A UNIQUE AND INTENSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE AN ORIGINAL DEVISED PERFORMANCE IN THREE DAYS.

United is D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective’s physical theatre residency for high school and international school students that is as rigorous as it is transformative. 

Working alongside D.I.V.E.’s professional ensemble, students devise, rehearse, and perform an entirely original piece of physical theatre, contributing to every stage of the creative process and performing in the finished work. 

“They started as individuals and ended as an ensemble. You gave our students an awesome experience to remember forever and transformed how some students think of theatre.“ — Teacher, Hong Kong International School

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The Residency

United is a 20-hour physical theatre devising residency, led by D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective’s professional ensemble of multicultural artists. 

United is built around a shared creative framework: an elemental world of Earth, Water, Air, and Fire peoples, living in precarious harmony—until Fire’s drive for dominance breaks everything apart. Students work within this framework to explore what it takes to find unity again. This scaffold is a starting point and holds the work together; the students shape everything inside it.

Residencies are led by D.I.V.E. practitioners across 3–5 days for groups of 20–60 participants. 

All participants contribute to the devising process and perform in the final show.

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How D.I.V.E. Works

D.I.V.E.’s residencies are active explorations of physical and political theatre-making, grounded in the belief that theatre is not just for entertainment, but a tool for reflection and social action.

D.I.V.E.’s methodology draws on Meyerhold’s Biomechanics, Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, and the traditions of physical and devised theatre. 

Students work collaboratively as a professional ensemble, using movement, breath, spatial relationships, visual metaphor, and multilingual storytelling to build performances that are visceral, poetic, and memorable.

This is not conventional theatre education. It is challenging, immersive, and transformative.

“The type of work you do with students is challenging and highly important. The physical proxemics, intimacy and visceral, intuitive nature of the work seems like an antidote to modern society.” — Teacher, Shanghai American School

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Students will:

• Develop physical theatre skills, using movement, breath, and physical presence as primary storytelling tools to devise scenes, build characters, and create meaning without a script
• Explore how professional physical theatre practitioners use physicality, sound, and lighting to shape subtext, atmosphere, and audience experience
• Experience devised theatre from the inside, working collaboratively as a professional creative ensemble
• Develop confidence, physical expression, and creative risk-taking abilities
• Build transferable skills in collaboration, leadership, communication, and critical thinking
• Perform in an original production in front of a live audience

“One of my students has already referenced Biomechanics in a reflection and connected and compared it to work in Balinese Topeng. It has opened up their minds to the abstract and physical.” — Teacher, Shanghai American School

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What Teachers Observe

100% of teachers surveyed rated our residency program 5/5 for its effectiveness in building student capacity for collaboration, empathy, and ensemble work.

100% of teachers surveyed rated the artistic quality of the final performance 5/5 — Excellent.

“Get this group in. Their work is challenging, fresh, demanding, risk-taking, liberating, collaborative, intense, emotional and amazing.” — Teacher, Shanghai American School

For inquiries and to request a tailored proposal, please contact [email protected]

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Bespoke Physical Theatre Residency

United is one expression of D.I.V.E.’s residency model. If your school has a different theme or creative brief, we will build something around it. 

All residencies draw on students’ own imaginations, experiences, and stories as primary creative material. 

To enquire, please contact our Education Officer: [email protected]

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About D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective: D.I.V.E. Theatre Collective is a Sunshine Coast–based contemporary theatre company committed to diversity, inclusion, and community engagement. We create work that empowers individuals, sparks reflection, and encourages positive social change. Winners of the Horizon Festival Anywhere Award (2021) and Best of Anywhere Festival Award (2023), we bring the same artistic excellence, care, and cultural consciousness to our youth programs as we do to our professional productions. 

Learn more: divetheatre.com 

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MORE INFORMATION

Residency Details

Capacity: 20–60 students

Duration: 20 hours (divided over 3 or more days)

Requirements: A large open space (school hall or theatre) and one or two smaller rehearsal rooms

D.I.V.E. provides: Full facilitation, a creative framework, artistic mentorship, and comprehensive technical guidance

Output: A fully realised original performance, performed by participants

For more information about United, please view the following links:

• Show information: https://divetheatre.com/shows/united-one-community-many-voices/
• Residency information: https://divetheatre.com/education/physical-theatre-residency/ 

Example Schedule

• Day 1 – Creative Development (5 hours): Introduction to physical theatre techniques, narrative framework exploration, ensemble-building, and initial improvisation.
• Day 2 – Devising (5 hours): Research-based movement workshops, crafting original narratives, and developing a movement vocabulary.
• Day 3 – Refinement and Rehearsal (5 hours): Structuring the pieces, refining physical sequences, integrating music/sound, and polishing transitions.
• Day 4 – Technical Run and Performance (5 hours): Technical management (lighting/sound), full dress run-through, and the final 40-minute performance.

WHAT DOES THE RESIDENCY COST?

Every residency is quoted individually based on cohort size, the number of artists engaged, program duration, and your school’s location. 

Our residency is competitively priced, starting from $35 per student, per day* (min. 20 students) for 20 hours of immersive, professionally led physical theatre education with a live performance outcome.

We are willing to work with schools to find a configuration that fits their budget and cohort. 

To discuss further and request a tailored proposal, please contact our Education Officer: [email protected]

*All prices are in AUD, exclusive of GST, and subject to change. Confirmed pricing will be provided in your tailored proposal. A travel fee applies for schools outside Nambour, QLD ($0.90/km). For regional QLD, interstate, and international bookings, additional travel and accommodation costs will apply. Before booking, please review our Terms and Conditions HERE.

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BOOK A PHYSICAL THEATRE RESIDENCY

We work with international schools, independent schools, and state schools across Australia, adapting to different year groups, timetables, school contexts, and student cohorts.

We also offer bespoke, longer physical theatre residencies.

To request a tailored proposal, please contact our Education Officer: [email protected]

Before booking, please carefully review our Terms and Conditions HERE.