AABC 2027
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A landmark festival dedicated to adult ballet & contemporary dance.
Register - AABC Adult Ballet Competition & Festival 2027
Create your own adult dance festival experience
Festival Registration Is Required
Every dancer participating in the AABC Adult Ballet Competition & Festival must complete an individual Festival Registration and pay the applicable registration fee.
Festival Registration is required whether you participate in one activity or attend the complete three-day festival. It is separate from any additional fees for competition entries, masterclasses, feedback sessions or Saturday classes.
Each member of a duo, trio or group must complete their own Festival Registration.
Join adult ballet and contemporary dancers from Melbourne, regional Victoria, interstate Australia and the wider Australasia dance community for the AABC Adult Ballet Competition & Festival 2027.
Across the three-day festival, registered participants can create an experience that includes:
Attend Friday’s adult ballet repertoire masterclass
Sign up for Friday Studio 6 Mock Performance feedback sessions
Join two Adult Ballet Centre classes on Saturday
Compete at the Shirley Burke Theatre on Sunday
Select the experiences that suit you or combine activities across all three festival days.
Festival dates: Friday 13 to Sunday 15 August 2027
Festival studios: Arnold Street Studio, Adult Ballet Centre, Cheltenham
Competition venue: Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkdale, Melbourne
Registrations are now open
Competition entries close: 1 July 2027, or earlier if capacity is reached
AABC 2027 Prices & Fees
Festival Registration Is Required
Every dancer participating in the 2027 Australasia Adult Ballet Competition & Festival must complete an individual Festival Registration and pay the $195 +10% GST Dancer Registration Fee.
The Dancer Registration Fee confirms your place as an AABC 2027 participant and provides access to build your festival experience across the three days, including eligibility to book masterclasses, Saturday training, competitor feedback sessions and competition entries. Registered participants also receive festival communications, participant administration, scheduling support, level-placement guidance where required and priority access to theatre tickets.
Festival Registration is required whether you participate in one festival activity or attend the complete three-day event. It is separate from all competition performance entries, masterclasses, feedback sessions and Saturday classes.
Each dancer participating in a solo, pas de deux, duo, trio or group must complete their own Festival Registration.
Registrations are now open.
Places are limited. Registrations will close once festival capacity has been reached.
Choose Your Festival Experience
Friday Repertoire Masterclasses
Begin your festival weekend with a dedicated adult ballet repertoire masterclass at Adult Ballet Centre.
Develop artistry, musicality, interpretation and performance quality through carefully guided repertoire coaching. These masterclasses are open to festival participants whether or not they are competing on Sunday.
Date: Friday 13 August 2027
Location: Adult Ballet Centre, Arnold Street, Cheltenham
Program: Three ballet repertoire sessions allocated by level, together with contemporary dance sessions for two allocated levels
Guest faculty: Guest faculty: Experienced former professional artists, with full faculty announcements to follow.
Suitable levels: Foundation to Advanced
Fee: $71.50 per dancer, including GST.
Places will be limited to protect the quality of each dancer’s coaching experience.
Friday Competitor Mock Performance & Feedback Session
Competitors can rehearse their performance piece in Studio 6 at Adult Ballet Centre before taking it to the theatre on Sunday.
During each 15-minute session, dancers will have the opportunity to present their piece and receive constructive feedback from two professional coaches.
Date: Friday 13 August 2027
Location: Studio 6, Adult Ballet Centre, Arnold Street, Cheltenham
Session length: 15 minutes
Fee: $33 per session, including GST.
These sessions are available only to dancers registered to compete on Sunday.
Saturday ABC Training Experience
Train alongside the Adult Ballet Centre community in our professionally equipped Cheltenham studios.
Visiting dancers can select two classes from the available Saturday timetable, matched to their current ballet experience and training level. This is an opportunity to experience ABC’s supportive adult ballet training while connecting with dancers from our Melbourne community.
Date: Saturday 14 August 2027
Location: Adult Ballet Centre, Arnold Street, Cheltenham
Two-class fee: $71.50 per dancer, including GST.
After registering, you will receive special festival booking credits and instructions for selecting your two preferred classes. A confirmation email will be sent once your class bookings have been completed.
Class places are subject to availability.
Dancers who are unsure which level to select can request placement guidance during registration or email manager@adultballetcentre.com.
Sunday Adult Ballet and Contemporary Competition
Step onto the stage at the Shirley Burke Theatre for an encouraging and professionally presented competition created specifically for adult dancers.
Each competition session will begin with an included onstage warm-up class. This allows dancers to prepare physically, experience the stage surface and become comfortable in the theatre before performing.
Dancers will perform before experienced adjudicators and receive constructive feedback recognising:
Technique and quality of movement
Artistry and musicality
Interpretation
Performance and presentation
Individual development
Date: Sunday 15 August 2027
Venue: Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkdale, Melbourne
Morning session: Onstage class followed by Masters 60+, Foundation and selected group sections
Afternoon session: Onstage class followed by remaining group, Development and Open Advanced sections
Final presentation: Major awards and the official festival conclusion.
Individual section and performance times will be released after registrations close.
Competition Performance Entry Fees
Each competitor pays the $195 Dancer Registration Fee once, followed by the applicable entry fee for every performance entered:
Performance entryFee per dancerClassical ballet solo$185Contemporary solo$185Pas de deux or duo$120Trio$100Group of 4–8 dancers$75
Each performance entry fee includes:
Competition stage time
Professional adjudication
Feedback for the entered performance
Placement within the appropriate competition section
Every performer in a pas de deux, duo, trio or group must complete their own Festival Registration and pay the applicable performance entry fee.
For duo, trio and group entries, each dancer pays the fee shown above. The fee is per dancer, per performance, rather than one fee shared by the complete group.
What Will My Competition Entry Cost?
The following examples include the compulsory $195 Dancer Registration Fee and the applicable performance entry fee:
Dancer’s entries Total per dancer One group performance $270 One trio performance$295 One pas de deux or duo$315 One solo$380 One solo and one group performance$455 One solo and one trio$480 One solo and one pas de deux or duo$500
The $195 Dancer Registration Fee is paid only once.
Dancers entering more than one performance then pay the applicable entry fee for each additional piece.
Watching the Sunday Competition
The Sunday competition will be presented in separately ticketed morning and afternoon sessions at Shirley Burke Theatre.
Registered AABC 2027 participants will receive seven days of priority access to purchase audience tickets before remaining tickets are released to the general public.
Each registered participant may purchase one audience ticket at 50% of the standard ticket price for the session in which they are not competing. A non-competing registered participant may select either the morning or afternoon session.
Additional audience tickets for family members, friends and supporters will be charged at the standard ticket price and may be subject to purchase limits during the priority-booking period.
Festival Registration and competition-entry fees do not include audience admission to the theatre. Priority access does not automatically reserve or guarantee a seat. Tickets are confirmed only once the booking and payment have been completed and remain subject to availability and theatre capacity.
Ticket-release dates, prices and booking instructions will be emailed directly to registered participants.
Important Pricing Information
All prices are in Australian dollars and include GST
*The final competition schedule will be developed from confirmed entries. Until individual sessions are allocated, competitors should remain available between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm on Sunday 15 August 2027.
All competitors must remain available for the final awards presentation and official festival conclusion. The finishing time will be confirmed with the final schedule. Interstate and international participants should avoid booking an early Sunday evening return flight; departure on Monday is recommended where possible..
Back Stage Shirley Burke Theatre
