Please rebook if you would like to attend that event. Through the pindan red dust and dry spinifex grass, the undulating sandhills give rise to the movements of people in a shifting cycle of displacement and discontent. "Our production Matthina is inspired by her journey, and it is she that is the first archetype of the Stolen Generations, as the 'stolen child', caught between two cultures," Page said. He collaborated with his brothers David, who composed the music, and Russell, who was principal dancer until his death in 2002. Bangarra's ethos of melding contemporary and traditional, urban and ancient, can be traced back to Carole J. Johnson's first visit to Australia, in 1972. Considerable research was conducted to bring the production to life, including consultation with Elders from the Aboriginal Tasmanian community. In 1994 Bangarra was awarded its first Australia Council grant, paving the way for Ochres. Photo © Edward Mulvihill. Dancer from northeast Arnhem Land who received the inaugural Australian Dance Award for outstanding performance. [2], Johnson had a three-part plan for Aboriginal dance in Australia, including establishing a school to give academic qualifications and train dancers as members of a student and graduate performing company that would also teach. Early on, Bangarra was invited to perform and attend government and cultural gatherings. 21 Nov 2020. We've gone from 'debt and deficit disaster' to a trillion-dollar debt with no worries. "We can live in a time now, completely different to my parents' and my grandparents' [generation] where we almost have the freedom to lead and rejuvenate our culture.". [3], The theme of spirituality characterised the works that followed. "There was something fermenting around the climate at the time that allowed us to be confident and empowered," he said. Through striking dance language, soul-stirring soundscapes a nd exquisite design, Bangarra unpacks Bennelong’s legacy and its reverberation through contemporary Australian life. Honouring their stories is a responsibility he takes very seriously. The company’s dance technique draws on more than 40,000 years of culture, embodied in contemporary movement. Stephen Page has been the artistic director since 1991. It was a vision endorsed by prominent activist Uncle Charles 'Chicka' Dixon. This diverse program of three contemporary works displays the passionate storytelling, rich artistry and deep community connections that have made Bangarra the premiere Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company in Australia. Bangarra Dance Theatre is an Indigenous Australian contemporary dance company. "They grew in a generation where they couldn't be empowered like I am by my culture and stories," he said. "I mentored [Frances] from a dancer to a creator and I was just so proud to see her mind and [see] her go back on country and connect with family and the David Unaipon family.". At the time, she was a principal dancer with New York's Eleo Pomare Dance Company — known for their social-protest works — but had been invited by the Australia Council for the Arts Indigenous Officer Jennifer Isaacs to teach contemporary dance workshops in Redfern. [2] In 1975 Johnson became the founding director of the Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Scheme, now known as the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA). She formulated the vision for the growth of modern Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance in Australia’s urban culture and has inspired her students to carry their dance through to a remarkable level of achievement. Page, who co-curated the exhibition, said both projects were "a gift to those three decades" and the generations of dancers, choreographers, supporters and cultural custodians who had contributed to the company's survival and success. A journey to the heart of a dream world. Bangarra Dance Theatre Australia (ABN 96 003 814 006) and the fund it operates are listed on the Register of Cultural Organisations under Subdivision 30-BA of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. Acclaimed around the world for its distinctive theatrical voice, powerful choreography, unique soundscapes and design, Bangarra is Australia's leading First Nations performing arts company. 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Layering past and present, Spirit interweaves contemporary dance with ancestral traditions and sacred Aboriginal cultural rituals. Together, they create original and breathtaking experiences. In 2016, celebrating his 25th year as Artistic Director, Stephen received both the NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award and JC Williamson Award, as well as premiering Nyapanyapa, his 23rd work for Bangarra, as part of the OUR land people stories triple bill. Paul Keating's historic Redfern Park address, Indigenous (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander). Brown joined the company in 1999 and enjoyed a 16-year career as a dancer. If you have any queries, please contact us on (02) 9258 5102 or email belonging@bangarra.com.au Resonating under the vast Kimberley sky lie the stories of people and Country. FRANCES RINGS. Proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from all over Australia come together as a creative clan to harness a shared spirit. In seven dazzling stories told in movement, music and light, the piece explores the connection of Australia’s Indigenous peoples to territory and the land.