Bangarra: 30 Years of Sixty Five Thousand

Bangarra Dance Theatre celebrates its landmark 30th anniversary season with Bangarra: 30 years of sixty five thousand, a stunning display of contemporary dance.

Bangarra: 30 years of sixty five thousand is a three-part program with works performed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia who come together as a creative clan to harness a shared spirit and deliver a program representative of the world’s stage and the company’s best work. The program includes ‘Unaipon’, ‘Stamping Ground’ and ‘to make fire’.

‘Unaipon’ is an exhilarating exploration of David Unaipon’s remarkable journey from the shores of Lake Alexandrina within the Ngarrindjeri nation, and his passion for science and the great philosophies and cultures of the world. Choreographer Frances Rings uses her unique language to present a rich dance portrait of the man who made the connection between aerodynamics and the flight pattern of the boomerang, and between his own cultural traditions and those of all men.

Jiří Kylián’s ‘Stamping Ground’ will see Bangarra present the work of an international guest artist for the first time in the company’s history. In 1980, Kylián, then Artistic Director for the Nederlands Dans Theater, attended a gathering of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clans on Groote Eylandt in the Gulf of Carpentaria, North East Arnhem Land. His experience led to the creation of one of Kylián’s defining ballets which was last performed in Australia by Nederlands Dans Theater in 1986.

‘to make fire’ is curated by Bangarra Artistic Director, Stephen Page and Bangarra’s Head of Design Jacob Nash, and draws on stories and songlines from all over Australia. It is a celebration of the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, embracing the diversity and inspiration that comes from our connection to Country.