To organise and facilitate a platform for students to indulge in all dance genres.
To create performing opportunities for students with interests in the artistry of dance.
To encourage and foster effective teamwork in a positive and inspiring environment.
To share the passion for dance with our community and network accordingly.
To foster the development of aspiring choreographers.
The University of Melbourne’s Flare Dance Ensemble is a student-run dance group which aims to provide a platform of opportunities for university students to indulge themselves in the many expressions of dance.
This includes the opportunity to learn, teach, choreograph and perform dance pieces of several styles. Jazz, hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, and Latin are the common styles that we use. However, we are always open to new horizons and are constantly striving to introduce new styles.
Every year, we perform at events around Melbourne. We also hold an annual production around October to showcase the talent of our members.
“Flare is like reading a book you can’t put down. Every class is a new chapter and every year is a new set of authors”
– Djacint Philip Dumapias
Jane Khoo founded the University of Melbourne Flare Dance Ensemble in 2001 and staged its highly successful first major production, Ignite, in 2002. Her efforts were appreciated by the university and she was awarded the Louise Homfrey Prize for outstanding contribution to Theatre and Dance in 2003. She was artistic director of the ensemble until 2006.
From its humble start in 2001, Flare Dance Ensemble began with just five dancers. It officially became established in the University of Melbourne in that year, with a vision to provide young people with an opportunity to express and perform their dance talent, and achieve their passion and dreams through the founding of this dance company.
Flare aims to inspire and encourage students to achieve their individual artistic potential through experience and exposure to different dance styles and performing arts. Flare dancers hence are able perform a fusion of jazz, hip-hop, contemporary, cultural and ethnic dance forms. Flare Dance practices are led by fellow student dancers interacting weekly with their own choreographic works and ideas.
As a result of this openness, Flare has grown by leaps and bounds to its current size of over 1000 members and 90 core dancers and has staged eleven successful full-length stage productions from 2002.
Flare Dance Ensemble has emerged in a short time as a key player in the provision of artistic dance talent in the University of Melbourne. Flare continuously endeavours to attain professional standards and to develop into an artistic resource in the corporate and commercial dance industry.