Building Inclusive Dance Practice: Restless Dance Theatre and Studio 1 Begin Five-Year Collaboration
Restless Dance Theatre has begun a new five-year collaboration with Brisbane-based Studio 1, creating opportunities for artists, educators and the wider dance community to develop their skills in inclusive dance practice.
On 10 and 11 July 2026, Restless Dance Theatre Artistic Director Michelle Ryan, Associate Artist Larissa McGowan and Company dancer Charlie Wilkins travelled to Brisbane to deliver two days of professional development, contemporary dance and creative workshops as part of the Company’s ongoing partnership with Studio 1.
The program brought together 40 participant, including independent dance artists, school and studio teachers, community organisations and emerging inclusive arts practitioners.
Across the two days, participants explored Restless Dance Theatre’s creative methodology, inclusive artistic practice and collaborative approaches to choreography, teaching and dance-making.
More importantly, the collaboration created space for artists with and without disability to learn from one another, build connections and consider new possibilities for inclusive contemporary dance.
Sharing Restless’ approach to inclusive dance
For more than 35 years, Restless Dance Theatre has developed a distinctive approach to contemporary dance that places creativity, collaboration and individual expression at the centre of the artistic process.
The Restless methodology recognises that artists and participants have different ways of moving, communicating, learning and creating.
Rather than expecting everyone to work in the same way, Restless encourages artists to explore what becomes possible when different perspectives, bodies and experiences are brought together.
The Brisbane workshops provided an opportunity to share this approach with the local dance community.
Michelle Ryan and Larissa McGowan, both Queensland-born artists with long-standing national careers, brought extensive experience in contemporary dance and inclusive artistic practice. Their established creative partnership combined artistic rigour with practical approaches to collaboration and inclusion.
Company dancer Charlie Wilkins brought another essential perspective: that of a professional disabled artist working at the highest level of contemporary dance.
Charlie demonstrated exceptional technical skill, professionalism and creative leadership throughout the program, providing participants with a powerful example of the artistic excellence and career possibilities of disabled artists.
His participation also reflected an important part of Restless’ work — creating pathways for disabled and neurodivergent artists to develop their skills, pursue professional careers and take on leadership roles within the arts.
Professional dance class and creative workshop
The first day of the program began with a professional contemporary dance class for nine independent dance artists, accompanied by an observer.
The class introduced participants to Restless’ movement practices and approaches to contemporary dance, providing an opportunity to explore movement through an inclusive lens.
This was followed by a creative workshop involving 21 participants from Slay Your Ability and the independent dance sector.
The workshop explored Restless’ choreographic methodologies and collaborative creative processes, encouraging participants to generate ideas, experiment with movement and work together in an inclusive creative environment.
It also established a new relationship between Restless and Slay Your Ability, creating opportunities for artists from different backgrounds to connect and collaborate.
The workshop demonstrated that inclusive practice is not simply about making an existing dance activity accessible. It can also open up new creative possibilities and change the way dance is made.
Supporting teachers and educators to develop inclusive practice
On 11 July, Restless delivered a specialised Teach the Teacher professional learning workshop for nine educators and teaching artists.
Participants included school teachers, studio teachers and independent artists looking to strengthen their inclusive teaching practice.
The workshop combined practical movement exploration with discussion about Restless’ creative methodology and explored practical approaches to:
- Inclusive choreography
- Communication
- Inclusive pedagogy
- Supporting diverse learners
- Participant agency
- Creative movement exploration
- Memory and communication strategies
- Creating environments where participants can take a “dignity of risk”
Rather than focusing only on theory, the professional development was grounded in practical experience.
Participants were able to try activities themselves, reflect on the experience and consider how the approaches could be adapted for their own teaching environments.
What did participants value?
Feedback from the professional learning workshop highlighted the value of Restless’ practical, task-based approach to creativity.
Participants particularly valued:
Task-based creative processes — practical ways to generate movement and creative ideas.
Memory and communication strategies — approaches that support different ways of learning and communicating.
Participant agency — creating environments where dancers have meaningful choices and ownership of their creative experience.
Dignity of risk — supporting people to take creative risks while maintaining an environment of care and respect.
Practical application — combining discussion and artistic context with activities participants could immediately apply in their own practice.
Feedback also indicated strong interest in longer and more advanced professional learning opportunities.
The impact of Michelle’s QShowcase keynote
The connection between Restless’ QShowcase keynote and the Studio 1 program was particularly significant.
Two participants travelled from the Sunshine Coast to attend the Teach the Teacher workshop after hearing Michelle Ryan’s keynote at the QShowcase: Arts Market + Conference.
Their decision to travel to Brisbane demonstrates how conversations about inclusive arts practice can translate into immediate demand for professional development and knowledge sharing.
It also highlights the potential of Restless’ work to reach beyond its home base in South Australia and contribute to the development of inclusive dance practice nationally.
Creating connections across the dance sector
One of the most valuable outcomes of the Brisbane collaboration was the opportunity to bring together people working across different parts of the dance and arts sector.
Independent artists, educators, community organisations and artists with and without disability were able to share experiences and learn alongside one another.
These connections are an important part of building a more inclusive performing arts sector.
Inclusive practice grows when knowledge is shared, relationships are developed and people have opportunities to try new approaches in supportive environments.
Through partnerships such as this, Restless is able to share more than a set of teaching techniques. The Company is sharing a philosophy of artistic practice built around creativity, collaboration, individuality, access and possibility.
A five-year partnership with Studio 1
The July workshops mark the beginning of a five-year collaboration between Restless Dance Theatre and Studio 1.
The partnership will create ongoing opportunities for professional development, artistic exchange and inclusive practice, supporting artists with and without disability and strengthening connections between the Queensland and South Australian dance sectors.
For Restless, partnerships like this are an important part of building a more inclusive future for contemporary dance.
By working alongside local organisations, artists and educators, the Company can share its experience while also learning from the communities and artists it works with.
The result is a two-way exchange of knowledge, ideas and creative practice.
Building a more inclusive future for dance
Restless Dance Theatre believes that inclusion and artistic excellence are not separate goals.
When artists with different bodies, experiences and ways of thinking are given the opportunity to create together, new artistic possibilities emerge.
The collaboration with Studio 1 is one way Restless is contributing to that change — not only through performances, but through professional development, artist-to-artist exchange, education and the sharing of inclusive creative practice.
As this five-year collaboration develops, we look forward to seeing where these new connections lead.
Together, we can create more opportunities for artists with and without disability to learn, create, lead and shape the future of contemporary dance.
About the Restless Dance Theatre x Studio 1 collaboration
The Restless Dance Theatre x Studio 1 collaboration supports inclusive artistic practice and professional development for artists with and without disability.
Through workshops, professional learning and creative exchange, the partnership aims to strengthen inclusive practice within the dance sector and create new opportunities for artists, educators and communities to connect through dance.
Learn more about Restless Dance Theatre