Layering past and present, Spirit interweaves contemporary dance with ancestral traditions and sacred Aboriginal cultural rituals. 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. The haunting soundscape envelops and drives the bodies of the 17 supple, energetic performers. Their visceral, athletic dance conjures the vast spaces of their homeland, with dizzying leaps, dynamic sequences and powerful movements. A journey to the heart of a dream world.
Photo © Tiffany Parker.
Stephen Page (born 1965) is a descendant of the Nunukul people and the Munaldjali clan of the Yugambeh Nation from South East Queensland, Australia. He studied dance at the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), graduated in 1983 and then danced with the Sydney Dance Company until he was appointed Artistic Director of Bangarra in 1991. Stephen Page has since developed a signature body of w...
Read more about Stephen PageBangarra’s Associate Artistic Director Frances Rings is of Kokatha heritage and also of German descent.
In 2002, Frances made her main stage choreographic debut for Bangarra to outstanding critical acclaim with the Rations bill of Walkabout. She has followed this by creating six works for the company; Bush (co-choreography), Unaipon, X300, Artefact, Terrain and Sheoak.
Frances has choreographed and danced in works for man...
Read more about Frances RingsBangarra Dance Theatre is one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies, fusing Aboriginal culture with contemporary dance. Since the foundation in 1989, the relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are the heart of Bangarra, with a repertoire created on country and stories gathered from respected community Elders. ‘Bangarra’ is the Wiradjuri word meaning “to make fire”.
The compa...
Read more about Bangarra Dance TheatreArtistic Director Stephen Page.
Choreography Stephen Page, Bernadette Walong-Sene.
Traditional choreography and music Djakapurra Munyarryun.
Music David Page, Steve Francis.
Costumes Jennifer Irwin.
Lighting design Nick Schlieper, Karen Norris, Joseph Mercurio, Matt Cox.
Dancers Elma Kris, Tara Gower, Beau Dean Riley Smith, Nicola Sabatino, Rikki Mason, Rika Hamaguchi, Tyrel Dulvarie, Glory Tuohy-Daniell, Baden Hitchcock, Ryan Pearson, Lillian Banks, Bradley Smith, Courtney Radford, Jye Uren, Kassidy Waters, Kallum Goolagong, Gusta Mara.