Brisbane is about to witness a powerful collision of high art and global pop. Following a string of rave reviews and overwhelming audience demand, Queensland Ballet’s Elastic Hearts makes its highly anticipated Brisbane debut this Thursday at the Thomas Dixon Centre.
Created by legendary Australian choreographer Garry Stewart and set to the music of Sia, this isn’t just a ballet—it’s a high-octane sensory experience.
The Resilience of the Human Spirit
At the core of the production is Sia’s 2013 hit, Elastic Heart. For Stewart, the former Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre, the song serves as the perfect foundation for a study on human connection.
“The track speaks to the strength and resilience of the human heart,” Stewart explains. “There is an elasticity to our emotions; we need to bend and flex with the world around us, but we also need to cultivate resilience and not break.”
A Cinematic Soundscape
While Sia’s vocals provide the emotional lightning, the musical thunder comes from Elliott Wheeler. The Grammy-nominated composer—famed for his work on Baz Luhrmann’s ELVIS—has reimagined Sia’s pop tracks into a lush, orchestral landscape.
Recorded in intricate layers with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, the score transforms concise pop melodies into expansive cinematic movements, giving the dancers a rich, textured world to inhabit.
Visuals Inspired by Nature and Gaia
Moving away from the traditional, Stewart has infused the production with themes of ecology and regeneration.
- The Muse: The Greek goddess Gaia serves as a guiding force on stage.
- The Aesthetic: Inspired by the cycles of life, death, and decay.
- The Vibe: A bold departure from the “operatic weight” of recent productions, focusing instead on contemporary energy and defiance.
Elastic Hearts: Performance Fast Facts
- Where: Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre, West End.
- When: 30 April – 9 May, 2026 (New dates added!).
- The Creative Team: Garry Stewart (Choreography), Sia (Music), Elliott Wheeler (Arrangements).
- What the Critics Say: “Ballet with a bang. Ballet with a beat.” — The Australian.
Photos by David Kelly
