Contemporary dance in Australia is diverse with dance companies performing a broad range of what elsewhere may be termed contemporary and modern dance styles.
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Reduced funding (from the Federal Government level down) has led to a reduction in the ability to sustain full-time employment to dancers, with only 5 companies in Australia that may offer a full year contract. All other companies work on a project basis with artists contracted for a set period of time, ranging from days to months, with no guarantee of further employment. Other funding sources include project specific funding for a dance work by example by a festival or performance venue to raise the expenses required to bring it to fruition.
Dance film
Dance film provides one mode of contemporary dance in Australia with the ReelDance Festival, being the main avenue, with other opportunities being through installations at venues such as night clubs, back alley's to art galleries, shown as part of a live performance, or sometimes purchased for home viewing.
On television
So You Think You Can Dance Australia has drawn criticism for poorly representing dance as an art form.
ABC1 broadcasts contemporary dance as part of its Sunday Arts programming.
Companies
Australian contemporary dance companies include: