This October, the Royal New Zealand Ballet is proud to make our first appearance at DanceX – a bold, visionary festival celebrating the depth and diversity of dance across Australia and Aotearoa. Curated by David Hallberg, Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, DanceX 2025 will run from 8 to 19 October at Arts Centre Melbourne, with performances across the Playhouse, Fairfax Studio and The Show Room.

Originally launched in 2022, DanceX brought together the region’s most exciting dance voices for a landmark festival that celebrated connection, innovation and resilience. Its return in 2025 promises another extraordinary showcase of creativity, culture and collaboration.

The 2025 programme features fourteen leading companies and choreographers, including The Australian Ballet, Bangarra Dance Theatre, West Australian Ballet, Stephanie Lake Company, Dancenorth and Restless Dance Theatre.

The Royal New Zealand Ballet will be performing Te Ao Mārama. Created for the Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 70^th anniversary in 2023, Te Ao Mārama is a powerful work by Moss Te Ururangi Patterson.

Inspired by haka and powered by the strength of the men of the RNZB, this is a striking and lasting addition to the RNZB’s repertoire. Te Ao Mārama shares the strong Māori culture that is celebrated in Aotearoa and is a privilege to share on the international stage for the first time with Dance X in Australia.