National Portrait Gallery - 13th September 2020
Reviewed by Bill Stephens
Canberra
audiences were treated to the first performances by the fledgling Ngunnawal
Youth Dance Company over the weekend with performances in Garema Place and The
National Portrait Gallery.
Tammi Gissell - Krista Clarke - Natasha Lee Rogers - Emma Laverty
Photo: Andrew Sikorski.
Recognising
the important role that dance has played in the spirituality of Indigenous
Australian tribes, the Ngunnawal Youth Council, under the guidance and support
of Roslyn Brown and the Ngunnawal Elders Council, in a masterful stroke, has enlisted
2017 City News Artist-of-the-Year, Liz Lea, to assist with the formation of a Ngunnawal
Youth Dance Company as a means of sharing aspects of culture with
non-indigenous and indigenous audiences.
An
accomplished professional dancer and dance maker, Lea has a strong interest in
indigenous dance from various cultures, having trained in Indian dance in India,
and created works for companies as diverse as Darpana in India, Maya Dance
Theatre in Singapore, The Flatfoot Dance Company in South Africa and the Small
Miracles Company in Mackay.
I caught up with “Recognise” at the second
performance at the National Portrait Gallery, which commenced with a group
work, co-choreographed and performed by indigenous dancers, Tammi Gissell,
Krista Clarke, Natasha Lee Rogers and Emma Laverty, drawing on their collective
knowledge of their different cultural dances, particularly Krista Clarke’s
recollections of Ngunnawal dance as taught to her by her parents.
Performed to
a haunting accompaniment, played live by Michael Liu on amplified violin, the
dancers carried gum-leaf twigs which became integral in creating an ambience to
transport the audience back in time to a much less formal performing space.
In contrast,
Tammi Gissell drew on her striking presence and strong technique to transform
traditional indigenous dance movements into sophisticated contemporary dance imagery
for her electrifying solo.
Liz Lea
costumed in dazzling white, utilised two large white feather fans, to conjure
up images of mischievous white cockatoos with her witty solo. Both solos were
danced to evocative electronic soundscapes by Adam Ventura.
Gissell then
re-joined Krista Clarke, Natasha Lee Rogers, Emma Laverty and musician, Michael
Liu to perform a final group piece returning to more traditional indigenous
dance movement, to round off a program which provided a tantalising glimpse of the
intriguing possibilities facing Canberra
newest dance company.
