Created in the midst of the COVID-19 lockdown, Echo is a dynamic celebration of the ingenuity, adaptability, and boundless imagination of youth.

The 30 dancers of Australasian Dance Collective’s Youth Ensemble premiere two compelling works from Youth Ensemble Director, Riannon McLean, and local independent dancer and choreographer, Michael Smith.

Echo will also feature three-minute solo films produced and directed by the Youth Ensemble members.

With the 15 to 18 year olds confined to online learning for their schoolwork as well as their dance training, McLean wanted to simplify and humanise their learning experience, encouraging them to slow down and reconnect with themselves and each other.

Through the simple act of letter writing, posting their choreographic ideas to each other via mail, students had a concrete starting point to begin the development of their solo material.

It allowed them to rediscover the joy of anticipation and excitement in our world of instant communication.

Without the constraints of the stage, the films are the result of unbridled imagination and unlimited possibility. Inspired by each other and their connections to their sense of place and self, our Youth Ensemble has been defined by their own creative voices.