Over 300 First Nations dancers gathered at Sydney Opera House’s Forecourt on 24–25 October 2026 for DanceRites 2026, a free festival celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The event honored late advocate Rhoda Roberts and featured performances, workshops, and a $50,000 prize pool.
The ninth iteration of DanceRites 2026 drew more than 300 dancers from 18 groups across Australia, showcasing traditional and contemporary performances at the Sydney Opera House’s sand circle stage. The free festival, open to all, included cultural exchanges, audience workshops, and guest appearances by international First Nations artists like Canada’s Wabanaki Dancers. The event ran from 1.30 pm to 7.40 pm daily, with a focus on storytelling, song, and dance tied to the land’s history.
Honoring Late Advocate Rhoda Roberts
It’s a celebratory weekend and an opportunity for everyone to join in the living history of Tubowgule, a place where story, song and dance has always been shared,
said Michael Hutchings, Sydney Opera House Head of First Nations Programming, according to The Guardian.
Event Schedule and Participation Details
The festival featured 10 regional and remote groups competing in the Cultural Dance and Song Cycle, alongside the Wild Card category for experimental performances. NAISDA, marking its 50th anniversary, led an audience workshop and performed before Sunday’s winners ceremony. The 2024 champions, the Mackay Torres Strait Islander Cultural Group, returned as guest performers.
Competing groups included Lirrga and Tharnpa Wulthirri from the Northern Territory, Lagaw Titui from the Torres Strait, and Victoria’s Boonwurrung Ngargee Dance Group. Judges included First Nations dance experts Beau Dean Riley Smith and Julie Bukari Webb, while hip-hop artist Shannon Williams and dancer Taryn Beatty co-hosted. The event’s program emphasized geographic and cultural diversity, reflecting the breadth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditions.
Specific groups participating included the Jannawi Dance Clan, Wabanaki Dancers, NAISDA, and Mackay Torres Strait Islander Cultural Group. Western Australia’s Kwopidak Kenning Yok (Beautiful Female Dancers) shared Noongar dance traditions.
Venue and Historical Context
DanceRites 2026 took place on the Sydney Opera House’s Forecourt, a site known as Tubowgule in the Dharug language. The venue, designed by Danish architect Jørn Utzon and inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2007, served as a symbolic gathering space for cultural exchange. The event’s location emphasized the Opera House’s role in showcasing First Nations culture, with organizers highlighting its connection to the land’s enduring traditions.
The Forecourt’s sand circle stage, beneath the building’s iconic sails, hosted performances starting at 2 pm daily. Visitors could access the site via Circular Quay, with accessibility measures in place.
The Opera House acknowledges Tubowgule as the land it occupies and refers to it as a site for gathering, ceremonial activities, and celebrations. That setting links the competition’s storytelling and dance with the cultural context given by the venue. The structure was officially opened in 1973, with its design originating from a competition won by Danish architect Utzon in 1957 by an international panel.
The Forecourt lies between the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Gardens, with access from Circular Quay via train, ferry, light rail, bus, bicycle, or walking. The public viewing area on the Forecourt lacks shade, and the event’s layout does not allow for prams, portable chairs, or large umbrellas.