City to come alive with dance as Perth Moves returns in 2026

Perth’s city centre will pulse with movement this summer as Perth Moves 2026 returns to Forrest Place, transforming the CBD into a vibrant, open-air dance hub.

Running from Saturday, February 21, until Saturday, February 28, as part of Perth Festival, the show will feature internationally acclaimed choreographers creating unforgettable, free dance experiences with and for Western Australian dancers and audiences.

Following the impact of last year’s landmark edition, Perth Moves continues to attract global attention, positioning Perth as a meeting point for international creative exchange. Presented by STRUT Dance, at the heart of the program is the Perth Moves Dance Hub, which features three major events: the open-air XXL dance workshop CERCLES, the All-Styles, All-Ages Dance Battle, and a new site-specific performance, Concrete Echoes.

The festival opens with the All-Styles, All-Ages Dance Battle, a high-energy celebration of expression over genre. From breaking and krump to ballet and contemporary, dancers of all backgrounds will compete, connect, and perform in front of an international judging panel, DJ, and MC, setting the tone for a week of inclusive, city-wide celebration.

A centrepiece of the program is Concrete Echoes, a new site-responsive work by award-winning Aotearoa/New Zealand duo Ta’alili. Bringing together street and contemporary artists from across the Indo-Pacific, the work transforms Forrest Place into a shared performance space, coinciding with Perth hosting the Australian Performing Arts Market.

Also making its Australian-exclusive debut is CERCLES, led by renowned French choreographer Boris Charmatz. The ambitious open-air workshop invites 150 amateur and professional dancers into a growing, circular choreography, unfolding over several days and animated by a pulsing techno-brass soundtrack.

Returning for its third year, Perth Moves 2026 reaffirms dance as a powerful public language which is accessible, collective, and alive in the heart of the city.

Perth Moves 2026 will be taking place at Forrest Place from Saturday, February 21, until Saturday, February 28, 2026. For more information visit perthfestival.com