In Dance (Lens) Mini, Dancehouse focuses on screendance that doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves in our regular Festival.

For Mini 2026, we explore Dance VR (virtual reality), local screendance legend Claire Marshall, documentaries about dancers in Australian companies and our ever-popular Masterclasses and Scratch Nights!  

Dance (Lens) VR welcomes VR curator and artist Kim Vincs to scour the world to find six iconic dance VR works. This is the ultimate 1:1 experience, and with just a limited number of sessions, snatch a Pass to ensure you get to see all these works before joining Kim IN FOCUS: Virtual Bodies to hear more about the latest trends in dance VR.

IN FOCUS is Dance (Lens) screenings and discussion sessions focussing on key artists and or themes. This year IN FOCUS takes a deep dive with Claire Marshall, an expert in mis-en-scene, apertures, split screens, and rich visual and sonic worlds in Claire Marshall’s Feminist Lens. And Siobhan Murphy explores Australia and the media’s fixation in the lives of company artists in Tender Bodies, Rigorous Work: Australian Dance in Documentary Film.

For our Dance (Lens) Mini MASTERCLASSES Darrin Verhagen returns with part 2 of his beloved SOUND! workshop, and Claire Marshall explores the options for split screens and framing devices. 

And lastly, SCRATCH NIGHTS return with two chances to share first drafts, edits, and cuts for feedback and discussion. 

TICKETS DANCE (LENS) MINI

$50 MINI PASS
Your ticket for ALL sessions including: Masterclasses, 1 x XR session, and each night of Dance (Lens) Mini including IN FOCUS, Scratch Nights, and Dream Futures. Note limited places for most sessions. 

$25 SINGLE TICKET
Snatch any remaining places for Masterclasses, XR Sessions, or Night sessions

SCHEDULE

VR Sessions (60 min) available throughout the Dance (Lens) Mini. Masterclasses in the afternoon on Thursday and Friday.

Each night includes an IN FOCUS screening and in conversation followed by SCRATCH NIGHT on Thursday and Friday, or the Dream Futures screening on Saturday.

Thursday 3 December
1-7pm Dance (Lens) VR sessions (Skylab)
2-5pm MASTERCLASS: SPLITS & FRAMES with Claire Marshall
From 6pm IN FOCUS: Claire Marshall’s Feminist Lens & SCRATCH NIGHT #1 hosted by Joshua Faleatua

Friday 4 December
1-7pm Dance (Lens) VR sessions (Skylab)
2-5pm MASTERCLASS: SOUND! #2 with Darrin Verhagen
From 6pm IN FOCUS: Tender Bodies, Rigorous Work: Australian Dance in Documentary Film & SCRATCH NIGHT #2 hosted by Cobie Orger

Saturday 5 December
10am-4pm Dance (Lens) VR sessions (Sylvia Staehli Theatre)
From 6pm IN FOCUS: Virtual Bodies, Digital Spaces with Kim Vincs & Dream Futures: Screendance Now with Tempo Dance Festival