Restless Dance Theatre

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Restless Dance Theatre Australia’s leading dance theatre company working with neurodiverse and disabled artists.

Our Vision: Restless Dance Theatre influences and diversifies Australian dance. Our Mission: To make loud, strong, unique dance theatre that fosters an inclusive, equitable and diverse society, which captures the hearts and minds of global audiences. Restless Dance Theatre is Australia’s leading company working with neurodiverse and disabled artists. We create cutting edge, visually arresting contemporary dance that challenges conventions, shifts perspectives, and celebrates diverse bodies and abilities.

04/10/2026

🩷 NEW TERM 4 CLASSES AT LIGHTSVIEW! 🩷

Thinking about trying dance? Term 4 is the perfect time to give Restless a go!
✨ Thursdays | 4:00–4:50pm & 5:00–5:50pm
📍 The Lights Community & Sports Centre

Come move, create, play and connect in an inclusive environment where everyone can participate.

$10 introductory offer for Term 4!
Come join us! 🩷https://restlessdance.org/public-programs/

📍 The Lights Community and Sports Centre
244–270 East Parkway, Lightsview

LIGHTSVIEW CLASSES ARE PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY-
City of Port Adelaide Enfield

James and Diana Ramsay Foundation and BankSA Foundation.

🩷 RESTLESS IN MELBOURNE FOR ENCORE! 🩷Restless Dance Theatre CEO Julie Moralee and Company Dancer Michael Hodyl and his m...
02/10/2026

🩷 RESTLESS IN MELBOURNE FOR ENCORE! 🩷

Restless Dance Theatre CEO Julie Moralee and Company Dancer Michael Hodyl and his mum, Svetlana, recently travelled to Melbourne for the opening night of ENCORE!

50 Objects. 50 Years. One Collection. at the Australian Museum of Performing Arts (AMPA), presented by Arts Centre Melbourne.

Michael was invited to be part of the exhibition through his love letter, created as part of the development of Private View, the Ruby Award-winning Restless Dance Theatre production directed by Michelle Ryan.

Written by Michael, the love letter expressed romantic desire and the longing for connection, imagining a person “to be comfortable with, to be safe with, to be loved with”.

We’re proud to see Michael’s words, Private View, and Restless’ creative history preserved as part of Australia’s performing arts story.

ENCORE!
Australian Museum of Performing Arts

16 September 2026 – 9 May 2027

🩷 CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF RESTLESS DANCE THEATRE 🩷 2015 | NATURALLY – A DOUBLE BILLIn November 2015, Restless Da...
01/10/2026

🩷 CELEBRATING 35 YEARS OF RESTLESS DANCE THEATRE 🩷
2015 | NATURALLY – A DOUBLE BILL

In November 2015, Restless Dance Theatre presented Naturally at the Odeon Theatre, Norwood, a double bill directed by Artistic Director Michelle Ryan and Emma Stokes.
The production brought together the Restless Youth Ensemble and Senior Ensemble, marking an important moment in the company’s history.

When Michelle Ryan became Artistic Director in 2013, one of her first initiatives was to establish the Senior Ensemble for alumni of the Youth Ensemble. Naturally was a significant moment in the company’s history, bringing both ensembles together on stage.

🩷 WHAT’S A NICE GIRL LIKE YOU DOING IN A PLACE LIKE THIS?
Directed by Emma Stokes, this work featured dancers from the Senior Ensemble and explored disability, romance, attraction and s*x, subjects that were still rarely represented on stage.

Creative Team:
Direction: Emma Stokes
Set & Costume Design: Ailsa Paterson
Lighting Design: Chris Petridis

🩷 TOUCHED
Touched was developed by the dancers of the Youth Ensemble working with Artistic Director Michelle Ryan.
The work explored both meanings of “touch”, physical touch and the emotional experience of being truly touched.
Through friendship, sibling relationships, romantic encounters, rejection, loneliness and connection, the dancers explored the many ways we interact with one another.

The work moved between playful, humorous and tender moments, celebrating the honesty, individuality and energy of the young performers.

Creative Team:
Direction: Michelle Ryan
Set & Costume Design: Ailsa Paterson
Lighting Design: Chris Petridis
Music: Liz Martin

As we celebrate this milestone, we invite you to share your stories and memories of Restless Dance Theatre from 1991–2026. We’d love to hear your favourite moments – big or small – that have helped shape our history.

Your experiences are part of our story. Together, they tell the story of a company that belongs to Australia and is experienced by the world.
https://restlessdance.org/news/share-your-stories-with-us/

📸 Photographer: Andy Rasheed

30/09/2026

🩷 IMPACT: Investing in the future!
Restless Dance Theatre CEO Julie Moralee speaks about how IMPACT investments can help organisations build capacity, strengthen their foundations and achieve their goals.

Creative Australia’s investment in organisations like Restless supports the ongoing development of our people, our work and our future.

🎥 Check out the video below to hear Julie speak about the impact of this investment.

28/09/2026

🩷 CELEBRATING OUR 2026 InStudio SEASON! 🩷

Restless Dance Theatre had the privilege of welcoming over 200 students into our studio, to participate in the inaugural InStudio Season BTS Creative Development Experience.

