Sprung Dance Theatre Selected for 2025 Pathway Residency at Studio1 to Develop New Work

Sprung Dance Theatre’s Ensemble has been announced as the Pathway Resident for 2025, securing a two-week funded residency at Studio1 in Meanjin/Brisbane during March 2025. The residency will support the development of their new work, Bleachers, a significant milestone as the company’s first large-scale, disability-led production.

Conceived and created by the Sprung Ensemble artists in collaboration with Artistic Director Daniele Constance, Bleachers is a contemporary dance and performance work inspired by the physical structure of bleachers. The piece explores themes of relationships, social dynamics, and belonging, using the bleachers as both a set and a metaphor for community and interaction. As the Sprung Ensemble artists explain, “You might think bleachers are just for sitting on, but this is our playground, and we make the rules.”

The residency is supported by Undercover Artist Festival, an initiative dedicated to advancing disability-led processes and practices in dance and movement arts. The Pathway Residency emphasizes the importance of collaboration and partnerships in amplifying the work of independent artists.

“This Studio1 Pathway Residency is an ideal opportunity for disabled and d/Deaf artists with bold ideas ready to be explored,” said Madeleine Little, Director of Undercover Artist Festival. “We are pleased to support Studio1 by providing accessibility guidance, mentorship, and resources to help artists develop tour-ready or Festival-ready works.”

Sprung Dance Theatre, a not-for-profit arts organisation based in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, works with emerging artists and communities across a vast 5,000km region. The company provides dance and performance workshops, training, and development opportunities for people with disability or who are d/Deaf, creating original works through collaborative and disability-led processes.

Studio1, Meanjin/Brisbane’s creative hub for independent dance and physical practice, is a versatile, warehouse-style venue designed to support experimentation, exchange, and collaboration. As a multifunctional space, it provides the infrastructure needed for artists to push boundaries and explore new artistic forms.

The Pathway Residency at Studio1 represents a significant opportunity for Sprung Dance Theatre to further their mission of creating disability-led works that challenge norms and inspire audiences. The development of Bleachers underscores the importance of providing platforms for underrepresented voices in the arts, ensuring that diverse perspectives are celebrated and shared.

This residency highlights the power of collaboration between artists, organisations, and festivals in creating meaningful opportunities for artistic growth and innovation.

Find out more about Sprung Dance Theatre here, and more about Studio1 here.