About Dancehousing

RESIDENCY

Every Monday night, all spaces at Dancehouse are filled with local dance communities to practice in parallel and proximity with each other. Each group is allocated time and will determine how they want to use the space. Together the groups determine how they respectfully share the building through ‘Housekeeping’ meetings.

Housekeeping dates 2024: 5 Feb, 12 Aug.

Altogether is an invite-only event for Dancehousing community members to come together, share practice and close off the program for the year. Altogether is scheduled for 9 December in 2024.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Community Events will be curated and organised by the supported Dancehousing groups throughout the calendar year. Please visit the Dancehousing or What’s On page to stay updated with Dancehousing events.

KEY DATES (2024)

22 June — Funk Station Vol.3 by Funk Station
20 July — Event TBC by In the Moment
3 August — Til Death Do We Cypher Vol.3 by Steezy Walrus
31 August — Event TBC by Contact Improvisation Melbourne
14 – 15 December – Waacking Inferno Vol.3 by Burn City Waack

Events TBC by Naarm Ballroom, Kwabo Events, & On the Table

2024 Participating Groups

BURN CITY WAACK (BCW) 

Burn City Waack is a community based in Melbourne dedicated to the art form Waacking. Waacking is a culture that began in the underground LGBT clubs of Los Angeles and later spread out into the world. It’s a safe space for all individuals who want to learn/share in the culture of the dance in a respectful environment for the past eight years connecting locals with international leaders in the form.

In 2024, Burn City Waack is in residence every Monday 8pm.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
14 – 15 December — Waacking Inferno Vol. 3

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Casual classes: O2 Dance Studio (Fridays 7-8pm), Passion Dance Studio (Tuesdays 7:30-8:30pm)
Follow: Burn City Waack on Instagram (@burncity.waack)
Key Contacts: Jonathan Homsey & Quan Tran

NAARM BALLROOM

A queer collective and family of artists, is known for creating safe spaces for QTBIPOC to thrive in, often through mentoring, training, performing and hosting inclusive events. The consists of different houses and individuals (007s) of POC queer and trans individuals, together creating inclusive spaces and facilitating pathways for the LGBTQIA+ community. Currently Naarm Ballroom continues to create Balls focusing on the intersections of the New York Ballroom culture with the queer social culture of so called Australia.

In 2024, Naarm Ballroom is in residence every Monday 8pm.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
TBC

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Key Contact: ANGEL & JULAI

KWABO EVENTS

Kwabo Events is a social enterprise promoting African dances which benefits culture and practice for individuals’ mental and physical health. Using different African dances such as Afro dances, Afro-house, Afro Cuban and traditional Togolese dances, Kwabo Events organise weekly dance classes, community dance workshops, private and corporate events helping participants to reach happiness.

In 2024, Kwabo Events is in residence every Monday 8pm.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
TBC

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Follow: Kwabo Events on Instagram (@kwaboevents)
Key Contact: Grace Kwabo

CONTACT IMPROVISATION MELBOURNE

Contact Improvisation Melbourne are a collective of experienced Contact Improvisation (CI) practitioners, committed to keeping the richness of the CI form alive in Melbourne. For more than a decade, The Jamstas have care-taken and nourished the Melbourne CI Jam – which itself has been running on a consistent weekly basis for over 25 years; the longest running CI Jam in Australia, held for most of it’s life at Cecil Street Studio. Being involved in the Dancehousing program, offers The Jamstas time and space to deepen and nourish their own CI practices, in order to further support both the CI community of Melbourne and the broader CI community in Australia, as well as be part of the exciting dance ecosystem at Dancehouse.

