WHAT began as a personal response to growing up in Ipswich has evolved into an internationally recognised movement, with local creative Maxwell “The Flood” Douglas transforming the city’s floodplains into the inspiration for an entirely new dance style.
Known as “Flooding”, the movement language draws directly from the landscape, people and experiences that shaped Douglas’s upbringing, creating what he proudly describes as “Ipswich’s distorted dance”.
“It’s honestly just a response to growing up in Ipswich,” Douglas said.
“It’s an artistic interpretation of growing up here in Ipswich and living on the floodplains.
“The floodplains have everything on them. They’ve got the floods, but they’ve also got the city, the characters who live here and all the experiences of life in Ipswich.”
A self-taught dancer, he discovered street dance through YouTube shortly after the 2011 floods and immersed himself in learning movement, despite having no formal training and no family background in dance.
Flooding itself didn’t emerge until years later, officially launching online in 2020 with a simple one-minute video introducing the concept to the world.
The response was immediate – but not always positive.
“We got a lot of attention online, but we also got a lot of hate, especially from Americans,” Douglas said.
“People were saying, ‘You’re Australian. You can’t create your own street dance style. That’s our thing.’ ”
The movement only grew from there, with Douglas drawing parallels between Flood gatherings and the way Ipswich communities rally after natural disasters.
“It reminded me of what happens after a flood,” he said.
“People come together and back each other up. That’s exactly what happened with Flooding.”
While many people associate floods with destruction, Douglas deliberately chose to explore a different perspective.
“Life isn’t always comfortable,” he said.
“Flooding is about finding art in the uncomfortable.
“Adversity is what helps things grow. Even Flood itself came from resistance.
“People told us we couldn’t do it, but that challenge became part of the story. It’s a metaphor for life.”
What began in suburban Queensland has now spread internationally, with Flooding communities emerging in Japan, New Zealand and the US.
That global momentum will again be on display during Floodfest, returning for its third year as part of SPARK Ipswich on July 11 and 12.
While previous editions were held in Brisbane, this year’s festival marks the first time the event has been officially embraced as part of Ipswich’s city-wide arts celebration.
“This one’s different because it’s back home,” Douglas said.
“We’ve also invited an American guest to collaborate with us, which is pretty special considering where we started.
“It’s a bit of a full-circle moment.
“We’re all growing from the mud and dirt together.”
