breed


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and coercion. Recommended for
ages 15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of New Breed, proudly supported by The Balnaves Foundation, we commissioned multimedia artist Pedro Greig to create a six-part documentary series, The Journey of New Breed, to showcase the programs’ enduring legacy.

https://my.sydneydancecompany.com/events

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 1

Since its inception, 35 emerging dance artists have presented world premiere works on the Company. We sat down with Victoria & Hamish Balnaves and our Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela to discuss the creation of this program, its legacy and immense impact within the industry.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 2

In the second episode, we sat down with New Breed 2015 choreographer and Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) Daniel Riley to discuss his experience at Sydney Dance Company and the creative process of his work Reign.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 3

In the third episode, we reflect on the boundary-pushing works presented over the years as part of this vital program and the importance of giving emerging artists the opportunity to showcase their unique choreographic voice.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 4

In the fourth episode, we sat down with Melanie Lane, New Breed 2017 choreographer who brought us the critically acclaimed WOOF.

After premiering at New Breed 2017, this incredible work later became a part of the Company’s repertoire and toured nationally across 6 states and 12 locations in 2019. Melanie dives into how the instinctive, primal and raw energy of WOOF came to be and the pivotal role New Breed played in her career.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 5

In the fifth episode, we speak to Gabrielle Nankivell, whose work Wildebeest came to life in New Breed 2014 and later graced the international stage to great acclaim. Gabrielle discusses how the work has developed since its creation and the significance of Wildebeest in her career.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 6

In this final episode, we interview the inimitable Jenni Large about her New Breed 2022 work S U C K E R, as well as The Balnaves Foundation, Rafael Bonachela and other past choreographers as they reflect on the lasting impact of New Breed.

+

Info, Dates & Prices


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course
language, depictions
of sexual violence,
graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and
coercion. Recommended for
ages
15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

In 2023, we are delighted to celebrate a decade of New Breed at Carriageworks. 

Leading the next generation of rich choreographic voices, this year’s program will feature works by Tra Mi Dinh, Beau Dean Riley Smith, Eliza Cooper and Riley Fitzgerald.  

Everyb0dy’s g0t a b0mb – by Riley Fitzgerald
Revenge Tales and Romance by Eliza Cooper
Somewhere between ten and fourteen by Tra Mi Dinh
Gubba by Beau Dean Riley Smith

Supporting emerging Australian artists and the future of contemporary dance is at the core of everything that we do. With the unwavering support of The Balnaves Foundation, New Breed has seen 35 emerging dance artists present world premiere works on the Company since its inception ten years ago. 

Don’t miss the chance to see four more dynamic, vibrant and thrilling works grace the stage this December. 

“There is no understating the importance of New Breed for choreographers, composers and dancers alike…” Fjord Review (New Breed 2021) 

Performance Dates

Wednesday 6 December – 7.30pm – Past event
Thursday 7 December – 7.30pm – Past event
Friday 8 December – 7.30pm – Past event
Saturday 9 December – 2pm & 7.30pm – Past event

Wednesday 13 December – 7.30pm – SOLD OUT, Same-day Rush Tickets
Thursday 14 December – 7.30pm – SOLD OUT, Same-day Rush Tickets
Friday 15 December – 7.30pm – SOLD OUT, Same-day Rush Tickets
Saturday 16 December – 2pm & 7.30pm – Best Availability 

 

Single Ticket Prices

Type: Adult
Stalls: $59
Floor: $52
Type: Concession
Stalls: $49
Floor: $42
Type: Under 30
Stalls: $49
Floor: $42

Playwave

Sydney Dance Company is partnered with Playwave, a membership platform for young people aged 15-24 that offers unprecedented access to discounted tickets, exclusive events, original content and more sweet features.

All Playwave members can enjoy $25 tickets to New Breed.

Limited allocations available – book now so you don’t miss out!

Follow @SydneyDanceCo and #2023SDC on Facebook and Instagram.

Buy a Performance Voucher here.

*Concession tickets are only valid for Australian Pensioners, Senior Card holders and Full-Time Students.

