Elastic Hearts: Queensland Ballet and Sia Unite for a Powerful World Premiere on the Gold Coast
Queensland Ballet has announced the world premiere of Elastic Hearts, an emotionally charged new ballet set to the music of Australian pop icon Sia. Opening at HOTA, Home of the Arts, from 6 to 8 November 2025, the production marks the launch of a three-year partnership between Queensland Ballet, HOTA and Experience Gold Coast.
Drawing inspiration from Sia’s evocative 2015 track Elastic Heart, the ballet explores vulnerability, resilience and reconnection through a blend of classical ballet and contemporary movement. The music video for the original single, featuring Maddie Ziegler and Shia LaBeouf, is widely regarded as a benchmark for the emotive power of dance in mainstream pop culture — and now forms the foundation of this ambitious new stage production.
Elastic Hearts will be choreographed and directed by Garry Stewart, with new musical arrangements by Elliott Wheeler performed and recorded by Queensland Symphony Orchestra. A team of Australian and international artists, including set and costume designer Charles Davies, lighting designer Alexander Berlage, and dramaturg Lou Cope, will bring the work to life. The creative team also includes Daniel Jaber as assistant to the choreographer.
“This production is the perfect launch of our new partnership, as it stretches the boundaries of what ballet can be — emotionally, musically, and culturally,” said Queensland Ballet Artistic Director Ivan Gil-Ortega. “With Sia’s music as our heartbeat in this first work, we’re diving into something raw, contemporary and full of feeling.”
The initiative forms part of Queensland Ballet’s broader commitment to developing and premiering new work outside Brisbane, with a goal of deepening artistic engagement in communities across Queensland. Elastic Hearts represents a significant step toward that vision, combining the accessibility of popular music with the expressive power of dance.
Executive Director Dilshani Weerasinghe said the new partnership reflects the Company’s desire to build sustainable, place-based creative models. “We have a warm and collaborative relationship with HOTA, and this new partnership gives us the platform to launch works that are both grounded in place and globally relevant,” she said. “Our shared goal is to create tour-ready works that resonate deeply with audiences across Queensland — starting right here on the Gold Coast.”
The choice to debut the work at HOTA is a deliberate one, placing the production in a vibrant cultural hub that has become known for hosting bold new work. “HOTA is a place for artists to push boundaries and audiences to be surprised,” said Yarmila Alfonzetti, Head of Arts and Culture at HOTA. “Elastic Hearts is exactly the kind of work that belongs here – fearless, emotional, and made for now.”
Sia, who has built a global career as a singer, songwriter and director, is also renowned for her deep affinity with dance. Her music videos often centre movement as storytelling, and this collaboration sees her work interpreted through an entirely new medium. “I’ve always believed in the power of movement and music to connect people on a deeper emotional level. To see my music reimagined through the beauty of ballet is something truly special,” she said.