City Sessions is celebrating 10 years as one of the hottest events on Melbourne's dance calendar and it's bigger than ever in 2022.
There are very few if any cities on earth that have a contemporary dance culture to rival Melbourne, with the city’s unique styles and rhythmic creations – hand in hand with its vibing clubbing culture – often going viral across the planet.
Think it’s hyperbole? Just check out the most viewed videos on YouTube if you type in ‘Melbourne’.
Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.
Taking this culture to the professional extremes, reaching the artform’s upmost heights and then showcasing it to the masses, City Sessions is going to be one of the highlights of the jam-packed Live at the Bowl series this summer.
Celebrating 10 years of celebrating street and social dance, City Sessions is Melbourne’s biggest dance battle: competitors exhibit their skills, style and finesse in 1v1 or 2v2 scenarios with professional judges and DJs.
2022’s event will take place over two dates. The prelims free event will take place on Arts Centre Melbourne’s Forecourt on Saturday 22 January, where people can get up close as some of Australia’s best dancers battle it out 2vs2 to hip hop, house and funk. The winners from the prelims will then go head-to-head at the City Sessions main event held at Sidney Myer Music Bowl on Saturday 5 February.
Australian Hammond Organ trio Cookin’ On 3 Burners and Smilez will provide the soundtrack as MCs Sid Mathur and Jonathan Homsey host proceedings. Dancers will be judged by Dechen Gendun and Poeone.
“Coming towards its 10-year milestone, City Sessions has been the longstanding connector for many different forms within street/social dance in Naarm,” City Sessions Founder Efren Pamilacan said.
“It has provided space for expression and visibility for the underrepresented in dance, and it fills me with joy to know that City Sessions continues to provide a platform for the next generation of artists in the communities it serves.
“The raw talent seen over the past 10 years is nothing short of inspiring as competitors exhibit their skills, style and finesse. Melbourne based dancer Nonoy was just 9-years-old when he first entered City Sessions and competed. Starting dance only the year before, it was clear he had found his creative outlet.
“City Sessions has been a representation of my dance timeline. I started dancing at the age of eight and I first entered the competition when I was nine. I got through some rounds but then I entered again when I was 12-years-old and ended up winning one of the divisions.
“I won the Hip Hop division alongside one of my teachers I grew up with and placed Top 4 in the House category with one of my best friends. This event showed me a lot about the culture and the journey I have with dance.”
Tickets to City Sessions are on sale now and can be purchased from the website here.
