Bangarra Dance Theatre

Bangarra Dance Theatre is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance company focused on contemporary dance. It was founded by African American dancer and choreographer Carole Y. Johnson, Gumbaynggirr man Rob Bryant, and South African-born Cheryl Stone. Stephen Page was artistic director from 1991 to 2021, with Frances Rings taking over in 2022.

Bangarra Dance Theatre
Formation1989 (1989)
FounderCarole Y. Johnson, Rob Bryant, Cheryl Stone
PurposeIndigenous Australian contemporary dance company
Websitehttps://www.bangarra.com.au/

Bangarra (pronounced bungurra) means "to make fire" in the Wiradjuri language.

History

Bangarra Dance Theatre was founded in October 1989 by Carole Y. Johnson,[1] an African-American modern dancer and founder of the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), Rob Bryant, a Gumbaynggirr man and graduate of NAISDA, and Cheryl Stone, a South African-born student at NAISDA.[2]

Clive Joseph Robin "Rob" Bryant (later known as Uncle Rob Bryant), born in Bellingen, New South Wales in 1947, was a retired leading aircraftman of the RAAF and a Vietnam veteran.[3][4] Stone had been born in South Africa, growing up in Cape Town and moving to Australia as a teenager in 1969. She participated in the six-week Black Theatre workshop established by Johnson in Redfern, Sydney, in 1975[5]

Johnson toured Australia in 1972 with American choreographer Eleo Pomare and his company, and remained in Australia. In 1975, Johnson became the founding director of the Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Scheme, now known as the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA).[6]

Johnson had a three-part plan for Aboriginal dance in Australia. It was to establish a school to give academic qualifications, and train dancers as members of a student and graduate performing company that would also teach.[6] It would further provide a path for the dancers to other dance-related areas, including choreography, tour management, and all front and back of house skills. The other key aim was to maintain authentic cultural continuity, friendships, and close ties to traditional communities. Johnson mentored Stone, who studied alongside the dancers. She planned the formation of Bangarra Dance Theatre and, in 1989, became its founding artistic director.[6] Bangarra is a Wiradjuri word meaning "to make fire".[7][8]

Stephen Page has been the artistic director since 1991. Bangarra's first full-length show, Praying Mantis Dreaming, was produced in 1992. In 1994, Page, with Bernadette Walong as associate director, created Ochres[6] and productions have followed annually since 2000. All have been successful within Australia and some have toured the United States and the United Kingdom. The group also made significant contributions to the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

The company has received the Helpmann Award for Best Ballet or Dance Work a number of times.[9]

In 2019, the company marked its thirtieth anniversary with the launch of a digital archive and exhibition called Knowledge Ground.[2][10]

In early December 2021, Page announced that he would be stepping down from the role of artistic director in 2022, handing over to Frances Rings, former dancer and choreographer with Bangarra and later associate artistic director.[11] Bangarra's last performance with Page as director was Wudjang: Not the Past, which premiered at the Sydney Festival in January 2022 before touring to Hobart and then Adelaide as part of the Adelaide Festival in March 2022.[12]

In 2023, Rings, a Kokatha woman, was choreographer and artistic director for the company's new work, Yuldea. It tells the story of the South Australian town of Ooldea, which was settled in the early 20th century as it was close to the water source known as "Yooldil Kapi" by the Aboriginal groups who lived in the area, including the Kokatha, Mirning, and Wirangu peoples. Rings' father, a German migrant, worked on the railway, and her mother was born nearby. Yuldea has four acts – Supernova, Kapi (Water), Empire, and Ooldea Spirit. The creative team included Gamilaroi astronomoer Karlie Noon, and musical duo Electric Fields, and Bangarra's chief composer, Leon Rodgers. The voices of people from Yalata were recorded for the last track.[13]

People

Page brothers

Others

Works

  • 1992 – Praying Mantis Dreaming
  • 1995 – Ochres
  • 1997 – Fish
  • 1997 – Rites (with The Australian Ballet)
  • 2000 – Skin (Spear, 2015 film, based on this)
  • 2001 – Corroboree
  • 2002 – Walkabout
  • 2003 – Bush[25]
  • 2004 – Unaipon
  • 2004 – CLAN
  • 2005 – Boomerang
  • 2006 – Gathering with the Australian Ballet
  • 2007 – True Stories[26][27]
  • 2008 – Mathinna, based on the life of Palawa girl Mathinna[28]
  • 2008 — Rites (with The Australian Ballet)[29][30]
  • 2009 — Fire – A Retrospective[31]
  • 2010 – of earth & sky
  • 2012 – Terrain
  • 2013 – Blak
  • 2014 – Patyegarang[32] and Kinship
  • 2015 – lore
  • 2016 – OUR land people stories
  • 2017 – Bennelong[33]
  • 2018 – Dubboo - life of a songman[34]
  • 2018 — Dark Emu[35]
  • 2019 — Spirit[36]
  • 2023 – Yuldea[13]

Discography

Albums

List of albums, with selected details
Title Details
Clan: The Music
(with David Page)
  • Released: 2004
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Nikinali Music (NN002)
Boomerang - The Music
  • Released: 2005
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Nikinali Music (NN003)
Lore - Dance Stories of Land and Sea
(with David Page and Steve Francis)
  • Released: 2015
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Bangarra Dance Theatre (BDT2015)

Films

  • Jindalee Lady (1992), featuring then lead dancer Raymond Blanco. This was the first fiction feature film directed by an Aboriginal director (Brian Syron).[19]

Awards and nominations

Australian Dance Awards

The Australian Dance Awards recognise excellence and promote dance in Australia. They are awarded under the auspices of the Australian Dance Council (Ausdance) for performance, choreography, design, dance writing, teaching and related professions. they commenced in 1997.

