Expressions of Interest for our 2025 season of INDance are now open.
INDance 2025
Expressions of Interest Close
Mon 11 Nov 2024
Participants Notified
Wed 18 Dec 2024
INDance is back for its fourth year in 2025!
INDance is a unique opportunity for the Australian independent dance sector to have works professionally presented by Sydney Dance Company in the Neilson Studio. INDance is a curated season of diverse dance works and has been created to connect exceptional, small- to medium-scale dance works with Sydney Dance Company audiences.
If you are an independent dance maker, artist, choreographer, or small organisation at any career stage with a dance work ready to go and you need a venue to present your work, then INDance might be just right for you.
This professional opportunity is open to individuals, collectives, and producer-represented choreographers. You will bring the work and its associated costumes/sets, music, and performers. Sydney Dance Company will supply the venue and associated production support, marketing, publicity, and ticketing as well as paying you a presentation fee. Up to four works will be programmed for INDance 2025, with each work having the opportunity for a short season of three-four performances.
We encourage Expressions of Interest from people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations artists, people living and or working in Western Sydney, regional or rural areas, and people with a disability.
Interested in applying? We’re hosting an Online Information Session on Thursday 24 October 2024 at 2pm AEDT.
This is your chance to hear more about the program, understand how it works and ask as many questions as you like!
Simply complete the Expressions of Interest form and tell us about your work and we will be in touch.
Tuesday 15 October 2024 I EOI’s open
Thursday 24 October 2024 I Information Session (online) at 2pm AEDT
Monday 11 November 2024 I EOI close at 5pm
Wednesday 18 December 2024 I Artists notified of outcome
11-24 August 2025 I INDance 2025 season at Sydney Dance Company’s Neilson Studio
“INDance was a once in a lifetime opportunity to present work at a nationally prestigious dance company. I’m so grateful to Sydney Dance Company for their support and professionalism and exposing Cry Baby to an East Coast audience. It was a wonderful opportunity to be supported as an artist, deepen our creative practice through performance and expand our networks.”
— Kimberly Parkin, 2023 INDance Artist
“Presenting my work in a well-equipped and state-of-the-art studio in a central city location under the brand of the country’s largest contemporary dance company was one of the milestone events in my artistic career.”
— Ryuichi Fujimura, 2023 INDance Artist
“It is rare that independent choreographers get to share their work beyond the premiere season and away from their home town. It was a joy to have this experience.”
— Lillian Steiner, 2022 INDance Artist
“It was an important and incredible opportunity to perform and share my work with Sydney folk. To be able to reconnect with Sydney Audiences and to inspire the next generation of artists and thinkers to use their voices and share their stories. To be able to perform and share my art and ideas through physical storytelling is a privilege and momentous for me!”
— Natalie Allen, 2022 INDance Artist
“It was a wonderful opportunity to share this work with Sydney audiences and in particular audiences appreciative of choreographic craft. It was fantastic to be working at SDC alongside a dynamic and diverse dance community.”
— Prue Lang, 2022 INDance Artist
FAQs
Expressions of Interest Close
Mon 11 Nov 2024
Participants Notified
Wed 18 Dec 2024
Explore our comprehensive list of frequently asked questions to learn everything you need to know about our INDance program.
If you have any other questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to email us.
INDance is presented across two weeks in August 2025 in the Neilson Studio at Sydney Dance Company's Wharf Studios, located in Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.
The Neilson Studio is a 79-seat black box space with a fully sprung floor, sound system, and lighting rig.
Please note that the venue suits small-scale works with relatively simple technical requirements, and the technical suitability of your work for our venue will help inform our curatorial choices. The venue does not have a fly tower or wings and comes with a standard black dance floor and black back and side curtains (no FOH curtain). The space is not appropriate for site-specific works, installations, set-heavy works, or durational performance.
You can find images and technical specifications of the Neilson Studio on our Venue Hire webpage.
If you’d like to see the venue in person before submitting an EOI, please email us to arrange a time at michaels@sydneydancecompany.com.
Two works will be presented each week (across two weeks), and you will be sharing time in the venue with another artist/work during this period.
