Bangarra’s double discovery of nature and identity

Bangarra Waangenga Blanco Deborah Brown Brolga photo by Greg BarrettDirect from their 23rd international tour, performing in Turkey and France, Bangarra heads to regional Australia to share their deeply moving and powerful program Kinship with audiences in Queensland and New South Wales throughout October and November 2015.

Regional touring is a vital part of the company’s annual calendar, connecting Bangarra with the communities that inspire their stories, as well as exposing new audiences to a positive representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. In addition, Bangarra also schedules cultural dance workshops, meet and greets and Q&A sessions where possible when on tour, to deepen the local community’s engagement during their visit.

Bangarra’s Artistic Director Stephen Page says the regional tour is an excellent opportunity to reach new audiences. “This is a special time of year for us as we love going on the road and performing in regional arts centres,” says Page.

“Audiences are hungry for these experiences and are so receptive and enthusiastic. Kinship is a flagship Bangarra program, featuring Brolga and ID, two works which I choreographed at different points in my career.”

In Brolga (part of Corroboree 2001), Page explores the relationship between humans, creatures and the land, reflecting the intrinsic spirituality of the natural world. The songs and dances tell the stories of ancient myths that connect to more than 40,000 years of Aboriginal life – the world’s oldest living culture.

Brolga is inspired by totemic systems in Australian Aboriginal culture, where every person is assigned a creature totem related to their clan, handed down from generation to generation.

ID (first performed as part of Belong 2011) investigates what it means to be Aboriginal in the 21st century, asking important questions of identity. Based on personal observations of people tracing their bloodlines and re-connecting with traditional culture, ID provokes perceptions about kinship and belonging in contemporary society. ‘Who are we’ and ‘where we belong’ are universal yearnings for identity and connection with our people.

Bangarra will perform 13 shows across ten regional centres, starting on 14 October (Gold Coast) and ending on 18 November (Lismore). For more information and performance dates, visit: www.bangarra.com.au for details.

Image: Waangenga Blanco and Deborah Brown in Brolga – photo by Greg Barrett