Wanna Dance for Sydney Solstice

Wanna Dance for Sydney Solstice is an interactive installation by City People and Studio Chris Fox inviting the people of Sydney to dance in one of the city’s distinctive urban laneways.

An innovative collaboration between some of Sydney’s leading designers, prop-makers, sound artists, choreographers and dancers, Wanna Dance is made for the public to experience joy in a public space in a city they love. The installation engages people throughout the afternoon and winter evenings of Sydney Solstice with a vibrant, unexpected moment to interact in a playful way.

Protruding from the rear of a heritage building on Parker Lane on the corner of Hay Street in Haymarket are three exhaust vents unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Sensor activated lights and sound from these brightly coloured vents beckon you closer. You step under a vent, the lights swirl to action, the music swells and the floor is yours. Wanna dance? Bring it on.

The project was conceived by three highly experienced arts practitioners: Michael Cohen (City People), Chris Fox (Studio Chris Fox) and Emma Saunders.

With music curated by one of Sydney’s best music programmers Tyson Koh (Loose Joints, FBi Radio), the soundtrack commences each day with a meditation before roaming through various genres of dance music from around the world into the night, encouraging workout sessions, ballroom step-throughs, nightclub fantasies or whatever the listener desires.

Wanna Dance also features six nights of dance performances curated by dance artist Emma Saunders programmed nightly over two weekends from 11-19 June with some of Sydney’s most exciting new dance artists. 

Dance styles include C-Pop, K-Pop, Hip Hop and Contemporary will be performed by renowned Sydney dance crews including Feras Shaheen and Friends, Yee-Li Tee and The Westies Crew, C+ Dance Studio and We Are Here dance company.

Wanna Dance is open to the public for Sydney Solstice from 8-26 June from 3pm-midnight daily with their installation located on Parker Lane at the corner of Hay Street, Haymarket.

Programmed dance performances are free and open to the public on 11-13 and 17-19 June from 6-9pm.

Wanna Dance?

Turn it up. Get Down. Bring it on.

This event received a City of Sydney CBD activation grant.