Monday - Pre-rig lighting and audio – both works
Tuesday - Bump-in and technical rehearsal – Work #1
Wednesday - Bump-in and technical rehearsal – Work #2
Thursday - Dress rehearsal, both works + opening night (6pm Work #1, 7:45pm Work #2)
Friday - Performances (6pm Work #1, 7:45pm Work #2)
Saturday - Performances (6pm Work #1, 7:45pm Work #2) + bump-out
General working hours in the venue are between 8am-11pm, with crew hours scheduled in accordance with the Live Performance Award.
This opportunity is only open to works that have premiered prior to the INDance EOI closing date – that is, Monday 11 November 2024. INDance is not a presentation opportunity for works in development.
We require each work to be a stand-alone full-length piece, with a minimum duration of between 30-40 minutes.
INDance is a presentation opportunity and is not a development residency or commission. The fee paid will be in line with a limited-run season presentation. The selected artists will be paid a presentation fee for the performance week only. Artists should not expect that this fee will cover any remount costs, or travel and accommodation (if required). The exact financial conditions will be negotiated individually and directly with each lead artist. Sydney Dance Company will cover the costs of marketing, ticketing, technical support and venue costs and will take the box office risk.
If you need additional support beyond the negotiated fee to realise the INDance 2025 presentation (e.g. travel costs, remount period, etc), you may need to apply for external funding support. If you are selected for inclusion in the 2025 program and wish to apply for additional funding, we can provide a confirmation letter/letter of support.
Yes, you do.
Yes, INDance is an opportunity to all artists based in Australia.
No. This is an opportunity for the independent dance sector and does not involve Sydney Dance Company dancers or Pre-Professional Year (PPY) students. You will need to supply your own performers for the INDance season.
No. Sydney Dance Company will provide technical support to realise an existing lighting design or production support to help light a work, but will not provide a lighting designer for your work.
Sydney Dance Company will provide front-of-house staff, a venue technician, and agreed production support (including bump-in/bump out crew).
Yes. We have a black Tarkett that covers the entire space; other colours can be supplied if available and within budget. There is also the option to remove the Tarkett, under which there are polished wooden floorboards.
Rehearsal space is not provided as part of this opportunity but may be available on a case-by-case basis.
Sydney Dance Company will pay box office percentage royalties attached to an existing music usage license. You must ensure that appropriate licenses are in place, and you are responsible for all royalties for composed or commissioned pieces of music.
No; if you wish to document your work for archival or other purposes, you should make your own budget provision and arrangements to do so. Sydney Dance Company may document the INDance season for our own marketing and archival purposes; if so, we will seek approval no later than one month prior to the season, and supply any images or video taken for your own use following the season.
Sydney Dance Company is primarily responsible for promoting all four works presented as part of INDance 2025. Promotion will include website listings, e-news, press interviews, and social media. Lead artists are expected to reasonably support this activity through the provision of content and engagement with the campaign. We are responsible for selling all tickets, and retain 100% of box office income.
Everyone who submits an EOI will be notified of outcomes by Wednesday 18 December 2024. At the same time, we will be in touch with the selected artists to discuss the project’s feasibility as part of the program, and discuss specifics related to financial conditions, technical specifications, and marketing/publicity expectations. We will then contract each artist for the presentation, before making a public announcement of the season in mid-2025. There will be additional milestones (e.g. briefing meeting, photo call, press interviews, etc), the specifics of which will be discussed with successful applicants.
INDance 2025 will be curated by an industry panel comprising Sydney Dance Company Artist Director Rafael Bonachela and sector peers. The curatorial panel will appraise all submitted artistic proposals, and agree on the four shortlisted works. The panel are not ranking, assessing, or validating projects; and no feedback will be provided.
Past Works
Make Your Life Count by Sarah Aiken
CUDDLE by Harrison Ritchie-Jones
Brightness by Kristina Chan
SUB by Ashleigh Musk
Cry Baby by Kimberley Parkin
precipice by Rachael Arianne Ogle
HERE NOW (Double Bill) by Ryuichi Fujimura
The Complication of Lyrebirds by Jasmin Sheppard
INDance 2025
Expressions of Interest Close
Mon 11 Nov 2024
Participants Notified
Wed 18 Dec 2024
INDance is back for its fourth year in 2025!
