Sharp Short Dance 2020

Watch the Next Generation of Dance Artists at Sharp Short Dance

Live Online | October 26 – November 21

Now a main event on the dance calendar, Sharp Short Dance, the annual youth dance festival presented by FORM Dance Projects, will be held online from 26th October to 21st November, showcasing the work of young dancers and choreographers, film makers and music creators from around Australia.

The festival provides an opportunity for dancers and choreographers aged 21 years and under to show their works to a panel of industry professionals and win highly sought-after industry secondments with major professional dance companies such as Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year and Shaun Parker & Company.

This year, because of Covid19, the event was moved to an online digital format with participants submitting video entries, while the general public will be able to vote for their favourite works across three online heats from 26th October. A panel of industry professionals will award the best works in a live streamed Final being held on 21st November.

Participants are eligible for multiple awards including Outstanding Male and Female Performers, Outstanding Solo, Duet and Ensemble Performances, Outstanding Dance Film, Best Original Music Score, and the Audience Choice Award. There are also cash prizes, gifts and vouchers to be awarded from sponsors like Bloch, Dance Central and the Academy of Music and Performing Arts.

The 2020 judging panel features some of the industry’s most respected names including Omer Backley-Astrachan (Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year Course Coordinator), Shaun Parker (Artistic Director of Shaun Parker & Company), Jo Clancy (Founder and Director of the Wagana Dancers), Emma Saunders (FORM/WE ARE HERE Company associate artist), Melissa Ramos (Founder and Director of Dance Cinema), Jamie Winbank (independent dance artist, producer and choreographer), and Aruna Gandhi (Founder and Director of Silambam- Sydney).

Sharp Short Dance celebrates the sheer joy of dance in all its forms – from tap, Bollywood and indigenous to hip hop, classical and contemporary. Many participants return each year to strive for artistic excellence, develop their choreographic and performance skills, meet like-minded artists, and network with peers and industry experts.

Sharp Short Dance Artistic Producer Maya Gavish said, “We’re delighted to have received registrations from all around Australia for Sharp Short Dance this year. We were so moved to see that, despite the pandemic and the challenges that come with it, the urge to create and self-express is still so prevalent. This year, the event is taking a new form, providing a great opportunity for young artists to learn new skills and dive into a new medium and an exciting chance for people across the country to get a glimpse into the wonderful world of Sharp Short Dance.”