Authorised ticket sellers
The only authorised ticket seller for Annual Subscriptions is Sydney Dance Company.
The only authorised ticket sellers for Single Tickets are Sydney Dance Company, Playwave and Today Tix. Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered valid and reliable. In accordance with Terms and Conditions, Sydney Dance Company reserves the right to cancel tickets purchased from a Third Party Website (reseller) and the ticket holder may be refused admission to the event. For more information on purchasing tickets safely and securely, read Live Performance Australia’s Safe Tix Guide here.

+

Meet the Choreographers


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and coercion. Recommended for
ages 15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

Beau Dean Riley Smith

Beau is a Wiradjuri and Gamillaraay man from Dubbo NSW, raised on Yuin Country in Culburra Beach and Nowra, now living on Gadigal land.  

Beau is an award-winning dancer, choreographer and actor who performed with Bangarra from 2013 – 2022 under the artistic direction of Stephen Page. He studied Theatre at WAAPA and later joined NAISDA Dance College graduating with a Diploma of Dance. In his 10 years with the company, he has performed in over 22 major productions. Also performing in films, SPEAR (Stephen Page) and Moving Targets (Tony Albert) and choreographed Miyagan from OUR land people stories – a work that Bangarra returned to Country as part of the 2018 regional tour and won a Helpmann Award for best regional touring program.  

Beau’s career highlights include performing the title role in Bennelong (2017) of which he later won a Helpmann Award for Best Male Dancer in a Ballet, Dance, or Physical Theatre Production, an Australian Dance Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer and was nominated for the Greenroom Award for Dance (Male Performer).  

In 2022, Beau made his musical theatre debut as Dave Daylight in The Sunshine Club by Queensland Theatre under Wesley Enoch’s direction. In 2023 Beau will make is his Sydney Theatre Company debut in The Visitors directed by Wesley Enoch. Beau’s passion for First Nations storytelling crosses artistic disciplines to bring to life the distinctive energy and nuanced quality central to cultural and contemporary Indigenous life. 

Tra Mi Dinh

Tra Mi Dinh (b. Darlinghurst 1993) is an Australian dancer and choreographer working across Naarm/Melbourne and Sydney/Gadigal. Tra Mi is the most recent recipient of the Keir Choreographic Award for her work The ___ in 2022, and is incredibly grateful to receive a fellowship from the late Chloe Munro AO and Lucy Guerin Inc.  

As a dancer, she’s worked for artists and companies including Lucy Guerin Inc, Chunky Move, Stephanie Lake Company, Dance Makers Collective, Victoria Chiu, Joel Bray Dance, Lee Serle, Michelle Heaven, Nithya Nagarajan, Siobhan McKenna, Isabelle Beauvard, and Monica Bill Barnes & Company.  

Dinh has developed her choreographic work through the support of residencies at Tasdance’s On the Island Program, Sydney Fringe’s Art in Isolation, Critical Path, March Dance, Ausdance’ DAIR program, LGI’s Moving Forward Residency, and DirtyFeet’s Out of the Studio program. She premiered her debut solo work HOLDING at March Dance in Sydney 2021, presented (UP)HOLDING at Brand X, Darlinghurst in January 2023 and at Dancehouse, Carlton April 2023.  

Tra Mi studied at Victorian College of the Arts, University of Melbourne, graduating in 2014 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance) and the Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship for Most Outstanding Dancer. 

Eliza Cooper

Eliza graduated from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts (2015) and received a Certificate IV in Dance in Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year program (2016). She continued her studies with Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company in the MASA Program (2017) and completed the Advanced Diploma in Dance accreditation at Sydney Dance Company (2021). 

Since 2018, Eliza has worked as a seasonal dancer for Opera Australia (Dance Captain), Dance Makers Collective and Pepa Molina’s ‘Las Flamenkas’ flamenco ensemble. She presented numerous short choreographic works at esteemed venues including PACT Theatre, Riverside Theatres, NIDA Theatres, the Zichri Theatre (Kibbutz Ga’aton) and Town Hall Sydney. 

In 2019, Eliza’s first full-length work ‘Old Life/ Dead Life’ premiered at the Old 505 Theatre in a highly successful sold-out season. In 2022, her second full-length work ‘Bat Lake’ premiered at Riverside Theatres in Form Dance Project’s ‘Dance Bites’ series.  