In 2024, Contact Improvisation Melbourne is in residence every Monday 6pm.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
31 August — Event name TBC

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Key Contacts: Colin Sneesby and Aaron Dean

IN THE MOMENT

In the Moment, 2022 builds on the lineage of improvisation in contemporary dance practice in Melbourne, and opens up to forms and methods of improvisation in other creative fields and cultural practices. Improvisation as a performance technique is the disciplined exploration of embodied practice that leads to crafted, spontaneous, and artful communication made on-the-go. This monthly platform invites a range of intergenerational practitioners who–in one way or another–prioritise movement to incorporate body, sound, vocalisation, memory, image and energy, responding to each passing moment in relation to the space where they are dancing in relation to the audience.  Monday nights are an opportunity to practise performing.

In 2024, In the Moment is in residence every Monday 6pm.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
20 July — Event name TBC

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Follow: In the Moment on Facebook here
Key Contacts: Peter Trotman & Bronwen Kamasz
Peter Trotman ([email protected])
Bronwen Kamasz ([email protected])

ON THE TABLE

On The Table, is a weekly event for artistic exchange and collaboration run by Caitlin Dear and Rebecca Jensen. Dancers of any training background, as well as people curious about movement though new to dance, are welcome.

In 2024, In the Moment is in residence every Monday 6pm.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
TBC

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Key Contacts: Caitlin Dear & Rebecca Jensen
Email: [email protected]

2024 Event-curating groups

These communities engage in the Dancehousing program as event-curating groups. They will not participate in the residency and housekeeping portion of the program.

STEEZY WALRUS

The Steezy Walrus Initiative (SWI) proudly partners with Dancehouse as a designated community hub for Melbourne’s vibrant Bboys and Bgirls. This collaboration with Dancehouse amplifies our commitment to fostering a thriving street dance community by providing a dynamic space for artistic expression, collaboration, and the celebration of hip-hop culture.

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
3 August — Till Death Do We Cypher Vol.3

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Follow: Steezy Walrus on Instagram here
Key Contacts: Emmy Li & Fauntine Lariba

FUNK STATION

Funk Station is a celebration for Melbourne’s Locking community and all things Funk. Since it’s inception in 2020, founders Chun (Kambodia) and Sayo have curated successive volumes. Each a dynamic blend of battles, performances, and workshops aimed at elevating the Locking community all over Australia – from Melbourne, to Sydney, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. Funk Station has partnered with City of Yarra, Leaps and Bounds Festival, and Dancehouse (2023) as an event curator under the Dancehousing program (2024).

COMMUNITY EVENT 2024
22 June — Funk Station Vol.3

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Follow: Funk Station on Instagram here
Key Contacts: Chun Lee & Sayoko Naito

Previous Participating Groups

BURN CITY WAACK (BCW) 

Burn City Waack is a community based in Melbourne dedicated to the art form Waacking. Waacking is a culture that began in the underground LGBT clubs of Los Angeles and later spread out into the world. It’s a safe space for all individuals who want to learn/share in the culture of the dance in a respectful environment for the past eight years connecting locals with international leaders in the form.

Burn City Waack continues to be a part of the Dancehousing program in 2024.

COMMUNITY EVENTS
25 SEP 2022 — Waacking Inferno
10 DEC 2022 — Finalé: To The Floor
9 DEC 2023 – Waacking Inferno Vol.2
23—25 APR 2023 – Waacking Inferno x Club Concept Workshops

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Casual classes: O2 Dance Studio (Fridays 7-8pm), Passion Dance Studio (Tuesdays 7:30-8:30pm)
Follow: Burn City Waack on Instagram (@burncity.waack)
Key Contacts: Jonathan Homsey & Andy Kuramoto

HOUSE OF DÉVINE (HOD)

The noble House of Dévine (HOD), a queer collective and family of artists, is known for creating safe spaces for QTBIPOC to thrive in, often through mentoring, training, performing and hosting inclusive events. The ballroom house consists 11 POC queer and trans individuals, together creating inclusive spaces and facilitating pathways for the LGBTQIA+ community. Currently HOD continues to create Balls focusing on the intersections of the New York Ballroom culture with the queer social culture of so called Australia, including their Housewarming Ball in 2019, funded by City of Melbourne’s Signal.