INDance is a unique opportunity for the Australian independent dance sector to have works professionally presented by Sydney Dance Company in the Neilson Studio. INDance is a curated season of diverse dance works and has been created to connect exceptional, small- to medium-scale dance works with Sydney Dance Company audiences.
If you are an independent dance maker, artist, choreographer, or small organisation at any career stage with a dance work ready to go and you need a venue to present your work, then INDance might be just right for you.
This professional opportunity is open to individuals, collectives, and producer-represented choreographers. You will bring the work and its associated costumes/sets, music, and performers. Sydney Dance Company will supply the venue and associated production support, marketing, publicity, and ticketing as well as paying you a presentation fee. Up to four works will be programmed for INDance 2025, with each work having the opportunity for a short season of three-four performances.
We encourage Expressions of Interest from people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds, First Nations artists, people living and or working in Western Sydney, regional or rural areas, and people with a disability.
Interested in applying? We’re hosting an Online Information Session on Thursday 24 October 2024 at 2pm AEDT.
This is your chance to hear more about the program, understand how it works and ask as many questions as you like!
Simply complete the Expressions of Interest form and tell us about your work and we will be in touch.
Tuesday 15 October 2024 I EOI’s open
Thursday 24 October 2024 I Information Session (online) at 2pm AEDT
Monday 11 November 2024 I EOI close at 5pm
Wednesday 18 December 2024 I Artists notified of outcome
11-24 August 2025 I INDance 2025 season at Sydney Dance Company’s Neilson Studio
“INDance was a once in a lifetime opportunity to present work at a nationally prestigious dance company. I’m so grateful to Sydney Dance Company for their support and professionalism and exposing Cry Baby to an East Coast audience. It was a wonderful opportunity to be supported as an artist, deepen our creative practice through performance and expand our networks.”
— Kimberly Parkin, 2023 INDance Artist
“Presenting my work in a well-equipped and state-of-the-art studio in a central city location under the brand of the country’s largest contemporary dance company was one of the milestone events in my artistic career.”
— Ryuichi Fujimura, 2023 INDance Artist
“It is rare that independent choreographers get to share their work beyond the premiere season and away from their home town. It was a joy to have this experience.”
— Lillian Steiner, 2022 INDance Artist
“It was an important and incredible opportunity to perform and share my work with Sydney folk. To be able to reconnect with Sydney Audiences and to inspire the next generation of artists and thinkers to use their voices and share their stories. To be able to perform and share my art and ideas through physical storytelling is a privilege and momentous for me!”
— Natalie Allen, 2022 INDance Artist
“It was a wonderful opportunity to share this work with Sydney audiences and in particular audiences appreciative of choreographic craft. It was fantastic to be working at SDC alongside a dynamic and diverse dance community.”
— Prue Lang, 2022 INDance Artist
FAQs
Expressions of Interest Close
Mon 11 Nov 2024
Participants Notified
Wed 18 Dec 2024
Explore our comprehensive list of frequently asked questions to learn everything you need to know about our INDance program.
If you have any other questions or need more information, please don’t hesitate to email us.
INDance is presented across two weeks in August 2025 in the Neilson Studio at Sydney Dance Company's Wharf Studios, located in Walsh Bay Arts Precinct.
The Neilson Studio is a 79-seat black box space with a fully sprung floor, sound system, and lighting rig.
Please note that the venue suits small-scale works with relatively simple technical requirements, and the technical suitability of your work for our venue will help inform our curatorial choices. The venue does not have a fly tower or wings and comes with a standard black dance floor and black back and side curtains (no FOH curtain). The space is not appropriate for site-specific works, installations, set-heavy works, or durational performance.
You can find images and technical specifications of the Neilson Studio on our Venue Hire webpage.
If you’d like to see the venue in person before submitting an EOI, please email us to arrange a time at michaels@sydneydancecompany.com.
Two works will be presented each week (across two weeks), and you will be sharing time in the venue with another artist/work during this period.
