Bridie Hooper is an interdisciplinary artist, working with circus, movement and physical theatre.
Her work reveals multi-faceted perspectives on hope, connection, catharsis and mortality, navigating universal themes through deeply personal works that challenge form, context and performer/audience relationship. Intersecting ritual, endurance and the body's potential, her performances affirm and celebrate the intricate human psyche.
Bridie has been training, performing and creating circus for over 15 years. In 2012 she completed her studies at École Nationale de Cirque in Montréal, and went on to work with acclaimed companies including Germanys GOP Variété Theatre, Chelsea McGuffin Co, Polytoxic, Reuben Kaye and a 9 year engagement with internationally renowned Circa Contemporary Circus.
Upon joining Circa, Bridie was involved in collaborations with quartets, operas and orchestras, performed internationally in 28 countries to over 750,000 people and was integral in the creation of 10 debut works, including Humans, En Masse, The Return and Beyond.
Eager to expand her practice through new genres and methodologies, Bridie was selected to participate in a Gaga Dance Intensive with Batsheva Dance Company in 2018, enriching her knowledge of choreography and movement.
In 2019 Bridie worked alongside Yaron Lifschitz as choreographer and associate circus director on the Circa/Opera Queensland collaboration of Orpheus & Eurydice.
In April 2021 Bridie produced, created and performed her first solo show, INGRESS, premiering at the Judith Wright Arts Centre in Brisbane, which received a 2021 Matilda Award for Best Circus/Physical Theatre Production and the Melbourne Fringe WA Touring Award 2022.
Her latest creation, For Whom The Bell Tolls a participatory, public art experience celebrating the power of hope, premiered at Night Feast Festival, Brisbane Powerhouse in October 2023.
Bridie’s practice is centered in circus and physical performance, but places huge value on working collaboratively with multidisciplinary forms including sound art, visual art, theatre, and participatory and intimate performance to extend, challenge and reframe her work.
Bridie was a recipient of The Unconformity project’s artist-in-residence program (2023), and has been selected for the MICC Utopian Program (2024).
Performance highlights: Ingress (Melbourne Fringe Festival 2022, Judith Wright Arts Centre 2021), High Priestess Fashion Show (Gail Sorronda 2021), Leviathan (Perth Festival 2020), Opus (Paris Philharmonie 2019), En Masse (QPAC 2018), Rite of Spring (Theatre Gallo Romain, Lyon, France 2018), Humans (Brooklyn Academy of Music, 2017), One Beautiful Thing (Melbourne Arts Centre, 2017) The Return (Barbican Centre, 2016), When One Door Closes (La Boîte Theatre 2016), 2:22 Feature Film by Paul Currie 2015, Stephanie Franzius Fashion Film (Berlin Fashion Week 2013), Beyond (Chamaeleon Theatre- Berlin 2013) Opening Ceremony Vancouver Winter Olympics, (David Atkins 2010)