Dancenorth Australia will continue its record-breaking tour of contemporary dance work Wayfinder, stopping at the Cairns Festival in late August.
Directed by Amber Haines and Kyle Page, Wayfinder promises a heartfelt performance that fuses dance, music and visual art with innovative choreography for a masterclass in storytelling.
The work is a joyful, exuberant and richly textured piece that weaves Dancenorth’s professional Ensemble with the jazz/funk sound of three-time Grammy Award nominees Hiatus Kaiyote and more than 100km of recycled wool spun into enchanting artwork by visual artist Hiromi Tango.
Kyle Page, artistic director at Dancenorth, said Wayfinder was created as an offering that champions optimism, connectivity and joy. “When we set out to make a new work, the world was shouldering so much polarisation, anxiety and disconnection, amplified by our shared experience of Covid,” he said.
“Amber and I sensed that our next work needed to be a gift – an offering to remind people of the innate goodness and the capacity for connection, hope and love that remains in the world,” said Page.
To date, more than 8500 Australians have seen Wayfinder across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia, with a sold out show at Perth Festival and a sold out season at Adelaide Festival. By the end of the year, Wayfinder audiences are expected to reach a combined 17,000.
“Whether we were in the Pilbara or Perth, Hobart or Townsville, audiences universally respond with the same level of enthusiasm, openness, and vitality,” Page added.
“This exchange of energy is a gift for both performers and audience members – we love sharing this work with audiences around the country and can not wait to do the same in Gimuy / Cairns.”
Wayfinder will be presented at the Cairns Performing Arts Centre on 30 August and 31 August. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.cairns.qld.gov.au
The Cairns Festival runs 23 August – 1 September 2024. For more information and full program, visit: www.cairnsfest.com.au for details.
Image: Dancenorth presents Wayfinder – photo by Amber Haines