Cirrus@Austlit

'We are memory.
Glimpsed through shimmering light on water.
A story place where black oaks stand watch.
Carved into trees and painted on rocks.
North – South – East – West.
A brittle landscape of life and loss.

'At Yuldea, stories hover in the sky. The stars reveal a divine Songline, stretching between earth and sky. 

'Frances Rings’ first work as Artistic Director is a ceremonial affirmation of history and heritage. Yuldea awakens the earth and sky worlds to tell the story of the Anangu people of the Great Victorian Desert. 

'Yuldea explores the moment traditional life collided with the industrial ambition of a growing nation. In 1917, the two halves of the Transcontinental Railway met at the precious water soak on the edge of the Nullarbor, Yuldi Kapi.

'Great metal serpents scarred the landscape, draining all water from the sacred soak. Then came the black mist of the atomic testing at Maralinga, forcing the Anangu people to leave their desert homelands where they had lived for millennia.' (Production summary)

'Alive in the present, our story is not past

'In the deep darkness just before dawn, workmen find bones while excavating for a dam. Among the workers is Bilin, a Yugambeh man, who convinces his colleagues to let him keep the ancestral remains. This ancestor is Wudjang, who, along with her young companion spirit, Gurai, longs to be reburied in the proper way.

'Composed of poetry, spoken storytelling, live music and the astonishing choreography for which Bangarra Dance Theatre is internationally renowned, Wudjang: Not the Past is an epic-scale new co-production featuring 17 dancers, four musicians, and five actors.

'Directed and co-created by Bangarra’s Artistic Director Stephen Page (Bloodland, The Secret River, Bennelong), and featuring Mibinyah language from his home on Yugambeh Country, this ambitious and powerful piece of performance illuminates the ways in which ancient traditions continue to guide and strengthen current and future generations of First Nations people.'

Source: Sydney Theatre Company.

'Under the star-illuminated skies of the Torres Strait, a green turtle navigates her way back to the beach where she was born. The season has started, the turtles are returning to nest, and soon the island will welcome a new generation of hatchlings – amongst them, our small turtle friend, Migi!

'In Bangarra’s first dedicated work for children, join our heroine Migi as she undertakes a journey of discovery and survival. A contemporary saltwater Lagaw Kazil (Island Children) story inspired by the totemic system of the green turtle, Waru– journey of the small turtle is an interactive and immersive introduction to Torres Strait Islander culture and dance for 3 to 7 year-olds, premiering at Bangarra’s newly renovated home in Walsh Bay.

'Created by Stephen Page, together with Hunter Page-Lochard and Bangarra alumni Dancers and Choreographers Sani Townson and Elma Kris, >Waru provides teachers, parents and care-givers with a unique opportunity to open up conversations about climate change, caring for the environment and the traditional cultural values of respect and reciprocity. Inspired in part by Turtle (Corroboree, 2001), choreographed by Stephen Page, Peggy Misi and Elma Kris.'

Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre.

'Under the vast Kimberley sky, the red pindan dust stretches across the desert homelands of the Walmajarri, where the ancient knowledge of People and of Country is preserved through Songlines that have endured for hundreds of generations.

'At the heart of this land is the Living Water - Jila – that resides in desert waterholes across the region and is the basis of cultural beliefs and practices. Sandsong tells the unique story of this Place and the survival of its People.

'Between the 1920s and 1960s, Aboriginal people were removed off their Country and onto pastoral stations where they were forced into hard labour, usually for no wages and only minimal rations. Despite this displacement and cultural disruption, the Traditional People of the Western Desert have maintained unbroken connection to Land and Country - keeping songs, stories and kinship strong.

'This is the Country of Wangkatjunga woman Ningali Josie Lawford-Wolf (1967 – 2019), a close cultural collaborator of Bangarra whose spirit, stories and artistic contributions have inspired a number of the company’s works and enriched the broader arts landscape.

'The Lawford family has long generational ties to this part of the Kimberley and are current owners of the pastoral lease for Bohemia Downs cattle station, allowing them the stability to continue to care for their Land, Culture and Community.

'SandSong is a journey into ancient story systems framed against the backdrop of ever-changing government policy and of the survival of people determined to hold strong to their Culture.

'SandSong is created by Bangarra Dance Theatre in consultation with Wangkatjunga/Walmajarri Elders from the Kimberley and Great Sandy Desert regions, drawing on the stories, knowledge and memories of the past to create a new narrative for our Indigenous futures.

'This work honours the legacy of Ningali Josie Lawford-Wolf and her family - past, present and future.'

Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre.

'Bangarra: 30 years of sixty five thousand is Bangarra Dance Theatre’s landmark 30th anniversary season. This diverse program of three contemporary works displays the passionate storytelling, rich artistry and deep community connections that have made Bangarra the premier Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company in Australia.

'Frances Rings’ Unaipon is an absorbing portrait of the great Aboriginal inventor, philosopher, writer and storyteller, Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon, who features on the Australian $50 note. Stamping Ground was created by Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián as an homage to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures. Curated by Artistic Director Stephen Page, to make fire highlights the breadth, power and beauty of Bangarra’s creations over three decades.

