Returning after a sold-out 2024 season, The Australian Ballet’s acclaimed choreographic development program, Bodytorque, returns this September with a compelling new season titled Bodytorque: Gravity.
Taking place at Lawler Studio, Southbank Theatre from 3 – 5 September 2026, the program will feature six original works created by emerging choreographic voices from within The Australian Ballet and the broader dance community.
Since its inception in 2004, Bodytorque has been a vital platform for nurturing the next generation of Australian choreographers, providing artists with the opportunity to experiment, collaborate and develop new work for the stage.
The 2026 season features new creations by The Australian Ballet artists Timothy Coleman, Serena Graham, Lilla Harvey, Mason Lovegrove and Maxim Zenin, alongside former Australian Ballet School student and internationally based choreographer Pol Andrés Thió.
“Bodytorque gives our artists the freedom to explore new ideas, take creative risks and discover their own choreographic voice,” said The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director, David Hallberg.
“It’s always incredibly rewarding to see choreographers who began their creative journey through Bodytorque go on to create work for The Australian Ballet and around the world. Supporting that next generation of creative talent is one of the most important things we do, and I’m excited to see where this year’s artists take us.”
This year’s program is inspired by the theme Gravity, inviting artists to explore the forces that pull us together, hold us in place, challenge us and propel us forward. Across six original works, the season will offer a diverse and thought-provoking evening of contemporary dance.
Adding a live music element to the program, The Australian Ballet’s Marion Pender Piano Fellow, Jeremy Chan, will perform in both Max Zenin’s and Serena Graham’s works. Max’s work will feature solo piano, while Serena’s will be accompanied by live piano and cello.
Bodytorque has helped launch the choreographic careers of artists including Alice Topp and Tim Harbour, who went on to become Resident Choreographers at The Australian Ballet and create works for leading dance companies around the world.
The program continues The Australian Ballet’s long tradition of nurturing emerging choreographers, a legacy that includes the early career of Graeme Murphy.
More recently, 2023 Telstra Emerging Choreographer winner Yuiko Masukawa, who presented work in Bodytorque 2024, was commissioned to create a new piece for The Australian Ballet’s Signature Works and Ballet Under the Stars as part of the 2026 season.
A celebration of creativity, experimentation and emerging choreographic voices, Bodytorque: Gravity offers audiences a rare opportunity to experience the next generation of dance-makers up close.
Bodytorque: Gravity
The Lawler, Southbank Theatre, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank
Performances dates: 3 – 5 September 2026
Information and Bookings: www.australianballet.com.au
Image: Brodie James, Matthew Bradwell, Saranja Crowe and Valerie Tereshchenko in Pura Vida (Geeves) – photo by Edita Knowler (2022)