In 2022, Sydney Dance Company’s Youth Ensemble presented her work ‘Play’ in it’s Neilson Studio and Configuration Company’s junior ensemble premiered ‘An Army of Frogs’ in ‘Movement Display’. In 2023, Eliza began developing her next major solo work ‘Snake Battle’ and worked with the PPY2s on an ensemble work ‘Chasing Fowls, Catching Rabbits’. 

In 2023, Eliza received a prestigious ATLAS Choreographic Training Programme scholarship for ImPulsTanz: Vienna International Dance Festival. She will undertake intensive choreographic development and mentorship in Vienna with sponsorship from Life Long Burning and the EU’s Creative Europe programme. 

Eliza works as a movement director in fashion for leading designers such as Lee Mathews and Martyn Thompson and is a freelance costume designer and maker. 

  

Riley Fitzgerald

Riley started dancing when he was 10 years old joining an all-boys hip-hop class in country Victoria. He quickly progressed to training with the Anita Coutts School of Dance, which set the tone for the years to come. 

Following this Riley moved to Melbourne to the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School where he studied for 3 years, during which he made his professional debut featuring in The White Prince by Stephen Agisilaou. 

Riley then completed his Level 6 Diploma of Dance Performance at the New Zealand School of Dance in Wellington where he trained under James O’Hara and Tor Columbus to name a few. Whilst in New Zealand he performed work by Damien Jalet and Huang Yi as a part of his graduate year. 

Riley’s professional career took off in 2019 when he became a member of Sydney Dance Company under director Rafael Bonachela. Whilst a member of Sydney Dance Company he performed soloist roles nationally and internationally in works such as ab [intra], Lux Tenebris, Impermanence and the critically acclaimed Six Breaths. He also performed work by Gideon Obarzanek. 

Following this Riley made the move to France, where he joined Ballet National de Marseille performing works by La Horde, Tania Carvalho, Oona Doherty, Lasseindra Ninja and Alexandre Roccoli, touring extensively throughout France and Europe. 

+

Works & Creatives

Works & Creatives

Everyb0dy’s g0t a b0mb

Choreographer: Riley Fitzgerald
Music: Echoes in Space and Beirut Symphony by Rami Khalifé
Set Designer: Adrienne Andrews
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Revenge Tales and Romance

Choreographer: Eliza Cooper in collaboration with the dancers
Composer: Mason Peronchik
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Somewhere between ten and fourteen

Choreographer: Tra Mi Dinh
Composer & Sound Designer: Tilman Robinson
Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

Gubba

Choreographer: Beau Dean Riley Smith
Composer & Sound Designer: Brendon Boney
Music: Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds

  • The Eve of War (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne
  • Horsell Common and the Heat Ray (Album version) – Jeff Wayne
  • The Artilleryman and the Fighting Machine (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne
  • The Red Weed (Part 1) (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne
  • Brave New World (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne
  • The Spirit of Man (Album Version) – Jeff Wayne, Gary Osborne

Breathe by The Prodigy – Liam Howlett, Keith Flint, Maxim Reality

Costume Designer: Aleisa Jelbart
Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage

+

Audience & Media


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes, partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the Australian Frontier
Wars depicting violent
acts and coercion.
Recommended for ages
15+. Parental discretion is advised.

2022

★★★★ “From sex and horror to romance and escapism: New Breed has it all” – Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★ “exhilarating contemporary dance” – Sydney Arts Guide

“I felt like I was watching the future of dance, nothing like I’d ever seen before” – Audience member

2021

“Choreography and storytelling are finely balanced to make an effective and moving work.” – Sydney Morning Herald (Given Unto Thee by Jasmin Sheppard)

“The moves are interesting, athletic and often original, enhanced by the amusing contrast of operatic arias to accompany them, no doubt another nudge at stereotypes.” – Sydney Morning Herald (Stereotipo Jacopo Grabar)

2021

“SDC’s dancers have re-emerged as technically stunning and emotionally compelling as ever, and this year’s New Breed presents fresh work from an importantly diverse range of Australian voices and backgrounds.” – Bachtrack