With roots in the world’s oldest continuing culture, Bangarra: 30 years of  sixty five thousand carries the spirit of Bangarra into its fourth decade, promising many more years of deeply moving and authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories.

'Unaipon

'Inventor, author, philosopher, visionary. Unaipon is Frances Rings’ monumental 2004 work about the man on the Australian $50 note. Born on a South Australian mission in the late 19th century, David Unaipon was a proud Ngarrindjeri man, a Christian, and a scholar of science and culture. Unaipon tells of his advocacy for better treatment of Aboriginal Australians, and his staunch belief that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people could coexist as equals, despite the incredible challenges he faced in his lifetime. Through Rings’ modern, propulsive choreography, performed to a powerful score by David Page, dancers trace the themes and preoccupations of David Unaipon’s vibrant intellect: the secret of perpetual motion, the philosophy of human existence, religion, power, and man’s relationship to land. Against a devastating background of destructive government policies, Unaipon’s proud Warrawaldi heritage shines forth as he reconciles a changing world while holding strong the customs and traditions of his people.

'Stamping Ground

'For the first time in the company’s history, Bangarra presents a work created beyond Australian shores. Stamping Ground is the work of renowned Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián, inspired by his 1980 visit to Groote Eylandt, north east of Arnhem Land, when he attended the largest recorded dance gathering of Aboriginal people – a week-long corroboree where 1,000 men, women and children came from across Australia to dance, sing and share their culture. In 1983, Kylián created Stamping Ground for the Nederlands Dance Theater.

Kylián’s startlingly original dance vocabulary pays tribute to the essence of Indigenous dance traditions, which have been vital to the continuation of culture for thousands of years. As Bangarra dancers recreate Kylián’s steps with their own style and sensibility, Stamping Ground continues its creation cycle by returning to the culture and the land that gave it life. 

'to make fire

'to make fire celebrates 30 years of original Bangarra creations with memorable moments from the company’s repertoire, curated by Artistic Director and Choreographer Stephen Page. Spanning Australian history from pre-contact times to contemporary life, these stories speak of traditional ceremonies and practices, great artists and leaders, land and Country, loss, survival and hope.

'In thirty years the company has celebrated the power, strength and beauty of Indigenous Australians, never shying from the devastating impact of colonisation, yet always celebrating the continuation of the oldest surviving culture on this planet. 

'Each of the works in this retrospective has its origins on Country, and Bangarra acknowledges the generosity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia who have shared their stories with the company over the past three decades. Connections to these communities are at the heart of the company’s work and continue to nourish Bangarra’s spirit as it enters the next decade.' (Production summary)

'David Page was the musical heartbeat of Bangarra Dance Theatre. In 27 original scores for the company, he reinvented the art of the soundtrack to encompass traditional language, song and instruments with the sounds of electronica, hip-hop, classical and the natural world. If you’ve heard his scores to Ochres, Mathinna, Terrain or Patyegarang, you’ve heard his genius at play. 

'Dubboo – life of a songman celebrates this incredible artist. Featuring a notable cast of David’s collaborators, including acclaimed Indigenous artists Archie Roach, Ursula Yovich and Djakapurra Munyarryun, this one-off celebration will be a heartfelt response to his lasting creative legacy and music. Composer and arranger Iain Grandage will respond to David’s music, animated by a string quartet and performances by Bangarra Dance Theatre’s dancers.

'In a change of pace and a joyous celebration, the second half of the show will recall David’s acclaimed one-man show Page 8. Featuring narration from Ningali Lawford-Wolf, with the creative talents of Bangarra’s dance ensemble, and performer Ben Graetz’s infamous alter ego Miss Ellaneous, it explores the many mediums where David was at home, from cabaret and storytelling, to film and drag.'

Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre.

'Compelling contemporary dance, soul-stirring soundscapes and uniquely Australian stories – Bangarra is a company at the peak of its powers. In superb form after the sold-out season of Bennelong, we return in 2018 with a major new dance work, Dark Emu. 

'Inspired by Bruce Pascoe’s award-winning book of the same name, Dark Emu explores the vital life force of flora and fauna in a series of dance stories directed by Stephen Page. With long-time Bangarra collaborators Steve Francis (music), Jacob Nash (sets) and Jennifer Irwin (costumes) bringing their impeccable aesthetic to the production, Dark Emu will satisfy your spirit and connect you to Country.' (Production summary)

'Co-presented by Carriageworks and directed by Stephen Page, ONES COUNTRY – the spine of our stories brings together the choreographic talents of Bangarra dancers Elma Kris & Nicola Sabatino (Whistler); Kaine Sultan-Babij (Place); and Bangarra foundation member and Yolngu songman Djakapurra Munyarryun (Yalu).

