Sydney Opera House hosts DanceRites on 24 and 25 October
Published on 10/11/2026 at 06:51 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSKey points in brief
- DanceRites takes place at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt on 24 and 25 October 2026.
- The free festival presents First Nations dance, song and storytelling, with competition heats on 24 October 2026 and finals on 25 October 2026.
- The Sydney Opera House opened in 1973 and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2007.
- DanceRites includes guest performances, an audience workshop and a winners ceremony during its two-day programme in Sydney.
Sydney Opera House hosts DanceRites on 24 and 25 October 2026, bringing a free First Nations dance festival to its Forecourt in Sydney. The event celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture through dance, song and storytelling.
DanceRites brings two days of First Nations dance
The ninth edition gathers performers representing diverse Nations and Clans for a national competition and a programme of special performances. The DanceRites programme places cultural knowledge, local storytelling and language at the centre of its Song Cycle and Cultural Dance categories.
Saturday 24 October begins with a smoking ceremony and spoken Welcome to Country at 2pm. Competition heats follow, alongside performances by Jannawi Dance Clan, Mackay Torres Strait Islander Cultural Group and the Wabanaki Dancers. Sunday 25 October brings the Wild Card performance, the Cultural Dance and Song Cycle finals, an audience workshop with NAISDA, further guest performances and the winners ceremony.
The Sydney Opera House announced the full programme as a two-day celebration on its DanceRites newsroom release. The programme links the Forecourt setting with Tubowgule, the land on which the building stands and a place described by the venue as having a long history of gathering, ceremony and celebration.
The Forecourt setting connects DanceRites with the building
The Forecourt sits below the building’s white roof shells, at the base of the Monumental Steps between the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Gardens. Its sand circle stage gives the competition a setting directly tied to the site rather than a separate city venue.
The building opened in 1973 and was designed from 1957 by Danish architect Jørn Utzon. It comprises three groups of interlocking vaulted shells over two main performance halls and a restaurant, rising from a broad platform beside Sydney Harbour. UNESCO describes the building as a major work of twentieth-century architecture and records its place in the harbour landscape.
That architectural setting changes the practical character of DanceRites: visitors will watch a live cultural competition outdoors beneath the shells, rather than enter one of the principal theatres. The programme therefore presents the Opera House as both a performance centre and a public gathering place.
Visiting Sydney Opera House: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- DanceRites runs at the Forecourt on Saturday 24 and Sunday 25 October 2026, with the site opening at 1.30pm on both days.
- The event is free and no registration is required. The programme is suitable for all ages, but children aged 15 and under must be accompanied.
- The Forecourt is at Bennelong Point, Sydney NSW 2000, between the Opera House and the Royal Botanic Gardens. It is accessible by train, ferry, light rail, bus, car, bicycle and on foot, with Circular Quay the nearest named transport reference.
- Visitors using the Monumental Steps should note that the event is outdoors. There is no shade in the public viewing area, while an accessible viewing area is provided at street level under the bleacher seating.
- Auslan interpreters will be present, and a calm space will be available under the Monumental Steps for visitors who need a lower-sensory break.
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Frequently asked questions about Sydney Opera House
When does DanceRites take place at Sydney Opera House?
DanceRites takes place on 24 and 25 October 2026 at the Forecourt. The programme starts with heats on 24 October and concludes with finals and a winners ceremony on 25 October.
What is DanceRites at Sydney Opera House?
DanceRites is a free national competition and festival celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance, song and culture. Its 2026 programme includes competition categories, guest performances and an audience workshop.
Where is Sydney Opera House and how do you get there?
The building is at Bennelong Point in Sydney, between the harbour and the Royal Botanic Gardens. The venue can be reached by train, ferry, light rail, bus, car, bicycle and on foot from Circular Quay.
