Australasian Dance Collective’s BLUE Marks 40 Years of Bole Innovation

A 40th anniversary can feel like a time for quiet reflection, but ADC has chosen to make it a vibrant affair instead. They’ve consistently been at the forefront of Australian dance, weaving bold ideas into every performance. For four decades, the company has been shaped by women at the helm—visionaries who refused to be pigeonholed or overshadowed. From founding artistic director Maggi Sietsma AM (who laid the groundwork in 1984) right through to current Artistic Director and CEO Amy Hollingsworth, ADC has shown the world that dance can be as unstoppable as it is inclusive.

Meanwhile, Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) also marks its 40th year, a happy coincidence that speaks to the synergy between Queensland’s flagship performing arts venue and its fearless dance collective. Since that very first QPAC debut in 1985, ADC has returned to these stages time and again, crafting works that blend kinetic artistry with raw emotional resonance. Ask any dance aficionado, and they’ll tell you QPAC and ADC have grown in tandem. Now, BLUE is bringing that shared history full circle, anchored by three distinct choreographic masterpieces.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed

BLUE will command the Playhouse stage at QPAC from 14 to 17 May 2025. If you’re pondering how a single evening of dance can possibly reflect four decades of history while still looking forward, you’re in for a treat: the programme is built on the delightful tradition of “something old, something new, and something borrowed.”

The Return of a Classic

First up is WHEN TIME STOPS, choreographed by former ADC Artistic Director Natalie Weir. Originally presented in 2013, this piece remains a lynchpin in the company’s repertoire, capturing the complexity of life’s pivotal moments—births, deaths, and everything in between. Set to a sweeping score by Iain Grandage, the dance effortlessly shifts from fragile stillness to surging motion, replicating those precious instants when time seems to freeze. It’s no wonder audiences have clamoured for its return.

For fans of epic live music, you’ll be thrilled to learn that Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra will perform as part of this excerpt, just like the original run. The resonant strings and stirring crescendos add spine-tingling energy, filling the theatre and amplifying the dancers’ every gesture. This rare chance to see WHEN TIME STOPS accompanied live is only possible through the combined support of Arts Queensland and QPAC—proving, once again, how vital partnerships are to the arts in this region.

Also making a cameo is Riannon McLean, an original cast member who has been away from ADC for 12 years. Her return is generating no small amount of excitement. Seasoned theatregoers might recall her magnetic presence on stage: McLean has a knack for distilling pure emotion into each movement, and seeing her slip back into a role that once defined her career is sure to be a highlight of BLUE. Expect goosebumps.

A Visionary World Premiere

Up next, we venture into brand-new territory with GLASS TEETH, choreographed by the extraordinary Melanie Lane. If you’ve encountered Lane’s work before—be it in Australia, Europe, or anywhere else she’s performed—you know her trademark style is part visceral physicality, part dreamlike exploration. In GLASS TEETH, she delves into the ancient belief that dreaming can act as a supernatural form of divine intervention. The result? A dark, immersive journey through the feverish landscapes of nightmares, fantasies, and all the murky places our minds wander while we sleep.

In a stroke of visionary synergy, Lane’s piece features a newly commissioned soundscape by Clark, the UK electronic music pioneer celebrated for his futuristic compositions. Combine that pulsing score with Lane’s knack for blending dancers into swirling human sculptures, and you’ll get a production guaranteed to challenge the senses. Meanwhile, Brisbane fashion luminary Gail Sorronda lends her talent to the costuming, following her previous collaboration with ADC on Weir’s The Dinner Party. Her designs lean into bold shapes and striking silhouettes, reflecting the piece’s surreal undertones. If you appreciate it when dance, music, and fashion intersect in unexpected ways, GLASS TEETH should be right up your alley.

The Borrowed Masterwork

Finally, BLUE culminates in the rarely staged IN YOUR ROOMS by global superstar choreographer Hofesh ShechterOBE. Critics worldwide have hailed Hofesh Shechter as one of the most incisive voices in contemporary dance, revered for his high-impact, sometimes primal style. This is the “something borrowed” portion of the evening—a testament to ADC’s willingness to bring international works of note to Australian audiences.

