Artistic Director Stephen Page and Dancer and Choreographer Daniel Riley peel back the layers, crossing old and modern worlds and exposing our universal yearning for spiritual connection. Arresting soundscapes by David Page are fused with the electronic sounds of Paul Mac, both legends in cutting edge Australian music. Jacob Nash’s sensational set designs bring depth and mood to Bangarra’s evocative theatrical journey.

This production features the First Nations languages Yolngu Matha (Dhuwa) (North East Arnhem Land), Torres Strait Islander Creole, Kala Lagaw Ya (Central & Western Torres Strait Islands), Yawuru (Western Australia), Kurtijar (Gulf of Carpentaria) and Yugambeh (South East Queensland).

Sections of Blak

Scar - A gang of boys present themselves, preparing their spirits for the physical and mental journey they have to take. Moving forward as a clan they must listen for and recognise the calling of tradition; their rites of passage. It is an ascent to manhood, a search for self-identity within their shared urban world
Silhouettes
Snapshots
Fightclub
Initiation

Yearning - Through phases of life we experience:
Birth - Our female earth spirit, constantly present in our urban world and grounding our strength as Indigenous women
Loss - A young girl’s suicide, devastating her grandmother who questions herself as to what went wrong
Native Tongue - Knowing your language, knowing where you come from... unless language is forbidden, so how can there be self-learning
Broken - A woman’s spirit and strength is challenged through the abuse of domestic violence – stop!
Unearthed - A personal journey to self identity, a dance celebration of a bitter sweet initiation

Keepers - A homage to the legacy of our elders, all those who came before us and a ceremonial celebration of traditional culture and knowledge
Mist
Smoke
Earth

Duration: 75 minutes