QUT dance students take centre stage at Brisbane Powerhouse

Colossus, which runs from Wednesday April 17 to Saturday April 20 as part of the OHM 2024 Festival, features local dancers from QUT and also the Queensland Ballet's pre-professional training programs.

With a soundtrack by composter Robin Fox, Colossus is described as 'a mind-boggling feat of living architecture as a horde of black-clad bodies explodes into action, sometimes battling for control, sometimes excluding individuals, sometimes existing in harmony, always thrilling'.

Since its premiere in 2018, the show has toured globally and has been performed by more than 600 dancers. It is especially designed to be performed by local dancers and dance students in each city it tours.

The current production highlights QUT's important role as a major sponsor of Brisbane Powerhouse and supporter of the arts. Facilitated by QUT dance lecturer Dr Elizabeth Gibbs, it also provides a unique opportunity for dance students to take part in a world-class production and perform before an enthusiastic audience.

"This is an incredibly exciting performance opportunity for our dance students. Stephanie Lake is a legendary choreographer and Brisbane has been chosen by her company for the 2024 season opening of Colossus so that is a real privilege for QUT to be associated with," Dr Gibbs said.

"This type of experience is so essential in preparing students for a career in the arts."

The QUT dance students appearing in Colossus are: Charli Knoth, Jordan Hayes, Riley Krasnoff, Ella Gray, Lucy Dougherty, Caitlin Appi, Sahra McAnany, Stiliana Alfred, Madison Smith, Grant Mitchelson, Kelsey Dell, Eliza Quinlan. They are joined by QUT alumnus Kerrod Box, Bryna Glass and Buddy Malbasias.

QUT is the exclusive tertiary education partner to Brisbane Powerhouse while the OHM Festival there has been co-curated by QUT alumnus Lawrence English.

The OHM Festival has also given QUT's Creative Industry students the chance to workshop with French audiovisual artists Antoine Schmitt and Franck Vigroux who combine analogue instruments and visualised algorithms to create works of sound and video.

For more information on Colossus, visit https://brisbanepowerhouse.org/events/colossus/

Main image: Colossus - world premiere at the Arts Centre Melbourne 2018. Photo by Mark Gambino

Media contact:

Amanda Weaver, QUT Media, 07 3138 3151, [email protected]

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