Students had the opportunity to step behind the scenes and experience the world of a professional dancer and to discover how Restless Dance Theatre develops new work.

A huge thank you to all the students, teachers, schools, and educators who made our 2026 InStudio season so special.

Want your school to be part of InStudio in 2027?

Reach out to Carolyn Obst to find out more.
📧 [email protected]

https://restlessdance.org/instudio-season/

Photos: Radhé Osborn

25/09/2026

Are you ENOUGH? And when is ENOUGH, ENOUGH?

These are the questions behind the making of ENOUGH, our bold new work created with disabled and neurodivergent artists.

In this video, the artists share what ENOUGH means to them.

We’d love to hear from you too. What does ENOUGH mean to you?

On October 22, we’re taking part in AusArt Day, Creative Australia’s National Giving Day for the arts. Your donation will help us pay artists and creatives and bring ENOUGH from the studio to the stage. 🖤

Donate before or on October 22: www.givenow.com.au/restless-enough

💗 35 YEARS OF RESTLESS | 2014: SALTIn 2014, Restless created Salt, which premiered at The Odeon Theatre in January 2014....
24/09/2026

💗 35 YEARS OF RESTLESS | 2014: SALT

In 2014, Restless created Salt, which premiered at The Odeon Theatre in January 2014.

Created for the Restless touring company, Salt explored themes of self-worth, value and commodity. Directed by Rob Tannion, the work was developed with four Restless dancers, exploring ideas and questions around the meaning and value we place on ourselves and others.

💗 The Dancers
Felicity Doolette
Jianna Georgiou
Lorcan James Hopper
Dana Nance

Creative Team:
Directed by Rob Tannion
Designed by Gaelle Mellis & Meg Wilson
Lighting Design by
Sound by
Assistant Director Michelle Ryan

23/09/2026

🩷 Happy International Day of Sign Languages! 🩷

At Restless Dance Theatre, we’re proud to celebrate and acknowledge Deaf artists, performers and communities.

Our Company Dancers have had the privilege of working with Deaf artist Caroline Conlon, learning Auslan and exploring how sign language can be part of our artistic practice.

In Shifting Perspectives, sign language was interwoven throughout the work as part of the choreography. Including Auslan in our work allows us to explore sign language within a creative space - not as an accessibility add-on, but as a considered and integral part of the creative process.

Today, we celebrate the Deaf community and the richness that Deaf artists bring to the arts.

Video: Matt Byrne
Photographer: Saige Prime

Illuminate Adelaide

18/09/2026

🩷 Looking for an inclusive dance class in Mount Barker for young people aged 15–26?

Restless Dance Theatre’s CENTRAL has arrived in Mount Barker!

Move. Express. Belong.

CENTRAL is a welcoming dance space where young people can explore contemporary dance, creativity and improvisation, build confidence, make connections and simply enjoy moving.

You don’t need to have dance experience- our classes are adaptable and designed to welcome different bodies and ways of participating.

📍 Mount Barker Town Hall
🕐 Every second Saturday | 1:00–2:00pm

If you know a young person who might enjoy dance, creativity and connecting with others, we’d love to welcome them to CENTRAL. 🩷

Find out more:
https://restlessdance.org/central/

Hills Diverse Support
Mount Barker classes are proudly supported by:
James and Diana Ramsay Foundation and BankSA Foundation.

💗 35 YEARS OF RESTLESS | 1999: DRIFTIn 1999, Restless created Drift, an outdoor performance commissioned by Adelaide Cit...
17/09/2026

💗 35 YEARS OF RESTLESS | 1999: DRIFT

In 1999, Restless created Drift, an outdoor performance commissioned by Adelaide City Council for the On The Streets Program as part of Fest West ’99.

Performed throughout Adelaide’s West End, Drift explored the relationship between performer and audience, with the dancers considering how to establish presence and connection within an outdoor performance environment.

Moving beyond the traditional theatre setting, the work invited Restless dancers to consider how audiences experience dance in public spaces- and how performers can create connection and presence in an environment that is constantly moving around them.

💗Creative Team
Directed by Sally Chance & Ingrid Voorendt
Designed by Gaelle Mellis & Phyllis Williams

The Dancers
Elisa Benthin
Jotham Broad
James Bull
Gemma Coley
Kynan Coley
Rachel High
Ziggy Kuster
Lauren Smeaton

Commissioned by Adelaide City Council for the On The Streets Program, as part of Fest West ’99.

💗 Drift was another step in Restless’ ongoing exploration of how disabled dancers occupy space, connect with audiences and challenge expectations of where dance can happen.

Become part of the story:

As we celebrate this milestone, we invite you to share your stories and memories of Restless Dance Theatre from 1991–2026. We’d love to hear your favourite moments – big or small – that have helped shape our history.

Your experiences are part of our story. Together, they tell the story of a company that belongs to Australia and is experienced by the world.
https://restlessdance.org/news/share-your-stories-with-us/

Address

Adelaide, SA

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 9pm
Tuesday 10am - 9pm
Wednesday 10am - 9pm
Thursday 10am - 9pm
Friday 10am - 9pm
Saturday 10am - 9pm
Sunday 10am - 9pm

Telephone

+61882128495

Website

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