YOUTH DANCE FESTIVAL 2026
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 Youth Dance Festival dates! Please mark 2 to 3 nights between the 26th and 29th October 2026 at the Canberra Theatre Centre in your calendars.
The 2026 Youth Dance Festival theme has officially been released — THE METAVERSE — and entries are now open.
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This futuristic world of 3D avatars and virtual reality invites dancers to explore a parallel universe of social interaction and connection, and to imagine how this digital realm transforms the real world.
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Youth Dance Festival encourages a student-led approach to dance making, choreography, theatre and film making and provides a shared artistic experience and professional mentoring.
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Join the fun and sign your school up now! Entries close 12th June.
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For further information email ydf.act@ausdance.org.au
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2026
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Student Recording Permission​
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Purchase and stream the YDF 2025 Videos Now!
Payments taken through PayPal & debit/credit card (no PayPal account required)
TO STREAM YOUR VIDEO YOU WILL NEED TO LOG IN TO THIS WEBSITE
USING THE SAME EMAIL & PASSWORD USED TO MAKE THE ORIGINAL PURCHASE.
Youth Dance Festival 2025
MENTORS
2025
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Working Experience Application Form
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Student Recording Permission​
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YDF 2024 Video Streaming
Note: to access the video you need to log into the Ausdance ACT website using the same email and password you used originally to make the purchase.
YOUTH DANCE FESTIVAL 2024
WHAT DO YOU DREAM?
​​​​​​​​​​​​Last year we celebrated Youth Dance Festivals' 40th Anniversary with a theme of What Do You Dream?, this resulted in an exciting mix of live dance performance made by secondary schools from all over Canberra and regions for three nights at the Canberra Theatre Centre from 6 to 8 November 2024.​
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For this special occasion we had YDF alumni and star teachers and choreographers: KG from Passion & Purpose, Caroline Wall from Fresh Funk and Francis Owusu from Kulture Break working together to make an opening piece. These artists dreamed of a life full of dance and music, fulfilled through their lives as performers, choreographers and now mentors and teachers of the next generation.
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LIFE ON MARS 2025
WHAT DO YOU DREAM? 2024
BREAD AND CIRCUSES 2023
TRANSIENCE & PERMANENCE
2022
DIGITAL DYSTOPIA UTOPIA 2021
GENERATION NEXT 2019
MAKE YOUR MARK 2018
RIGHT HERE RIGHT NOW 2017