Monday - Pre-rig lighting and audio – both works
Tuesday - Bump-in and technical rehearsal – Work #1
Wednesday - Bump-in and technical rehearsal – Work #2
Thursday - Dress rehearsal, both works + opening night (6pm Work #1, 7:45pm Work #2)
Friday - Performances (6pm Work #1, 7:45pm Work #2)
Saturday - Performances (6pm Work #1, 7:45pm Work #2) + bump-out
General working hours in the venue are between 8am-11pm, with crew hours scheduled in accordance with the Live Performance Award.
This opportunity is only open to works that have premiered prior to the INDance EOI closing date – that is, Monday 11 November 2024. INDance is not a presentation opportunity for works in development.
We require each work to be a stand-alone full-length piece, with a minimum duration of between 30-40 minutes.
INDance is a presentation opportunity and is not a development residency or commission. The fee paid will be in line with a limited-run season presentation. The selected artists will be paid a presentation fee for the performance week only. Artists should not expect that this fee will cover any remount costs, or travel and accommodation (if required). The exact financial conditions will be negotiated individually and directly with each lead artist. Sydney Dance Company will cover the costs of marketing, ticketing, technical support and venue costs and will take the box office risk.
If you need additional support beyond the negotiated fee to realise the INDance 2025 presentation (e.g. travel costs, remount period, etc), you may need to apply for external funding support. If you are selected for inclusion in the 2025 program and wish to apply for additional funding, we can provide a confirmation letter/letter of support.
Yes, you do.
Yes, INDance is an opportunity to all artists based in Australia.
No. This is an opportunity for the independent dance sector and does not involve Sydney Dance Company dancers or Pre-Professional Year (PPY) students. You will need to supply your own performers for the INDance season.
No. Sydney Dance Company will provide technical support to realise an existing lighting design or production support to help light a work, but will not provide a lighting designer for your work.
Sydney Dance Company will provide front-of-house staff, a venue technician, and agreed production support (including bump-in/bump out crew).
Yes. We have a black Tarkett that covers the entire space; other colours can be supplied if available and within budget. There is also the option to remove the Tarkett, under which there are polished wooden floorboards.
Rehearsal space is not provided as part of this opportunity but may be available on a case-by-case basis.
Sydney Dance Company will pay box office percentage royalties attached to an existing music usage license. You must ensure that appropriate licenses are in place, and you are responsible for all royalties for composed or commissioned pieces of music.
No; if you wish to document your work for archival or other purposes, you should make your own budget provision and arrangements to do so. Sydney Dance Company may document the INDance season for our own marketing and archival purposes; if so, we will seek approval no later than one month prior to the season, and supply any images or video taken for your own use following the season.
Sydney Dance Company is primarily responsible for promoting all four works presented as part of INDance 2025. Promotion will include website listings, e-news, press interviews, and social media. Lead artists are expected to reasonably support this activity through the provision of content and engagement with the campaign. We are responsible for selling all tickets, and retain 100% of box office income.
Everyone who submits an EOI will be notified of outcomes by Wednesday 18 December 2024. At the same time, we will be in touch with the selected artists to discuss the project’s feasibility as part of the program, and discuss specifics related to financial conditions, technical specifications, and marketing/publicity expectations. We will then contract each artist for the presentation, before making a public announcement of the season in mid-2025. There will be additional milestones (e.g. briefing meeting, photo call, press interviews, etc), the specifics of which will be discussed with successful applicants.
INDance 2025 will be curated by an industry panel comprising Sydney Dance Company Artist Director Rafael Bonachela and sector peers. The curatorial panel will appraise all submitted artistic proposals, and agree on the four shortlisted works. The panel are not ranking, assessing, or validating projects; and no feedback will be provided.
Past Works
Make Your Life Count by Sarah Aiken
CUDDLE by Harrison Ritchie-Jones
Brightness by Kristina Chan
SUB by Ashleigh Musk
Cry Baby by Kimberley Parkin
precipice by Rachael Arianne Ogle
HERE NOW (Double Bill) by Ryuichi Fujimura
The Complication of Lyrebirds by Jasmin Sheppard