Queensland Ballet’s Elegantly Wasted, a dance based on INXS music, to feature at HOTA
A ballet based on INXS music is set to premiere at Home of the Arts on the Gold Coast, but it may be darker than fans expected.
The 65-minute dance piece, produced in collaboration with Queensland Ballet and HOTA (Home of the Arts), will premiere at the Surfers Paradise venue in September.
with title elegantly wastedThe song, which has the stamp of approval from INXS founding member and songwriter Andrew Farriss, will feature choreography by Belgian-Colombian dance artist Annabelle Lopez Ochoa.
Lopez Ochoa’s ballet Coco Chanel: The Life of a Fashion Icon, About the controversial fashionista was Queensland Ballet’s sell-out in 2024.
Farriss said it was exciting to see INXS music from a new perspective.
“This ballet is a fresh artistic interpretation that stands in its own field. It is not about the story of the group, but shows how our music can inspire new forms of expression,” he said.
Lopez Ochoa said the opportunity to reinterpret INXS songs through ballet was “unlikely” but irresistible.
“elegantly wasted “It is set in the ostentatious anonymity of a luxury hotel lobby and follows a group of impeccably dressed young influencers as they move in and out of view, organizing their lives through performance, reflection and affirmation,” he said.
“Beneath the glamour, seduction and excess lies a deeper meditation on identity, loneliness and the human desire for connection.”
The choice of title suggests that the ballet’s themes may not reflect the high points of the troupe’s career.
elegantly wasted It takes its name from the 10th INXS studio album and was singer Michael Hutchence’s last album before he died in a Sydney hotel room in 1997.
The new production is part of a three-year partnership between Queensland Ballet and HOTA, supported by Experience Gold Coast, and follows Garry Stewart’s premiere last year. Elastic HeartsA ballet based on the music of Sia.
Experience the Gold Coast head of arts and culture John Kotzas said: elegantly wasted It was commissioned by the Gold Coast’s desire to premiere “new Australian ballets that tell new Australian stories”.
“One of Australia’s most exciting and successful pop groups [will be] Are you going to ballet? he said.
“HOTA’s role is to reflect the community it serves. We want audiences to come here and have a good time, but we also want to tell an Australian story that makes us all feel a sense of pride.”
INXS was formed in Sydney in 1977 and sold 75 million albums in a career that lasted until 2012.
There has been renewed interest in the band recently and they were awarded the Ted Albert Award at this year’s APRA Awards for their outstanding service to Australian music.
Their song in 2025 Never Separate Us ranked number one Triple J Top 100 Hottest Australian Songs.
elegantly wasted Playing at HOTA from September 10-12.
Get instant alerts for important breaking news. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
Nick Dent is a Culture Reporter for the Brisbane Times covering arts, entertainment and things to do in the city.Connect via email.