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only) Ref.
1997 Stephen Page (Artistic Director of Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding achievement in choreography Won
2004 Frances Rings for Unaipon (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding Achievement in Choreography Won
Fire - A Retrospective (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding Performance by a Company Won
2010 Bangarra Dance Theatre for Belong Outstanding Performance by a Company Won [43]
2012 Bangarra Dance Theatre for Belong Outstanding Performance by a Company Won [44]
2015 Waangenga Blanco (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer for Patyegarang Won
2016 Bangarra Dance Theatre for Lore Outstanding Performance by a Company Won
Elma Kris for Lore (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer Won
David Mack for Frame of Mind (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer Won
2017 Bangarra Dance Theatre for OUR Land People Stories Outstanding Performance by a Company Won
2018 Beau Dean Riley Smith for Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer Won [45]

Deadly Awards

The Deadly Awards, (commonly known simply as The Deadlys), was an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. They ran from 1996 to 2013.

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only) Ref.
Deadly Awards 2008 Stephen Page and Bangarra Dance Theatre Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment awarded [46]
Deadly Awards 2009 Stephen Page and Bangarra Dance Theatre Achievement in Theatre or Live Performance Won

Helpmann Awards

The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia since 2001.[47] Note: 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2001 Skin (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Helpmann Award for Best Ballet or Dance Work Won [48]
Stephen Page for Skin (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Helpmann Award for Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work Nominated
Helpmann Award for Best New Australian Work Won
Karen Norris for Skin (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Helpmann Award for Best Lighting Design Nominated
2002 Corroboree (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Nominated [49]
Stephen Page for Corroboree (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work Won
Best New Australian Work Nominated
David Page and Steve Francis – Corroboree Best Best Sound Design Nominated
2003 Walkabout (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Nominated [50]
Best New Australian Work Won
Stephen Page for Walkabout (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Helpmann Award for Best Original Score Won
Stephen Page and Steven McTaggart "Rush" - Walkabout (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work Nominated
Frances Rings "Rations" - Walkabout (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Nominated
Russell Page – Walkabout (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Male Dancer in a Ballet or Dance Work Won
2004 Bush (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Won [51]
Stephen Page Bush (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work Nominated
Jennifer Irwin – Bush (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Costume Design Nominated
Nick Schlieper – Bush (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Lighting Design Won
2006 Jennifer Irwin – Amalgamate (The Australian Ballet & Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Costume Design Nominated [52]
2007 Clan (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Helpmann Award for Best Regional Touring Production Nominated [53]
2008 True Stories (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Nominated [54]
2009 Mathinna (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Won [55]
Stephen Page Mathinna (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production Won
David Page for Walkabout (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Original Score Won
2010 Fire (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Won [56]
Deborah Brown Fire (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work Nominated
Stephen Page Fire (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production Won
True Stories (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Won
2011 Frances RingsArtefact (of Earth & Sky) (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production Nominated [57]
Mathinna (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Won
2012 Stephen Page – ID from Belong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work Won [58]
Waangenga Blanco – Belong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Male Dancer in a Ballet or Dance Work Nominated
David Page and Steve Francis – Belong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Original Score Won
2013 Terrain (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Won [59]
Deborah Brown – Terrain (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production Won
David Page - Terrain (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Original Score Won
Frances Rings - Terrain (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Ballet or Dance Work Nominated
Artefact (of Earth & Sky) (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Nominated
2014 David Page & Paul MacBlak Best Original Score Nominated [60]
2015 Stephen Page – Patyegarang (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Production Nominated [61]
2016 Sheoak (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Ballet or Dance Work Won [62]
Frances Rings – Sheoak (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Choreography in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work Won
Stephen Page, Bernadette Walong-Sene, Djakapurra Munyarryun – Ochres (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Nominated
Yolanda Lowatta – Sheoak (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work Won
Frances Rings, Deborah Brown and Waangenga Blanco – Lore (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best New Australian Work Nominated
David Page - Ochres (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Original Score Nominated
Best Sound Design Nominated
2017 OUR Land People Stories (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Dance Production Nominated [63]
Jennifer Irwin - OUR Land People Stories (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Costume Design Nominated
Elma Kris – Nyapanyapa (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work Nominated
Terrain (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Won
2018 Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Dance Production Won [64]
OUR Land People Stories (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Won
Stephen Page – Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best New Australian Work Won
Steve Francis – Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Original Score Nominated
Jennifer Irwin – Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Costume Design Nominated
Jacob Nash – Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Scenic Design Won
Nick Schlieper – Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Lighting Design Won
2019 Waangenga Blanco – Dark Emu (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Male Dancer in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production Won [65]
Bennelong (Bangarra Dance Theatre) Best Regional Touring Production Won

Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards

The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards commenced in 1984 and recognise outstanding achievements in dance, drama, comedy, music, opera, circus and puppetry.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
1993Bangarra Dance TheatreGroup Awardawarded

See also

References

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  2. Tan, Teresa (13 December 2019). "This dance company is keeping ancient Indigenous knowledge alive and well in the 21st century". ABC News. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
  3. "Rob Bryant". Serving Country. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  4. Byrant, Rob. "Uncle Rob Bryant" (Transcript of an oral history interview by the City of Sydney.) (Interview). City of Sydney Oral History Program. Interviewed by Blacklock, Fabri.
  5. Harris, Jodie; National Library of Australia (2012), Portraits of Cheryl Stone during an oral history interview at the National Library of Australia, 20 June 2012 (picture) (Photo + catalogue notes), NLA
  6. Burridge, Stephanie (October 2002). "Dreaming the future: the emergence of Bangarra Dance Theatre". Australasian Drama Studies (41): 77–89. ISSN 0810-4123 via ResearchGate.
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Further reading

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