SUB Ash Musk X GUTS Dance

A Ground-breaking Contemporary Dance Experience

In a world full of uncertainty, we dig deeper - literally. SUB takes us underground, where movement and sound collide with the raw forces of nature.

Artback NT, GUTS Dance and Ashleigh Musk are proud to present SUB, a powerful and experimental contemporary dance work that invites audiences into the heart of the earth’s depths.

The tour begins at Araluen Arts Centre, Mparntwe on 23 May 2025, SUB immerses viewers in an intense, multi-sensory journey beneath the surface, where the human body meets natural and industrial forces.

SUB explores humanity's relationship with the earth in a time of ecological crisis. As the surface world becomes increasingly burdened with environmental and societal challenges, we descend into soil and stone, burrowing into the underground to seek shelter and survival.

The performance blends body, sound, objects, and lighting, creating a world where pressure mounts, the earth shifts, and the inhabitants navigate an underground realm of both terror and beauty.

Portrayed through stunning choreography by Ashleigh Musk, SUB explores the contradictions and contrasts of life beneath the earth’s crust—wet versus dry, hot versus cold, soft versus strong. Musk, along with dancers Frankie Snowden, Madeleine Krenek and Jenni Large, take us on a journey of endurance, resilience, and soft defiance as they, the inhabitants meet precious materials, respecting and giving life to discarded objects, while also learning to care for each other and their environment.

About the Artists

Ashleigh Musk is a dancer, choreographer, dramaturg, and community arts facilitator whose practice explores sensitive interactions with place and landscape. Her works examine ecological crises, re-imagining the body’s relationship with the earth through experimental performance and radical care.

Madeleine Krenek, co-founder of GUTS Dance, is a dancer, choreographer, and educator passionate about human connection and the endless potential of the body. She is committed to championing dance as a powerful vehicle for personal and community transformation.

Frankie Snowdon, also co-founder of GUTS Dance, is a dance artist whose work spans performance, choreography, and community engagement. She is dedicated to fostering bravery, risk-taking, and collaboration, empowering diverse voices within the dance community.

Jenni Large, is a dancer, teacher, and award-winning choreographer based in Launceston. Known for blending experimental and entertaining movement, Jenni has performed and presented works nationally and internationally. Recent works, "Body Body Commodity" and "Wet Hard Long," received 5-star reviews from Arts Hub.