Bangarra Dance
Theatre
Canberra Theatre to
20 July
Reviewed by Len Power
18 July
In this anniversary season of dance, the Bangarra Dance Company
looks back over their 30 years of existence.
The first work, ‘Unaipon’, focusses on David Unaipon,
inventor, philosopher, writer and storyteller, who is credited with being the
first published Aboriginal author. His
image is reproduced on the Australian $50 note.
In the opening section, ‘Ngarrindjeri’, David Unaipon philosophises
about our existence in the universe. The
second part focusses on Unaipon’s fascination with the science of motion, winds
and power. In the third part, he sees
religion and God as a unifier of all races.
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| Tyrel Dulvarie as David Unaipon (Photo by Daniel Boud) |
Choreographed by Frances Rings, the work has an epic,
haunting quality throughout. The sixteen
dancers create a magical world with depth and emotion with their fine
dancing. The ‘String Games’ section was particularly
inventive and well-performed.
‘Stamping Ground’, a work choreographed in 1983 by Jiří
Kylián for the Nederlands Dans Theater, was based on Kylián’s deep interest in and
personal experience of Aboriginal dance and the culture of Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander people.
Simply staged, the work celebrates indigenous culture
through a European sensibility and has occasional flashes of unexpected and
welcome humour. The six dancers performed
the intricate and physically demanding choreography very well, making this a
highly enjoyable experience.
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| 'To Make Fire' (Photo by Lisa Tomasetti) |
The final work, ‘To Make Fire’ consists of three worlds. An excerpt from 2008’s work, ‘Mathinna’, describes
the experience of a young Lowreenne Tasmanian girl removed from her home and
adopted into western colonial society. ‘About’
from 2002’s ‘Belong’, describes the cultural connection between the people of
the Torres Strait islands and the spirits of the four winds. The third part, ‘Clan’ – taken from ‘ID’ from
2011 and ‘Rush’ from 2002 – investigates what it means to be an Aboriginal
and/or Torres Strait Islander person in the 21st century.
Choreography was by Stephen Page and Elma Kris. Woven together seamlessly, this work has a
flow and energy that is exciting and thought provoking. It was danced with accuracy, feeling and moments
of great sensitivity by the sixteen dancers.
The striking set designs for the Australian works by Peter
England and Jacob Nash, Nick Schlieper’s moody lighting designs, the music
composed by David Page and Steve Francis and Jennifer Irwin’s evocative
costumes gave the whole evening a highly charged atmosphere.
This celebration of 30 years of fine work by Bangarra was entertaining
and highly memorable.
Len Power’s reviews
are also broadcast on the Artsound FM 92.7 ‘In the Foyer’ program on Mondays
and Wednesdays at 3.30pm.