ABOUT.
Bold, fluid and deeply personal, Malbasias’ artistry continually redefines his creative boundaries, offering dynamic and introspective reflections on identity and belonging.
Buddy Malbasias is an independent artist-researcher, director, choreographer and performer of Filipino Bukidnon descent. With a diverse background in movement (from award-winning hip-hop crews, street style to formalised dance education, improvisation, theatre), his practice now exists at the intersection of contemporary performance, waacking and interdisciplinary experimentation. Malbasias' artistic passion's expand into cultural/familial reconnection, queer identity and imaginative world-building. Grounded in the Filipino diaspora, he crafts unconventional thought-provoking narratives - a profound exploration of the self, an inquiry on cultural hybridity and a meditation on duality. His work weaves gestural intensity, dramatic theatricality and found objects to create evocative experiences that challenge, connect and resonate.
​
​
​
A University Medalist (Summa cum laude) and scholarship recipient, Malbasias holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Dance Min.Dance Performance) from QUT. His choreographic work spans live performance (dance theatre, installations) and digital media (dance on film, multimedia), with notable works including Lato2x (Artist-in-Residence, uNCOILEd eXposed), Obserbahi:Observe (Queensland Museum Partnership), erOplanO (Artist-in-Residence, APAC), 610X (Artist-in-Residence, QACI), Z-A (Graduate Project) and Anino (Award-Winning Dance on Film). Malbasias is currently developing Bahala/o, his debut independent dance theatre work supported through multiple residencies and presentations set to premiere in 2025.
​
Images & Video by Georgia Haupt
​
Malbasias’ artistry has been showcased in esteemed venues like the Queensland Museum and internationally through an immersive residency at Ars Electronica in Austria. His portfolio includes partnerships with Stephanie Lake Co., the Adelaide and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals, Studio1, QACI and APAC.
His recent accolades include the Studio1 x Catapult Dance East-Coast EXCHANGE (QLD/NSW), Backbone Funded Hub Residency (QLD), Studio1 Creative Funded Residency (QLD), Blackbird Foundation Grant (AU/NZ), Festival University Scholarship (EU) Waacking Inferno X Club Concept Performance First Prize (VIC), AFTRS Scholarship (NSW), and Sharp Short Dance on Film Award (AU). In 2022, he was also crowned Australian Waacktournament Brisbane Champion and national runner-up (waacking).
​​
Images by Retrograde Films
Image by Aeron Maevin
Notable Companies
