Forrest Place will become the beating heart of dance in February 2026 as Perth Moves returns with an expanded program of free, world-class performances and workshops.
Running from February 21 to 28, the Perth Moves Dance Hub will feature internationally acclaimed choreographers and dancers creating unforgettable experiences with and for Western Australian audiences.
Presented by STRUT Dance, Perth Moves 2026 builds on the success of last year’s program, which featured Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui’s Manifest and drew attention from dance communities across Australia, the Asia-Pacific and beyond. This year’s edition promises to be even more ambitious, with three major events: the open-air XXL dance workshop CERCLES, the All-Styles, All-Ages Dance Battle, and a new site-specific performance, Concrete Echoes.
The festival will open with the All-Styles, All-Ages Dance Battle, a high-energy celebration of movement that invites dancers of every background — from breaking to ballet, krump to contemporary — to compete and connect. Featuring a live DJ, MC, and an international judging panel, the event will transform Forrest Place into a vibrant arena of creativity, expression and community spirit.
A highlight of the week will be Concrete Echoes, a new work by award-winning New Zealand duo Ta’alili, commissioned by STRUT Dance and presented with Performing Lines and Perth Festival. Bringing together street and contemporary dance artists from across the Indo-Pacific, the performance will unfold under the stars in the heart of Boorloo/Perth. The work celebrates cultural exchange and artistic collaboration, coinciding with the Australian Performing Arts Market being hosted in the city.
Adding to the excitement, French choreographer Boris Charmatz will bring his acclaimed project CERCLES to Australia for the first time. The six-day open-air workshop will see 150 amateur and professional dancers explore circular movement in a large-scale performance set to a pulsating soundtrack by Hamburg techno brass band Meute.
Through Perth Moves 2026, STRUT Dance continues to redefine public spaces as stages for creativity and connection, offering free access to world-class dance and reaffirming Perth’s growing reputation as a global hub for artistic innovation.
