Bangarra Dance Theatre: of earth and sky

Bangarra’s new seson of earth and sky features the mesmerising choreography
of both Frances Rings – Artefact and the debut work of Daniel Riley
McKinley – Riley.

Bangarra bases its creative spirit on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
traditions and stories to produce a powerful new language that combines the
traditional and the contemporary. These two stories outline the connectedness
that is embraced by these traditions: the choreographers have given the
audience a chance to bear witness to their narrative.

Riley is inspired by the Cloud series of photography from the
acclaimed contemporary visual artist, Michael Riley, and surely this is how the
choreographer, Daniel Riley McKinley approached this new piece. Daniel’s
bonds are through “blood and land” and he “explores the themes of connectedness to
home soil, the invasion of natural forces and the cycle of life, death and
spiritual rebirth”.

Daniel has used six powerful images of the late Indigenous artist as the
backdrop and energy for each of the 6 bodies of work. This created an amazing
experience, and as part of the audience it intrigued me as to what each suspended
object in the image represented on a spiritual level. Bangarra, through
emotional and innovative dance, gave life and story to these frozen objects:
Boomerang, Locust, Bible (women), Angel, Bible (men), Broken Wing and Feather were
all digitally juxtaposed against the sky, as symbols of Michael Riley’s personal
life journey.

The dancers (read credits below naming each amazing individual) were arresting
and the audience was taken on this journey, connecting to symbols or totems
that we may not understand, but were afforded the gift of glimpsing the
‘essence’ of Daniel’s connection when he chose the Cloud series.

Artefact sees choreographer, Frances Rings, blowing us away again with
inspiration from “the history between man and object…a moving passage into the
world of these much respected but exploited relics. From museum
antiquities and kitsch tourist souvenir through to the ancient tools imbued with
symbolism, this work is a powerful insight into the fragmented relationship
that exists between them………………”

The costumes in each piece (bravo Gabriela Tylesova) represented part of
the whole, and my personal favourite - 'Broken Wing’ - where the costume and
lighting (Damien Cooper) captured and illuminated the message, giving credit to
a memorable performance!

I will now indulge you (and myself) with a quote from Indigenous Elder, Jim
Everett:

Lore is the rules of the land, the life on that land. That might not only
be animal life, that may be the trees, plants, water and so forth. So these
things have particular behaviours and those behaviours are meaningful because
they have been set by the ecology of this planet, and people who connect with that
fit into the Lore of the Land, which is the basis of all survival.

In these times of ecological mayhem; profiteering at the expense of everything
else; refusal to protect the planet (the only one we have, thank you) the Bangarra
Dance performance of earth and sky is more timely, more ambitious and
more hopeful than we might dare to dream.

And from that dreaming, (pardon the pun, but it is a heartfelt one) perhaps we may
come away from this performance with more than just the usual “that was truly
magnificent on so many levels” and be inspired to make our world a better
place.

Another amazing and memorable performance Bangarra! 10 out of 10 from me!

I recommend that you catch of earth and sky at one of the following
venues:

QPAC, Brisbane; until July 10
Sydney Opera House; July 23 – 28
Canberra Theatre Centre; September 3 – 4
Adelaide Festival Centre; September 8 –
11
Illawarra Performing Arts Centre,
Wollongong: September 16 – 18
The Arts Centre, Melbourne; September 23
– Oct 2

Bravo and many thanks to:
Artistic Director: Stephen Page
Choreographers: Frances Rings;
Daniel Riley McKinley
Cultural Advisors: Kathy Marika;
Michael Riley Foundation
Composer: David Page
Set Designer: Jacob Nash
Costume Designer: Gabriela
Tylesova
Lighting Designer: Damien Cooper
Artefact AV Designer: Declan
McMonagle
Rehearsal Director: Catherine Goss

Dancers: Sidney Saltner, Elma
Kris, Patrick Thaiday, Yolande Brown,
Jhuny-boy Borja, Deborah Brown, Waangenga
Blanco, Tara Gower, Leonard Mickelo,
Jasmin Shepherd, Daniel Riley McKinley,
Katina Olsen, Perun Bonser, Ella
Halvalka, Travis De Vries