Based in Western Sydney, Dance Makers Collective (DMC) is a collective-led dance organisation with a mission to transform people and communities through dance.
These Canberra performances of All In by DMC come at the end of an extensive national tour which has included Launceston in Tasmania, Wagga Wagga, Bathurst, Dubbo, Bondi and Newcastle in NSW, Geraldton, Margaret River, Harvey and Bunbury in WA, and finally Belconnen Arts Centre in the ACT
In each centre the company involves local dance organisations, which for the ACT performances were First Nations contemporary dance group, Project Dust, Indian classical dance troupe, Apsaras Arts Canberra, and Canberra youth dance organisation, Quantum Leap Australia.
Directed and choreographed by Miranda Wheen, to a soundtrack composed by Fiona Hill, with design by Anya McKee which incorporated sophisticated lighting by Brockman, All In commenced with a short, lightly choreographed introduction during which each group gave a brief demonstration of their particular dance style before vacating the stage for the major work by DMC.
This work commenced dramatically with seven DMC dancers, each isolated in an overhead spotlight, performing apparently spontaneous individual motifs. As the dance progressed, the dancers began to move around the perimeters of the performance space flirtatiously making eye contact with members of the audience seated on both sides.
As the intensity of the dance increased it became obvious that the opening motifs were indeed choreography as the group began repeating them in unison, quickly shifting focus and speed, utilising the entire performance area with broad exciting movement.
Taking up the challenge, Project Dust, Quantum Leap Australia and Apsaras Arts dancers took the stage, each group demonstrating a different dance technique.
Project Dust contributed an indigenous dance style handed down over thousands of years. Quantum Leap Australia contrasted with its athletic contemporary dance, while the splendidly costumed Apsaras Arts dancers delighted with its fiercely intricate Bharatanatyam technique.
The object of the DMC mission became clear as all the dancers, regardless of their technique, became swept up in the final section of the work, joined by almost the entire audience who accepted the invitation to join them on the performance space, inhibitions overcome by the realisation that they could dance like no one was watching.
Prompted by instructions beamed on a huge screen at one end of the performance space, with each adding their own moves to those already demonstrated, the performance morphed into an exhilarating, joyful dance party experience and a persuasive demonstration of the transformative qualities of dance.
ALL IN
Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen (ACT)
Performance: Thursday 24 September 2026
Season: 24 – 26 September 2026
Information: www.dancemakerscollective.com.au
Images: ALL IN – photos by Nat Cartney
Review: Bill Stephens OAM