Shechter’s creation is a whirlwind of kinetic energy, forging a visceral link between performers and viewers. IN YOUR ROOMS grapples with themes of shared humanity and the messiness of modern life. An ensemble of eight dancers moves in waves of tension and release, propelled by Shechter’s own trademark scoring. Yes, you read that correctly: Hofesh Shechter often composes the music himself, intensifying the unity between sound and movement. The result is a piece that feels both deeply personal and startlingly universal, exploring the contradictions of human existence with unfiltered honesty.

It’s not every day you get to see a work by a choreographer who has partnered with The Royal Ballet, Nederlands Dans Theater 1, and the Paris Opera Ballet—all under one roof in Brisbane. If that alone isn’t reason enough to snap up tickets, imagine the synergy when ADC’s fearless dancers fuse with Shechter’s boundary-pushing style. This is contemporary dance at its most formidable.

A Legacy of Female Leadership

The all-female lineage of ADC’s artistic directorship is a story rarely told but deeply woven into the company’s DNA. While other Australian arts institutions have battled to diversify their leadership, ADC started with a woman—and every subsequent baton has been passed between women. If you stroll through QPAC’s Playhouse Foyer during BLUE’s run, you’ll find images and video footage paying homage to founder Maggi Sietsma AM, whose pioneering spirit catalysed the ensemble’s trajectory. Knowing how this tradition was forged can add an extra layer of depth as you watch the performances. It’s a reminder that behind every pirouette or heartfelt choreographic phrase, there’s a powerful line of female visionaries steering the ship.

Government and Community Support

In Australia, the arts often flourish thanks to a tapestry of government initiatives and community backing. For BLUE, Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek has reaffirmed the Queensland Government’s commitment to fostering homegrown talent. Funding ensures that large-scale, internationally informed productions can continue taking shape in Brisbane, leading up to (and well beyond) the global stage of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

This strategy isn’t just about local pride; it’s about embedding artistry into Queensland’s cultural identity, offering opportunities for emerging dancers and choreographers, and expanding the region’s creative footprint. Judging by the success and longevity of ADC, it’s a model that works. And if you’ve ever lamented the idea that experimental dance is too niche or too risky, the unwavering support from audiences and funders alike suggests otherwise.

It’s Not Just Dance—It’s a Movement

QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy has emphasised how integral ADC is to Queensland’s cultural tapestry, championing diversity, risk-taking, and collaboration. Indeed, each time ADC steps onto the Playhouse stage, they bring an immersive experience—an event that extends beyond the footlights and out into the community. Considering the popularity of contemporary dance in Australia (over one million people attended dance performances in a recent year, according to data from the Australia Council for the Arts), it’s clear we’re a nation that values kinaesthetic storytelling.

BLUE, then, operates as a microcosm of ADC’s broader ambitions: to create works that speak to local audiences while challenging the status quo, connecting the past to the present, and forging new paths for the future. For viewers, it’s not just an evening of dance—it’s a stirring journey that resonates long after the curtain falls.

Add BLUE to Your Must-See List

If you’ve ever wondered how an arts company keeps its spark alive across decades, BLUE holds the answer. It’s a testament to ADC’s enduring knack for reinvention and its eagerness to collaborate with both established and emerging talents. From the timeless elegance of WHEN TIME STOPS, to the electric innovation of GLASS TEETH, to the global reverberations of IN YOUR ROOMS, this triple bill promises a spine-tingling spectrum of emotion and expression.

You’ll witness the reunion of a treasured cast member, see designers and musicians push boundaries, and feel the ripple of a global choreographer’s influence—all in one sumptuous evening. If that doesn’t encapsulate the magic of live performance, I’m not sure what does.

Ultimately, BLUE isn’t merely a celebration of where ADC has been; it’s a road map to where they’re headed. By blending the old, the new, and the borrowed, they offer a kaleidoscopic vision of dance’s potential to transform, to question, and to enchant. So mark your diaries, gather your friends, and prepare for an unforgettable ride. When those lights dim and the first dancer steps into that luminous stage, you’ll realise you’re part of something bigger—a 40-year legacy that keeps on evolving, reaching ever outward, drawing all of us along for the exhilarating journey.