Stage Queensland member Dancenorth recently featured at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games with Artistic Director Kyle Page and Associate Artistic Director Amber Haines delivering exceptional choreography at the Opening Ceremony performance segment HOME.

In November 2017, GOLDOC Chairman, Peter Beattie AC announced Kyle as a Segment Director of the Opening Ceremony. Kyle and Amber developed the work, which touched on the ethos of freedom, innocence, diversity and optimism.

Viewed by a global television audience of up to 1.5 billion, the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony was the biggest celebration the Gold Coast and Queensland had ever seen.

State Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said “Australia’s First Nations cultures were in the spotlight with performances from Queensland’s William Barton, who is recognised as one of the finest traditional didgeridoo players, rapper Mau Power from Thursday Island, Christine Anu, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander modern dance company Bangarra Dance Theatre with its strong representation of Queensland dancers,” she said.

“The inspiring opening ceremony also showcased top Queensland talent with performances from the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Queensland Youth Orchestra, Brisbane-based Voices of Birralee choir, Bobby Alu, and singers Ricki-Lee Coulter, Emma Dean and Katie Noonan, who served as music director for both the opening and closing ceremony.”

The Commonwealth Games opening kicked off Festival 2018, the 12-day arts and cultural festival on the Gold Coast, Cairns, Townsville and Brisbane.

Festival 2018 featured more than 3500 performers participating in more than 500 events.

Festival 2018 events included:

  • the world premiere of Rite from Circa;
  • Songs and Stories of Henry ‘Seaman’ Dan hosted by Jimi Bani;
  • Welcome to Sameville, an immersive theatre experience from Queensland’s Shock Therapy Productions; and
  • Surge from Dancenorth.