Every Step by Rawcus — Identity in Motion, On Stairs, In Full Color

Forget your typical theatre seats — this ain’t your grandma’s recital. Rawcus turns the Victorian Pride Centre’s grand staircase into a runway for identity, texture, and pure queer swagger. Think: choreographed vibes, not choreographed steps. Every step you take? That’s your brand. Your t-shirt? Your flag. Your playlist? Your manifesto.

Devised and performed by Ryan New, in collaboration with Swann Biguet and Nilgun Guven, this isn’t just dance — it’s a celebration of the small, stubborn, glorious choices that whisper “this is me” to the world. And the world? It’s listening. With fierce physicality, arresting visuals, and zero chill, Rawcus brings their trademark anarchy-meets-precision to every bend, every pause, every swish of fabric.

Rawcus has been bending norms and breaking expectations for 25 years — from the Melbourne International Arts Festival to Next Wave, they’ve collaborated with orchestras, pop stars, and visual artists alike. Nominated for a Helpmann, winner of a Greenroom Award for Interior (2024), they’re not just making art — they’re making space. And this time? That space is the stairs.

BIOS

RYAN NEW is a performer, dancer, tai chi practitioner, and landscape innovator. He joined Rawcus in 2008 and has since danced in Small Odysseys, Another Lament, and Song for a Weary Throat. Yes, he won a Tropfest for best actor. No, he’s not slowing down.

RAWCUS is an award-winning ensemble of artists with diverse minds, bodies, and imaginations — and they’re here to remind you that weird is wonderful, and wild is welcome.

Image Credit: Jack Zapsalis

Free entry — no tickets needed, just your presence and your pride. Seriously, show up. The stairs are waiting.