“Tackling vastly different subject matters, the works are immersive, full of risk and thoroughly enjoyable.” – Fjord Review

2019

★★★★ “Well worth seeing… Extraordinary… powerful… memorable – The Sydney Morning Herald

★★★★ “Full of a wonderful sense of adventure, but also with the choreographic and theatrical nous to pull off an eclectic and consistently satisfying night of dance.” – Timeout

★★★★ “The programs ends on a buzzing high; the world is on fire, but we still make art, and maybe that makes the art even more urgent, even more beautiful.” – Time Out

‘What a great night of dance: all of it brand spanking new, performed by some of the best movers on the planet and offered at $35 a ticket.’ – The Australian

★★★★ “Elastic dynamic dancing… a thrilling dance work flush with wit and invention” – Daily Review

As the staging tips us to the edge of a precipice we are treated to some riveting moments of almost magically achieved movement. It is extraordinarily emotional.” – Artshub

2017

“New Breed by @sydneydanceco at @Carriageworks is maybe it’s best year yet. Amazing works, especially Melanie Lane’s WOOF which is about as good as contemporary dance gets” – Subscriber

“Last night caught @sydneydanceco New Breed show @carriageworks in Redfern powerful challenging stuff. Highly recommended.” – Subscriber

+

Chair's Evening


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and coercion. Recommended for
ages 15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

New Breed Chair’s Evening

Make a night of it at our very special Chair’s Evening during New Breed, with an intimate Pre-show Reception hosted by Sydney Dance Company Board Chair, Emma-Jane Newton, and Sydney Dance Company Rehearsal Director Richard Cilli and insight into the work from the dance makers.

This is a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with Sydney Dance Company’s family of supporters and friends, while celebrating the season over drinks and canapés.

Wednesday 13 December 2023
6:30pm: Pre-show Reception at Carriageworks
7:30pm: Performance in Carriageworks Bay 20

Chair’s Single Ticket 
$90

Ticket price includes the drinks and canapés Reception and your Premium seat in the theatre.

+

The Journey of New Breed


Dates
6 – 16 December


Location
Carriageworks


Principal Partner
The Balnaves Foundation


Warnings
Theatrical haze, strobe
lighting, mature themes,
partial nudity, course language, depictions of sexual violence, graphic representation of the
Australian Frontier Wars
depicting violent acts and coercion. Recommended for
ages 15+. Parental discretion
is advised.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of New Breed, proudly supported by The Balnaves Foundation, we commissioned multimedia artist Pedro Greig to create a six-part documentary series, The Journey of New Breed, to showcase the programs’ enduring legacy.

https://my.sydneydancecompany.com/events

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 1

Since its inception, 35 emerging dance artists have presented world premiere works on the Company. We sat down with Victoria & Hamish Balnaves and our Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela to discuss the creation of this program, its legacy and immense impact within the industry.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 2

In the second episode, we sat down with New Breed 2015 choreographer and Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT) Daniel Riley to discuss his experience at Sydney Dance Company and the creative process of his work Reign.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 3

In the third episode, we reflect on the boundary-pushing works presented over the years as part of this vital program and the importance of giving emerging artists the opportunity to showcase their unique choreographic voice.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 4

In the fourth episode, we sat down with Melanie Lane, New Breed 2017 choreographer who brought us the critically acclaimed WOOF.

After premiering at New Breed 2017, this incredible work later became a part of the Company’s repertoire and toured nationally across 6 states and 12 locations in 2019. Melanie dives into how the instinctive, primal and raw energy of WOOF came to be and the pivotal role New Breed played in her career.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 5

In the fifth episode, we speak to Gabrielle Nankivell, whose work Wildebeest came to life in New Breed 2014 and later graced the international stage to great acclaim. Gabrielle discusses how the work has developed since its creation and the significance of Wildebeest in her career.

The Journey of New Breed, Episode 6

In this final episode, we interview the inimitable Jenni Large about her New Breed 2022 work S U C K E R, as well as The Balnaves Foundation, Rafael Bonachela and other past choreographers as they reflect on the lasting impact of New Breed.