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On the verge of new beginnings

Thursday, 30 October 2025

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  • Verge

    Verge, running from 14-19 November.

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The final dance season for 2025 at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) celebrates its graduating dance students in a stunning program of both ballet and contemporary dance works.

Verge, which runs from 14-19 November, is also the last public performance season in the Geoff Gibbs Theatre before WAAPA relocates to Edith Cowan University’s City campus.

It is fitting then that Verge 2025 celebrates the history of dance performance at WAAPA’s Mount Lawley campus.

Perth-based contemporary dance artists Emma Fishwick and Ella-Rose Trew present a re-imagining of Terra 3 by Nanette Hassall AM. Hassall, a highly influential figure in the Australian dance scene, was Head of Dance at WAAPA from 1995 until 2020. As WAAPA alumni who trained under Hassall, Fishwick and Trew bring their memories as original cast members of Terra 3 to this re-imagining, providing an invaluable connection to the piece.

Hassall is renowned for her work as a performer, director, teacher, and choreographer, both locally and overseas. Over her decades-long career, she was the recipient of many awards, including an Australian Dance Award for Services to Dance Education in 2002, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Ausdance WA in 2007, and an Australian Dance Awards Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012. Hassall was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2013 for significant service to the performing arts, particularly through dance education.

“Presenting a reimagined version of Terra 3 in this final season of dance at WAAPA is our way of acknowledging Nan’s longtime contribution to our Dance department, and to dance in general. Nan has been massively influential in the development of so many aspects of what is now dance in Australia,” says Sue Peacock, WAAPA’s Course Coordinator for Dance.

Peacock and dance lecturer Kynan Hughes will draw inspiration from their own previous works to create a new contemporary dance piece to be performed by the graduating Bachelor of Arts students.

“We are honouring the past 'spirits' of dance at WAAPA as witness to the thousands of students who have honed their craft at the Mount Lawley campus,” says Peacock.

Equally important to WAAPA Dance were Dame Peggy Van Praagh, Dame Lucette Aldous AC and Alan Alder.

Kim McCarthy and Tracy Blackwell will restage the enchanting Moonlight Suite, a selection of moonlight scenes from the Romantic repertoire, as a tribute to their combined legacies.

As the student dancers get ready to embark on their professional careers, WAAPA gets ready to start an exciting new chapter of its history in the state-of-the-art ECU City.

But before that happens, don’t miss this final opportunity to applaud the technique, artistry and passion of WAAPA’s graduating dancers in the final performance season in the Geoff Gibb Theatre.

Performance details:

VERGE

GEOFF GIBBS THEATRE, WAAPA, Edith Cowan University, 2 Bradford St, Mt Lawley
Fri 14, Sat 15, Mon 17, Tue 18, Wed 19 November at 7.30pm, Matinee Sat 15 November at 2.00pm

Tickets: $39 Full / $34 Concession / $32 WAAPA Friends

BOOK NOW: Tel: (08) 6304 6895 or online at: waapa.ecu.edu.au

Media contact:   

Anton Maz, Marketing Manager, (08) 6304 6817 or a.maz@ecu.edu.au

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