'Together they will take you on an Australian journey of discovery, unearthing myths and stories from the desert heart of North East Arnhem Land; to the azure salt waters of the Torres Strait Islands and the sacred call of the dugong; to navigating the challenges of being queer and black in today’s society.' (Production summary)

'Bennelong is a dance theatre production that explores the story of Woollarawarre Bennelong (Bennilong, Baneelon) (c1764-1813), a Wangul man of the Eora nation who lived in the Port Jackson area at the time of the British first settlement. Today, Bennelong is one of the most celebrated and mythologised Aboriginal individuals from the days of early settlement. His wide notoriety is remarkable - not only for the stories about his interactions and relationships with the British, but for the amount of primary source material that refers to him in notebooks and diaries of several first fleet officers, as well as Governor Arthur Phillip himself.

'Bennelong’s story has been told and re-told many times over by historians, novelists and screenwriters, and his image has been depicted by artists from early times to the present in paintings, drawings and other media. Numerous geographical locations around Australia are named in his honour. Perhaps the most well-known ‘place’ name is Bennelong Point, where the iconic Sydney Opera House stands.

'Bangarra Dance Theatre’s unique telling of Bennelong’s story is imagined through the perspective of Bennelong himself as well as other Aboriginal people of the time. The work explores his personal character, his conflicts, his relationships, his community, and his standing within that community.

'Bangarra’s production of Bennelong is not a historical recount, nor is it a literal translation of events. The work looks between the lines and layers of the narrative that has gathered around this one man, and beyond the common perceptions that have prevailed in regard to Bennelong the man and his unique place in our post-colonial history.

'We are mindful that we look back to Bennelong’s time through the filter of our contemporary consciousness - what we know now is always superimposed over what we read about First Contact times and how we imagine the reality of those times.

'We hope to ignite audiences’ imaginations and focus their thoughts on the enormous impact brought to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through European settlement.'

Source: https://bangarra-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/e-Resources/Bangarra%20Dance%20Theatre_Bennelong_STUDY_GUIDE_compressed.pdf

'Caught between two worlds – one ancient, one modern – a family returns to their traditional land to rekindle the sacred wisdom of the past for future generations.'

'Inspired by the songs and stories of north-eastern Arnhem Land, internationally renowned choreographer Stephen Page combines exhilarating dance and stunning theatricality in Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Boomerang.'

'Boomerang captures the old and the new in powerful visions, revealing the impact of social poisons and the beauty of forgotten rituals.'

'Our land people stories is a new contemporary dance work showcasing the endless choreographic talents of the company and the infinite stories of Australia’s cultural heritage.' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)

'Ochres is a work in four parts (plus a prologue) which explores the spiritual significance, the traditional uses and medicinal power of ochre, while also illustrating the essence of culture– its strength, its contemporary relevance and its power to heal and nurture.' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)

'From the enigmatic waters of the Torres Strait Islands to the deeply rooted inland trees in Australia, the trio draw a realistic portrayal of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. In these heartfelt dance works, they explore themes of identity, inequality, climate change and sustainability with a hopeful and positive outlook for the future.'

'Lore showcases Bangarra’s unique contemporary dance form with its compelling Australian storytelling expression – an unforgettable night at the theatre.' (Source: Bangarra website)

'Two Aboriginal clans from urban and remote communities live in an apocalyptic world and must decide who will be the new leader for the next 100 year cycle. Spear explores what this means to Indigenous men through dance, physical movement, spoken word, hip hop, traditional song and story.' (Adelaide Film Festival)

'Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014, Bangarra – Australia’s multi award winning dance theatre company – tells the story of Patyegarang, the inspirational journey of a potent Indigenous spirit alive in Australia’s past and present.'

'As the colonial fleet arrived on Eora country in the late 18th Century, Patyegarang befriended the colony’s timekeeper, Lieutenant William Dawes, gifting him her language in an extraordinary display of trust and friendship, which now inspires our imaginations about ‘first contact’.'

'In Dawes’ notebooks, rediscovered in 1972, are transcripts of this remarkable cultural exchange. Patyegarang’s words are a window into a rich, complex and utterly different perspective on her world, its values and its sacred meanings.'

'Bangarra liberates Patyegarang from the library shelves, putting spirit into her heart, as a striking visionary and educator.'

'This deeply moving production is told through the acclaimed creativity of Stephen Page’s choreography and David Page's soundscape, in a powerful and meaningful dance theatre experience.' (Source: Bangarra website)

Blak is physical and edgy, drawn from the artists' urban perspectives, telling the stories of Indigenous Australia in powerful and moving dance theatre.(Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website www.bangarra.com.au)

'Kinship opens with Brolga (Gudurrku), a creation story inspired by the totemic systems in the Australian Aboriginal culture where every individual is assigned a creature totem related to their clan. The brolga is just one of many animal, plant or natural element totems that are landed down from generation to generation. The second work in the Kinship program is ID. This work investigates being Aboriginal in the 21 st century, asking important questions about identity. In a series of dramatic and sometimes humorous observations, this dance contemplates human nature in modern society where skin colour can drive perceptions and impact behaviours . The work also celebrates the resilience of Australian Aboriginal culture as it is expressed in both traditional and contemporary forms. ' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)