Sleepless Ones by Michelle Heaven

01 Oct 2026 - 03 Oct 2026

Dancenorth Australia presents Sleepless Ones by Michelle Heaven at North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) 2026.

About Sleepless Ones:

Bodies drift through detailed worlds where beauty emerges from unrest.

Inspired by the emotional intensity, psychological vulnerability, and illusionistic depth of Renaissance imagery, Sleepless Ones inhabits invented realms charged with light; cloaked in shadow; and alive with quiet chaos.

History and myth are reimagined as caricatures of heroes and fools traverse intimate, surreal and emotionally heightened terrain. Haunted by their own potential, these restless souls find themselves suspended between who they are and who they long to be.

Epic themes.

Intricate detail.

Absurdity that echoes current times.

Award-winning artists Michelle Heaven and Ben Cobham fuse iconic imagery, compelling choreography and filmic scores to deliver a cinematic-like dance experience with Townsville's celebrated Dancenorth Ensemble. Composition and sound designer Darrin Verhagen and Costume designer Jenni Langford also lend their master strokes to this richly textured and satisfyingly nuanced work.

Sleepless Ones illuminates vibrant physicality and striking visual composition to balance beauty, unease, grandeur and vulnerability.

About Dancenorth:

A major champion of the arts in North Queensland, Dancenorth Australia balances a dynamic regional presence with a commitment to creating compelling contemporary dance that tours the world.

Dancenorth's dedicated team also works with diverse communities across Queensland through its Community Experience Program, using dance to support, enhance, inspire and heal.