From a residency at sea to a dance-off between street dancers, 20 productions question what dance is.

In January this year, award-winning choreographer and dancer James Batchelor embarked on a two-month residency on board Australia’s state-of-the art marine research vessel the Investigator. The resulting work, Deepspace, which plays at the intersection of arts and science, will be one of the productions at Dance Massive in 2017.

^{James Batchelor on board the Investigor. He will present Deepspace at Dance Massive. Photo © Charles Tambiah}

Dance Massive is Australia’s largest platform for contemporary dance: an event showcasing innovative work from established and emerging choreographers, dancers and companies from around the country. Curated by a consortium comprising Arts House, Dancehouse and Malthouse Theatre in association with Ausdance Victoria, the fifth iteration will take place in Melbourne from March 14 to 26 with a programme of 20 productions, 12 of which are world premieres. Featuring choreography across a board spectrum, organisers hope it will have audiences and artists alike questioning and debating what dance is, and how far it can be taken as an artform.

Reflecting on his maritime residency, Batchelor says: “It was quite unusual...