DanceRites 2026
24 & 25 October 2026
DanceRites is Australia’s national First Nations dance competition and will be held on the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026.
Dance groups from across the nation will represent their country and community on the sand circle stage, competing for a total prize pool of $50,000. The competition is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community dance groups.
Each dance group will present a Cultural Dance and Song Cycle, representing local storytelling and language. Groups may also choose to present a Wild Card dance, an optional category allowing groups to showcase their distinct style.
Prizes
- The winning group will receive $25,000.
- One group will be awarded Runner-up with a prize of $8,000.
- One group will be awarded the best Wild Card dance with a prize of $8,000.
- Two groups will be honoured with a Rites of Passage Award of $4,500 each, to acknowledge outstanding contributions to revitalising cultural knowledge and practices.
Important dates
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Registrations Open
Wednesday 22 April 2026
Registrations Close
Wednesday 13 May 2026
Dance Groups advised of outcome
Friday 23 October 2026
Official welcome for participants at Cockatoo Island/Wareamah
Saturday 24 October 2026
Day 1 of DanceRites
Welcome to Country & Ceremony
Cultural Dance and Song Cycle heats
Sunday 25 October 2026
Day 2 of DanceRites
Wild Card dance
Cultural Dance and Song Cycle finals
How to register
- Read the terms and conditions of the competition
- Complete the registration form via Jotform, which includes uploading a video of the dance group performing. The DanceRites team will review all applications.
- The DanceRites team will contact all applicants to advise them if their dance group has been offered a place to participate in the 2026 competition.
- The DanceRites team will provide further information and support as needed.
- As the number of dance groups for DanceRites 2026 will be limited, we encourage groups to submit their registrations as early as possible. If the number of registrations received exceeds the available competition places, the DanceRites team will select groups based on broad geographic representation, the information provided in the registration form, and the performance video. Please return the registration form by 5pm AEST Wednesday 22 April 2026.
- If you require assistance with your registration form, please contact the DanceRites team at dancerites@sydneyoperahouse.com
Groups will perform on a 12-metre diameter sand circle. Please keep this in mind when preparing competition content.
The DanceRites judging panel will consist of First Nations respected dance and songline custodians, professional choreographers and dance practitioners.
Competing dance groups will receive the judging criteria once they are accepted to compete in the competition. The criteria will also be made public closer to the event.
Cultural Dance and Song Cycle
All groups must participate in the Cultural Dance and Song Cycle category, representing your community through local storytelling, language and dance. The Cultural Dance and Song Cycle has a maximum duration of 8 minutes, including introductions and acknowledgements.
The eight highest scoring groups from the Cultural Dance and Song Cycle heats on Saturday will progress to the finals on Sunday. The finals performance should run for between 5 and 8 minutes, including introductions and acknowledgements.
The finalists will perform what they consider to be the strongest dances from their Cultural Dance and Song Cycle presentation. Performances should not include any new dances, music, instruments or costumes additional to what the group presented in the heats.
Wild Card
All groups are invited to participate in the optional Wild Card category, allowing your group to show off your unique style.
The Wild Card presentation is performed only once and must not exceed 3 minutes in duration. It must be different from the Cultural Dance and Song Cycle performance.
This is an opportunity for your group to create a performance with no creative restraints that truly wows the audience — go wild! It may explore contemporary or cultural dance.
- DanceRites is open to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community dance groups. You can enter as an all-male, all-female or combined group. Groups are limited to 15 members.
- Dance groups must submit a 2–5-minute video of their group performing with their registration.
- Participants must be over 13 years old by the competition date. Any performers under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a nominated guardian and will be required to submit a signed Under 18 Participant Release Form.
DanceRites will be fun, but most importantly, it’s a way to connect with your community and continue intergenerational exchange of story and ceremony.
Teaching and learning cultural practices is an essential way to reclaim and expand on existing Songlines and connection to country and culture.
Through the generosity of private donors, Sydney Opera House offers a dedicated DanceRites Travel Assistance Fund.
The Fund supports dance groups from rural, remote and regional areas who would not otherwise be able to travel to Sydney to participate in DanceRites.
Financial assistance is provided to help cover travel costs once groups have demonstrated their own fundraising efforts or secured other sources of financial support.
Applications will open once registrations have closed and groups have been accepted into the 2026 competition. Eligible groups will then be invited to apply to the Travel Assistance Fund.
Accommodation on Cockatoo Island/Wareamah will be available on 23 - 26 October 2026 for eligible participants. Cockatoo Island/Wareamah is only accessible by boat/public ferry. The DanceRites team will arrange transfers between Cockatoo Island/Wareamah and Sydney Opera House for competing groups.
Accommodation includes a tent with a sleeping mat. Please note, participants will need to bring their own sleeping bag, pillow and towels. There are toilets and hot showers, as well as accessible toilets and hot showers. Please specify if your group has any accessibility requirements.
Please note, Cockatoo Island/Wareamah was previously used as a convict gaol and home for children. More information about the history of Cockatoo Island/Wareamah can be found here - https://www.cockatooisland.gov.au/en/learn/island-history/
Groups may choose to arrange their own accommodation at their own expense. Groups not staying on Cockatoo Island/Wareamah will be responsible for their own travel arrangements to the Sydney Opera House.
Sydney Opera House is a short walk to public transport and is easily accessible.
DanceRites highlights
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Acknowledgements
Event Sponsor
The Sydney Opera House thanks its Idealist donors and Event Sponsor Sydney Harbour Federation Trust for their generous support of Dancerites 2026.
A very special thank you to Dunghutti Biripi artist Wanita Lowe for the creation of our DanceRites artwork.
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