Blending BMX, breakdance, skating, and parkour with the precision of theatre, Elements of Freestyle is a genre-defying show heading to the iconic Sydney Opera House. In this exclusive Q&A, we speak with artistic director Marco Gerris and world-class BMX rider Dez Maarsen about the creative process behind the performance, the thrill of controlled chaos, and what freestyle really means when movement becomes art.
Each performer brings a distinct background — BMX, skating, breakdance, parkour.
What’s the creative process like when building a unified show from such diverse sports and activities?
Marco Gerris: It starts with a lot of respect for all the other disciplines, for the person behind the movement. Everyone steps into the studio with their own skills, rhythm and their own history. My job is to listen to those rhythms and find the (common) beat where they meet. We don’t force unity, we build it. Through dialogue, through jamming, by trying and sometimes failing… It’s about creating a shared language, not just with words but with motion, flow, and trust. That’s where the magic happens – and we ‘jammed’ a lot during the rehearsals.
The show’s energy feels both explosive and precise. How do you strike that balance between raw momentum of sport and choreographed control of theatre?
MG: That ’thrilling’ tension is the show. You have these extreme sport-ers who are used to improvising mid-air, and then you place them in a theatrical frame, where timing and structure matter. We rehearse like mad in the rawest way and then work to sharpen it. The goal isn’t to make everything perfect, but to make everything present. Controlled chaos I always say. It’s about knowing exactly when to unleash and when to hold back. That balance, that breath between risk and rhythm, is where theatre begins. For me it’s almost the same as ballet. I wanted to overwhelm the audience not only with the difficult tricks but also the poetic side of their movements and our lifestyle.
How does performing at the Sydney Opera House shift the experience for you, compared to the outdoors, skate parks, streets, or stadiums?
Dez Maarsen: I was already super excited to hear that we were heading to Sydney and I never expected that we would perform in the famous Sydney Opera House. The idea definitely raises the pressure then just performing somewhere outdoors or even in any other formal setting. At the same time I’m really excited to put this on a list of special locations of where I performed with my BMX.
What’s one part of the show that still gives you goosebumps — no matter how many times you’ve done it?
DM: The opening of the finale always gives me goosebumps. It’s the music, the lighting and experimental dance that starts it off whilst you feel the whole energy of the group building up. It’s the ‘calm before the storm’ moment before the final act.
The show blends extreme sports with theatre in a way that feels almost elemental. What does ‘freestyle’ mean to you — beyond tricks and technique?
MG: Freestyle is the ultimate freedom with intent. It’s not just about doing what you want, it’s about knowing what you want to say and saying it with your body, in real time. For me, freestyle is honesty…It’s soul meeting skill. becomes your playground. And even in silence, you’re still speaking. Freestyle is the art of being unapologetically you, being in the moment.
DM: With all extreme sports and freestyle disciplines creativity is a very important part. The audience sees people doing stunts, but there is always a personality that you’ll see back in someone execution or tricks. Freestyle is coming up with concepts, tricks of ways that haven’t been done before. It’s something that comes inside the participant, but many times is inspired by others, making it such an organic process. The show really highlights this aspect extreme sports.
If you had to describe Elements of Freestyle in one breath — no marketing pitch, just pure feeling — what would you say?
MG: It’s the moment when chaos becomes poetry, when a skater flies, a breaker freezes, or a bmx-er carves the silence and somehow, all that wild energy breathes together like one heartbeat.
DM: An eclectic show that ignites the potential of freestyle disciples in theatrical setting
About the athletes
Marco Gerris – https://www.instagram.com/marcoish1/
Marco Gerris is the founder and artistic director of ISH Dance Collective. ISH has grown into an internationally renowned company that reaches a young and diverse audience.
Filipino-born, Gerris grew up in Belgium, trying everything from gymnastics to violin lessons before opting for judo and the saxophone. He pursued studies at the Antwerp Theatre School Herman Teirlinck, the Higher Institute for Dance Pedagogy and Open Living Theatre, but the energetic creative never really found his niche anywhere.
He pledged his heart to Amsterdam in the late 90s, where he starts working as a dancer, skater and actor. He was elected Dutch Freestyle Skating Champion and performed in several productions, including the musical Eindeloos and performances by dance group AYA, and could often be found in the Vondelpark making connections with skaters, dancers and actors.
In 2000, his new network inspired him to create his first piece: ISH. The name is derived from the English suffix “-ish” (“-like”), a word that stands for something you cannot exactly define, because it is both one and the other. Remaining the principal director of the company ever since, ISH has a commitment to young people: inspiring new generations, guiding and mentoring young talent to find their place within the industry. Parallel to ISH Dance Collective, the organization has three other important pillars: ISH Academy, ISH Talent, and ISH Community. For them, we develop programs designed respectively for children, youth, new professional talent, and the hip hop community in general.
Marco Gerris was awarded the prestigious Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds Prize in 2020, an oeuvre award given to individuals or institutions who have made exceptional contributions to culture. Gerris also won The Netherlands’ leading dance awards: the Swan (VSCD Dance Awards), for most impressive dance production of 2024 with the performance Rhythm & Flow.
Dez Maarsen – https://www.instagram.com/dezmaarsen/
Dez became obsessed with BMX Flatland, the art of doing tricks on the BMX without using obstacles, at a young age. He has fallen in love with the sport and the lifestyle that comes with it.
For more than a decade Dez has claimed his spot in the world top of the BMX Flatland sport and in the entertainment business, performing and competing around the world at the highest level. He won multiple international competitions and performed at Eurovision Songfestival for millions of live viewers. For ISH, Dez performed in Elements of Freestyle in The Netherlands and will perform at the Sydney Opera House in June 2025.
Elements of Freestyle is on at the Sydney Opera House between Thursday June 26th until Sunday June 29th. Get more information and tickets here.
