This week, Queensland Ballet opens its annual Bespoke season at the Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre, presenting three new contemporary works by internationally experienced choreographers Where the Water Once Was by Claire Voss, Between the Lines by Paul Knobloch and What Remains by Victor Zarallo.
In 2026, Bespoke takes a new direction under Queensland Ballet Artistic Director Ivan Gil-Ortega, who invited artists from across the dance world to submit original concepts that push the boundaries of movement, music and design. From those submissions, three standout ideas were selected and developed into new works.
Ivan Gil-Ortega said:
“Part of my vision is to give all choreographers and designers the opportunity to create and collaborate. When artists from different disciplines come together, it sparks new ideas and allows bold new voices to emerge.”
I trained in the tradition of the legendary choreographer John Cranko and was aware of how he nurtured and influenced a generation of choreographic voices such as Sir Kenneth MacMillian, Sir Peter Wright and German choreographer, Christian Spuck, whose works we presented this year.”
Choreographers Claire Voss, Victor Zarallo, and Paul Knobloch each bring a distinctive creative spark to their concepts. By giving them the space and support to bring their visions to life, we’re helping shape the future of the artform.”
While each work inhabits a very different world, they are connected by a common question: how do we respond to the forces that challenge our sense of identity, security and balance?
Claire Voss turns her attention to one of the most pressing challenges facing the planet in Where the Water Once Was. Created with composer Connor D’Netto, the work confronts climate change, water scarcity and humanity’s increasingly complex relationship with one of our most fundamental resources.
Featuring 12 dancers, with women representing water and men embodying drought-stricken landscapes, the work asks audiences to consider the consequences of our everyday choices and our shared responsibility for the future.
Paul Knobloch’s Between the Line, created with composer Matej Perunicic, turns the examination inward. Exploring the delicate space between angst and ease, the work considers how pressure, perfection and the desire for control manifest in the mind and body.
As repetition and rhythm intensify, movement becomes a pathway towards release, inviting us to surrender what cannot be controlled and find moments of balance amid uncertainty.
Vitor Zarallo’s What Remains created with composer Brady Watkins, explores the tension between individuality and conformity. Using 20 dancers across five movements, a central female character navigates guidance, social pressure, trust and adaptation, striving to find her place within the collective without sacrificing the essence of who she is.
Bespoke is presented by Queensland Ballet and runs 2 – 17 October 2026 at Thomas Dixon Centre, 406 Montague Road West End Qld 4101.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://www.queenslandballet.com.au/performances/2026/bespoke
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/qldballet/
Hero image: Jospeh Moss, Sooan Lee and Gabriel Lowe in rehearsal for Bespoke. Photo by Jakob Perrett
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