North Queensland’s Dance Talent Takes Over the Burdekin

Verve Dance Festival returned to the Burdekin Theatre last weekend, showcasing North Queensland’s most promising dance talent over a five-day exhibition.

From 15–19 January, more than 1,000 dancers from Mackay to Cairns travelled to the Burdekin to compete across a range of sections, with festival founder Machelle Slatcher describing it as one of the most fiercely contested events to date.

“Up here in North Queensland, the talent is off the charts,” she said.

“I just wanted to run a competition that was relaxed and give the kids another opportunity to do what they love most, which is getting up on stage and performing.”

Competitors, aged between 12 and 20, battled it out for a place on the podium, with winners earning automatic entry into the Showcase National Finals on the Gold Coast later this year.

Beyond highlighting regional talent, Slatcher, a Burdekin resident of 35 years, said a key aim of Verve is to inject money into the local economy.

“One of my goals is to bring money to the town in January, because after Christmas, business is quiet,” she said.

“It’s about helping local businesses out, and from what I’ve heard, it certainly has this year.”

Slatcher said she was pleased with how the 2025 event unfolded as a whole.

“The vibes were good, and I had so many people come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed Verve this year,” she said.

“I’d like to thank our sponsors and the Burdekin Theatre staff, because without them, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

Full festival results are available on the Verve Dance Festival Facebook page.

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Photo credit: KR Photos & Videos - Keeara & Reece

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