The doors of Wharf 4/5 at Walsh Bay will swing open in August for a free day of classes, performances and open rehearsals to kick off two months of celebrations to mark four decades at the storied location.
For 40 years, the Sydney Dance Company has called the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct home. To mark this major milestone, it’s throwing a party in the form of a special Open Day, holding free dance classes, Pilates sessions, open rehearsals and giving people a sneak peek behind the scenes.
The free open day will take place on Saturday, August 22, at it’s Wharf 4/5 home, with the public invited to explore the place that has helped shape Australian contemporary dance.
On the day, they’ll be sharing a vibrant program of free dance classes and Pilates sessions, family activities, and a performance by Sydney Dance Company’s Primary Youth Ensemble with Gondwana’s Junior Performing Choir.
Not only that, Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela will give visitors a rare opportunity to watch him at work as he takes an open rehearsal of his acclaimed work E2 7SD, which has never been performed in Australia, ahead of Current, the centrepiece of the celebrations presented at the Neilson Studio from September 3 to 20.
Fans of the much-loved ABC television series Dance Academy are also in for a treat. A live taping of the Life Academy podcast, hosted by former Dance Academy stars Dena Amy Kaplan and Alicia Banit, will also take place on site.
The Open Day launches 40 Years at the Wharf, a curated program running from August 22 to October 16 which includes workshops and community events, historical displays and newly commissioned oral histories.
Throughout the foyer, a visual history will be displayed of the Wharf and its transformation into the home where generations of dancers, choreographers, artists, students and audiences have gathered to create, learn and connect. It will feature archival photographs, including works by the legendary Max Dupain, vintage season posters, and freshly recorded histories from dancers and class regulars.
The focal point of the anniversary celebrations is Current, which brings together three world premieres by Raghav Handa (One Song), Jenni Large (Alpha Mutt), and Azzam Mohamed (OUR(SELF)), alongside the long-awaited Australian premiere of Bonachela’s E2 7SD. Presented as one continuous experience, the program is billed as celebrating “four distinct approaches to contemporary dance, revealing the breadth of ideas, movement practices and artistic perspectives shaping the artform”.
During the Current season, 40 Pre-Professional Year students will pay homage to the Company’s home with 40-minute site-specific improvisations unfolding across the piers and surrounding spaces of the Wharf.
Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela said: “For forty years, the Wharf has been much more than our location. It is where ideas are born, where artists come together to take creative risks, and where audiences become part of our story.
“Every rehearsal, performance, class and conversation has contributed to the extraordinary community that exists here today.
“Celebrating 40 Years at the Wharf is an opportunity to open our doors and invite people inside this remarkable place. Whether you’re joining us for Current, taking a class, exploring our history or simply visiting for the first time, we hope audiences and participants experience the creativity, generosity and sense of belonging that has made this our home for four
decades.”
What: Sydney Dance Company 40 Years at the Wharf Open Day
Where: Wharf 4/5, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct
When: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Price: Free
Tickets to Current, which runs from September 3 – 20, are $95 for an adult, $77 for concession and $35 under 25s. Book your tickets here.
