GATHERING.1: Co3 Celebrates a Decade of Dance with Immersive New Work

Co3 Contemporary Dance Australia is set to ignite the stage with IN.RESIDENCE: GATHERING.1, a landmark event celebrating a decade of captivating contemporary dance. Running from June 18 to 22, 2025, this immersive evening promises to transform the Liberty Theatre into a pulsating, responsive space where audience and performer connect in an unprecedented way.

Curated by Co3 Artistic Director Raewyn Hill, GATHERING.1 brings together a vibrant array of Western Australian movers and makers. The program features new works from emerging choreographers Mitch Harvey (HUH), Logan Ringshaw (The Rest is Noise), and Kimberley Parkin (Tri-Hard), alongside choreography by Hill herself, all performed by five Co3 dancers.

Adding to the dynamic atmosphere, live soundscapes by award-winning MOWGLI and DJ Aslan, coupled with striking lighting and projection design by Mark Haslam, will ensure the Liberty Theatre is truly alive with movement and sound. LINK Dance Company will also present show activations (with the exception of the Sunday performance), drawing audiences further into the evening's central themes of unity, ritual, celebration, and human connection.

IN.RESIDENCE is Co3's pathways program, designed as a space for experimentation, risk, and artistic growth. GATHERING.1 marks its fifth presentation, underscoring Co3's commitment to nurturing new voices and pushing artistic boundaries. As Raewyn Hill explains, “IN.RESIDENCE nurtures the next generation of choreographic voices while challenging conventional formats. As Co3 enters its second decade, this platform will be central to evolving our identity that is anchored in WA, connected to the world, and committed to innovation through collaboration.” She further emphasizes, “It celebrates a decade of risk taking, resilience, and growth while opening space for bold, new voices. GATHERING.1 is a living expression of Co3’s evolution, deeply focused on the community and driven by a commitment to collaboration and contemporary relevance.”

The themes of unity, ritual, and human connection emerged from a desire to counteract the fragmentation and isolation of modern life. Hill elaborates, “We wanted to create something that reminds us of the power of coming together, of being present. Rituals whether sacred or social offer structure, and unity brings purpose. In GATHERING.1, we return to the essential act of connecting through movement.”

Hill praises the distinct yet complementary voices of the three choreographers, noting, “Mitch Harvey brings theatricality and precision, Logan Ringshaw is visceral and poetic, and Kimberley Parkin offers raw emotional intelligence. All three have the ability to listen to the room, the people, the moment. They are makers of the future, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to curate their work.”

Audiences are invited to step into an open, vibrant environment where performance spills into every corner. The Liberty Theatre will transform into a "pulsating, responsive space part dance floor, part ceremonial ground where movement, music, and people coexist without boundaries." Hill highlights the unique experience, stating, “This dissolves hierarchy. There is no fourth wall, no passive viewing. Energy moves both ways, it is unpredictable, alive. Audiences are not just witnesses; they are part of the ritual, contributing to the rhythm and pulse of the evening. It demands presence and that is powerful. Music is the emotional anchor with DJs Aslan and Mowgli’s soundscapes evolving in real time with the dancers, responding to shifts in energy and guiding the collective journey sometimes meditative, sometimes electric.”

For those new to contemporary dance, Hill hopes they will “feel welcomed, moved, and maybe even surprised by what dance can be, by their own reactions, by a sense of belonging. Contemporary dance does not have to be distant or obscure it can be immediate, embodied, and deeply human.”

IN.RESIDENCE: GATHERING.1 promises an unforgettable and deeply engaging experience, inviting audiences to be an integral part of Co3's dynamic evolution.