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November 2004
Northern Territory
Dance has certainly been evident in Darwin over the past couple of
months. Audience numbers continue to grow, as a sell-out season of
i[ndependent] moves showed. i[ndependent] moves, produced by Ausdance
NT, was a contemporary dance program showcasing five local choreographers.
Thanks to some judicious promotion and the Darwin grapevine it became
a popular Darwin Fringe event—on the final night the performance started
forty minutes due to the crowd outside vying for seats to the show.
Tracks also enjoyed a sell out season with Snakes Gods and Deities,
premiering at this year’s Darwin Festival. In a spectacular setting
among the trees of the Darwin Golf Club guest artists from the SAMA
Ballet (Sri Lanka) performed with dancers from a variety of cultural
backgrounds. Darwin Festival also saw Ausdance NT coordinate and present
Streets of Dance. The program showcased twenty-five impromptu performances
by local community dance groups, dance studios, social groups and cultural
groups. Performances took place at various locations throughout Darwin
and surrounding suburbs over a three-week period.
Gary Lang recently presented the first instalment of a new work he
is devising, Entrapment. Judging by the first instalment the final
piece should be fabulous when finished. RUST, a new Tracks production,
was an evocative new multimedia and contemporary dance collaboration
by David McMicken and Elka Kerkhofs dealing with age and aging. The
work will be developed for the Darwin Festival in 2005.
In September, Ausdance NT enjoyed a visit by Julie Dyson. Her visit
gave the Northern Territory office an opportunity to meet with Arts
NT and the Arts Minister to discuss issues, share information and reinforce
the benefits of our nationally integrated service. Ausdance NT is currently
devising new strategic initiatives and creating new alliances and partnerships.
Hip hop classes continue to take place in the Ausdance/Tracks rehearsal
room as part of the UPFRONT project, which was completed at the end
of November. As we head into the ‘wet season’ Ausdance NT activities
cool down, the office steams up and we begin our end of year clean
up and planning for next year. This year completes Maryke’s first six
months with Ausdance NT as Executive Officer and she enthusiastically
looks forward to 2005. Ausdance NT wishes all dancers around Australia
and happy, safe and festive season.
August 2004
more....
May 2004
more...
November 2003
The Indigenous performing arts sector
August 2003
Festival of Darwin
May 2003
Closer contact with the dance community
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