COMMUNITY EVENTS
14 May 2022 — Taurus Ball
20 Aug 2022 — Zodiacs Ball: LEO SZN
10 Dec 2022 — Finalé: To The Floor

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Follow: House of Dévine (HOD) on Instagram (@_houseofdevine_)
Key Contact: Kianna Oricci

CONTACT IMPROVISATION MELBOURNE

Contact Improvisation Melbourne are a collective of experienced Contact Improvisation (CI) practitioners, committed to keeping the richness of the CI form alive in Melbourne. For more than a decade, The Jamstas have care-taken and nourished the Melbourne CI Jam – which itself has been running on a consistent weekly basis for over 25 years; the longest running CI Jam in Australia, held for most of it’s life at Cecil Street Studio. Being involved in the Dancehousing program, offers The Jamstas time and space to deepen and nourish their own CI practices, in order to further support both the CI community of Melbourne and the broader CI community in Australia, as well as be part of the exciting dance ecosystem at Dancehouse.

Contact Improvisation Melbourne continues to be a part of the Dancehousing program in 2024.

COMMUNITY EVENTS
2023 – The Bill
15 Dec 2023 – Dancing the House

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Key Contacts: Martin Hughes & Caroline Ellis

IN THE MOMENT

In the Moment, builds on the lineage of improvisation in contemporary dance practice in Melbourne, and opens up to forms and methods of improvisation in other creative fields and cultural practices. Improvisation as a performance technique is the disciplined exploration of embodied practice that leads to crafted, spontaneous, and artful communication made on-the-go. This monthly platform invites a range of intergenerational practitioners who–in one way or another–prioritise movement to incorporate body, sound, vocalisation, memory, image and energy, responding to each passing moment in relation to the space where they are dancing in relation to the audience.  Monday nights are an opportunity to practise performing.

In the Moment continues to be a part of the Dancehousing program in 2024.

COMMUNITY EVENTS
12-13 Feb 2022 – On the Verge
14 May 2022 – Almost On the Verge
30-31 Jul 2022 – On the Verge #4
8 Dec 2022 – Postcards from the Verge
19 Feb 2023 – On the Verge #5
2 Jul 2023 – On the Verge #6
20 Oct 2023 – More Postcards from the Verge
22 Oct 2023 – On the Verge #7

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Follow: In the Moment on Facebook here
Key Contacts: Peter Trotman & Bronwen Kamasz

ON THE TABLE

On The Table, is a weekly event for artistic exchange and collaboration run by Caitlin Dear and Rebecca Jensen. Dancers of any training background, as well as people curious about movement though new to dance, are welcome.

On the Table continues to be a part of the Dancehousing program in 2024.

COMMUNITY EVENT
10 Dec 2023 – On the Table – End of Year Party

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Key Contacts: Caitlin Dear & Rebecca Jensen
Email: [email protected]

Event-curating groups

These communities engage in the Dancehousing program as event-curating groups. They will not participate in the residency and housekeeping portion of the program.

SISTER SESSIONS

Sister Sessions is a Melbourne-based collective with the vision of creating a strong, evergreen female dance community in Australia through innovative events and projects designed to connect, challenge and empower female dancers in their individual and collective journeys.

COMMUNITY EVENT
14 Dec 2020 – Sister Sessions Vol. 6
21 Apr 2021 – Sister Sessions Vol. 7
5 Dec 2021 – Sister Sessions Vol. 8

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Key Contacts: Marnie Newton

JAM ON TOAST 

In 2017 Jam on Toast (JOT) was hot out the toaster, lathered in jam and served in Melbourne’s dance community by Oliver and David. It acts as an open styles dance jam that occurs every Wednesday in Melbourne’s CBD and now Monday’s at Dancehouse – catering for all levels, styles, ages through the lens of empowerment and celebrating uniqueness.

COMMUNITY EVENT
10 Dec 2022 — Finalé: To The Floor

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Follow: Jam on Toast on Instagram (@jamontoast_melbourne)
Key Contact: Oliver Le & David Prakash