Across the weekend of May 23–25, the Victorian Dance Festival (VDF) transformed the Melbourne Showgrounds into a vibrant hub of movement, dance, and community, welcoming performers of all ages and levels for an unforgettable experience. As proud sponsors, it was a joy to reconnect with familiar faces and feel the buzz of excitement from teachers and students at our Energetiks booth, making it yet another incredible year.

The festival kicked off with the Vitality Dance Teacher Conference, a powerhouse event tailored to educators and studio professionals. Renowned industry leaders—including Megan Connelly (Artistic Director, The Australian Ballet School), Ryan Saab (RWS Global), and Stephen Gelpi (Disney Live Entertainment)—shared valuable insights on topics such as achieving global success, studio growth strategies, and child safety training. Syllabus sessions by ATOD, Cecchetti, RAD, and COMDANCE provided expert guidance, while practical workshops in topics like Showgirl Technique and Disney Repertoire were given.

Saturday and Sunday saw over 70 workshops delivered by an impressive lineup of national and international artists. The classes catered to all levels, from minis to professionals, and covered a diverse range of styles including contemporary, commercial, broadway, latin & partnering, lyrical, jazz, and hip hop. Class highlights for younger dancers included Baby Ballet, Dragonfly Dance, Terrific Tap, and Ready Set Dance, all designed to build confidence and joy in the studio whilst receiving dance training.

Artistic Director Yvette Lee brought her signature flair to the dancefloor with a captivating jazz piece choreographed to ‘Come Alive’, filling the studio with both energy and emotion. Lisa Herbert’s commercial class was a fan favourite, as she encouraged dancers to channel both boldness and musicality, piecing movements to lyrics.

Similarly, Jayden Hicks stood out with his expressive contemporary movement and inspiring teaching strategies. Dancers were also lucky to be surrounded by the likes of Devante Latorre, Adam Bull, Chip Abbott, Nicole Wells, and Jesse Rasmussen who all delivered standout classes, each showcasing their unique artistry.

Beyond workshops, the festival offered international audition opportunities. Dancers had the chance to be seen by representatives from RWS Global, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, the Joffrey Ballet School, and the highly anticipated Disney Auditions, which proved to be a crowd favourite!

Saturday night begun with a high-energy fashion parade featuring eleven performers represented in Energetiks; Mila Aziadou, Sharnika Chamberlain, Anneliese Schultz, Zoe Wijemanne, Jaja Cunanan, Neve Cope, Marlia Chofor, Ollie Pearce, Julia Makowska, Croft Taylor, and Ethan Taylor. Dressed in pieces from our latest Align and Aspire Collection, each dancer helped bring our designs to life. Following this, the IGNITE show was led by leading schools including but not limited to The National Ballet School, TDC Junior, Academy of Dance, Scimm. Dance Pre-professional, and Transit High School Academy. Not only did audiences respond well, but it highlighted the emerging talent of Australia's future performers.

VDF continues to impress instructors year after year, all because of the passion and dedication of Australian performers striving to ‘make it’ in the world of dance. One thing is certain- the 2025 festival has set the bar high for years to come.

Article & photography by Lara Divitcos

VDF 2025: A Weekend of Dance, Global Auditions and Showstopping Performances

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