Preparing Ground is a transformative First Nations-led contemporary dance work by acclaimed choreographers Marilyn Miller (Kukuyalanji, Waanyi), Jasmin Sheppard (Tagalaka, Kurtitjar) & Katina Olsen (Wakka Wakka, Kombumerri).

Weaving intricate choreography, vivid projections of Country, and a dynamic set that shifts and transforms, the performance examines the enduring impacts of colonisation on land, language, and community.

Rooted in years of cultural exchange and deep listening, Preparing Ground is guided by ancient protocols and First Nations knowledges.

It envisions a “future Future,” where care for Country and community extends across millennia, reminding us that survival depends on an enduring connection to the land.

Through its mainstage performance and community engagement activities led by local First Nations knowledge holders, Preparing Ground centers local voices and truths. It is both a celebration of cultural endurance and a call to action, offering powerful insights for the present—and hope for the future.

Preparing Ground is commissioned by Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), with support from The Art House Wyong and NAISDA Dance College. It has been supported by the Australian Government’s Indigenous Languages and Arts program, and their Major Festivals Initiative, managed by Creative Australia, its arts funding and advisory body, in association with Brisbane Festival and Sydney Festival, with additional project funding from Creative Australia. Preparing Ground has also been supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland and the Council of the City of Gold Coast.