When award-winning dancer, director and choreographer Lisa Wilson settled on the old Jeep service centre at Yeerongpilly as a permanent home for her dance school, the creative juices really started flowing.
With its large warehouse space, high ceilings and second-floor offices – Lisa quickly realised the potential and a vision for a collaborative art and community space began to take shape.The lease was signed late 2021 and the Christmas holidays spent building walls, installing clip and professional dance flooring and fitting out two large, air-conditioned studio spaces.
Studio1 opened at the beginning of 2022 – just as a new wave of Covid-19 hit, followed soon after by the devastating floods that impacted our local area.
It slowed Lisa and her team, but didn’t stop them. Studio1 is now a creative hub and workspace for artists to gather, create and collaborate. It’s also a multifunctional space that can be hired and adapted to support any event – from kids’ birthday parties to bespoke dinners.
“Opening certainly was without its challenges but I feel we’re coming into our own now,’’ Lisa says. “Word is getting out about who we are and what we do”.
“I’ve danced for numerous dance companies and choreographers nationally and internationally , made work for large companies such as The Australian Ballet, Sydney Dance Company and Queensland Ballet, also works for smaller companies and toured my own full-length works nationally as an independent artist. I know how hard it can be to find an affordable and workable space. Brisbane is the only major city in Australia without a designated dance house or choreographic hub.That is our goal here.We want to support dance and independent artists.The vision for what we could create here really grew, after we saw this space and its potential. It’s so exciting.’’
Studio1’s two studios are the real features.The Classroom is the smaller studio and is currently being used by professional, contemporary dance artists.
The Workroom is a ‘blackbox space’ – a black space or blank canvas essentially - which can be enlivened through lighting, sound and performances.
This is where Lisa’s dance school - The Studio Dance and Arts – operates from, holding classes for two-year-olds right through to adults.
Fringe Brisbane used the space last year with a month of performances. It’s also becoming a popular space to film music videos and has hosted a few birthday parties.
“A warehouse space with so much versatility,’’ Lisa says.
Studio1 recently received an Australian Arts Council grant to run a year-long program of activities for professional artists.
“Studio1 will develop as a unique Brisbane dance/movement hub that appeals not just to aspiring young artists, but to independent professional artists, emerging artists and makers of physical theatre and dance,’’ Lisa says.
