'Inspired by a story from Stephen’s grandmother from the Ngugi/Nunukul/Moondjan people of Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island), Baleen Moondjan celebrates First Nations’ relationships between baleen whales and communities’ totemic systems. The signature elements that have defined Stephen Page’s career are all present in this work with dramatic storytelling, striking choreography and haunting live music integrated into a stunningly designed world from Jacob Nash.  

'Set amongst giant whale bones on the sandy shores of Glenelg, Baleen Moondjan tells the story of a proud Elder, a curious granddaughter and the day a baleen whale comes close to shore. The whale is there to catch Granny Gindara’s spirit and carry it out to sea – a farewell, a celebration, a poignant start to a final journey. Baleen Moondjan recognises the intertwining relationships between all living creatures and our connection to earth,  sky and sea.'

Source: Production blurb.

'Alive in the present, our story is not past

'In the deep darkness just before dawn, workmen find bones while excavating for a dam. Among the workers is Bilin, a Yugambeh man, who convinces his colleagues to let him keep the ancestral remains. This ancestor is Wudjang, who, along with her young companion spirit, Gurai, longs to be reburied in the proper way.

'Composed of poetry, spoken storytelling, live music and the astonishing choreography for which Bangarra Dance Theatre is internationally renowned, Wudjang: Not the Past is an epic-scale new co-production featuring 17 dancers, four musicians, and five actors.

'Directed and co-created by Bangarra’s Artistic Director Stephen Page (Bloodland, The Secret River, Bennelong), and featuring Mibinyah language from his home on Yugambeh Country, this ambitious and powerful piece of performance illuminates the ways in which ancient traditions continue to guide and strengthen current and future generations of First Nations people.'

Source: Sydney Theatre Company.

'A nation came together around Indigenous athlete Cathy Freeman who delivered when it mattered on the greatest stage on earth at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. 20 years on, this documentary sheds light on one of Australia's proudest moments.' (Production summary)

'Bangarra: 30 years of sixty five thousand is Bangarra Dance Theatre’s landmark 30th anniversary season. This diverse program of three contemporary works displays the passionate storytelling, rich artistry and deep community connections that have made Bangarra the premier Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company in Australia.

'Frances Rings’ Unaipon is an absorbing portrait of the great Aboriginal inventor, philosopher, writer and storyteller, Ngarrindjeri man David Unaipon, who features on the Australian $50 note. Stamping Ground was created by Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián as an homage to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures. Curated by Artistic Director Stephen Page, to make fire highlights the breadth, power and beauty of Bangarra’s creations over three decades.

With roots in the world’s oldest continuing culture, Bangarra: 30 years of  sixty five thousand carries the spirit of Bangarra into its fourth decade, promising many more years of deeply moving and authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories.

'Unaipon

'Inventor, author, philosopher, visionary. Unaipon is Frances Rings’ monumental 2004 work about the man on the Australian $50 note. Born on a South Australian mission in the late 19th century, David Unaipon was a proud Ngarrindjeri man, a Christian, and a scholar of science and culture. Unaipon tells of his advocacy for better treatment of Aboriginal Australians, and his staunch belief that Indigenous and non-Indigenous people could coexist as equals, despite the incredible challenges he faced in his lifetime. Through Rings’ modern, propulsive choreography, performed to a powerful score by David Page, dancers trace the themes and preoccupations of David Unaipon’s vibrant intellect: the secret of perpetual motion, the philosophy of human existence, religion, power, and man’s relationship to land. Against a devastating background of destructive government policies, Unaipon’s proud Warrawaldi heritage shines forth as he reconciles a changing world while holding strong the customs and traditions of his people.

'Stamping Ground

'For the first time in the company’s history, Bangarra presents a work created beyond Australian shores. Stamping Ground is the work of renowned Czech choreographer Jiří Kylián, inspired by his 1980 visit to Groote Eylandt, north east of Arnhem Land, when he attended the largest recorded dance gathering of Aboriginal people – a week-long corroboree where 1,000 men, women and children came from across Australia to dance, sing and share their culture. In 1983, Kylián created Stamping Ground for the Nederlands Dance Theater.

Kylián’s startlingly original dance vocabulary pays tribute to the essence of Indigenous dance traditions, which have been vital to the continuation of culture for thousands of years. As Bangarra dancers recreate Kylián’s steps with their own style and sensibility, Stamping Ground continues its creation cycle by returning to the culture and the land that gave it life. 

'to make fire

'to make fire celebrates 30 years of original Bangarra creations with memorable moments from the company’s repertoire, curated by Artistic Director and Choreographer Stephen Page. Spanning Australian history from pre-contact times to contemporary life, these stories speak of traditional ceremonies and practices, great artists and leaders, land and Country, loss, survival and hope.

'In thirty years the company has celebrated the power, strength and beauty of Indigenous Australians, never shying from the devastating impact of colonisation, yet always celebrating the continuation of the oldest surviving culture on this planet. 

'Each of the works in this retrospective has its origins on Country, and Bangarra acknowledges the generosity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities around Australia who have shared their stories with the company over the past three decades. Connections to these communities are at the heart of the company’s work and continue to nourish Bangarra’s spirit as it enters the next decade.' (Production summary)

'Compelling contemporary dance, soul-stirring soundscapes and uniquely Australian stories – Bangarra is a company at the peak of its powers. In superb form after the sold-out season of Bennelong, we return in 2018 with a major new dance work, Dark Emu. 

'Inspired by Bruce Pascoe’s award-winning book of the same name, Dark Emu explores the vital life force of flora and fauna in a series of dance stories directed by Stephen Page. With long-time Bangarra collaborators Steve Francis (music), Jacob Nash (sets) and Jennifer Irwin (costumes) bringing their impeccable aesthetic to the production, Dark Emu will satisfy your spirit and connect you to Country.' (Production summary)

'Co-presented by Carriageworks and directed by Stephen Page, ONES COUNTRY – the spine of our stories brings together the choreographic talents of Bangarra dancers Elma Kris & Nicola Sabatino (Whistler); Kaine Sultan-Babij (Place); and Bangarra foundation member and Yolngu songman Djakapurra Munyarryun (Yalu).

'Together they will take you on an Australian journey of discovery, unearthing myths and stories from the desert heart of North East Arnhem Land; to the azure salt waters of the Torres Strait Islands and the sacred call of the dugong; to navigating the challenges of being queer and black in today’s society.' (Production summary)

'The new generation of Indigenous creatives are vital. They stand on the shoulders of our ancestors, and build on 40,000 years of history.' (Publication summary)

'Bennelong is a dance theatre production that explores the story of Woollarawarre Bennelong (Bennilong, Baneelon) (c1764-1813), a Wangul man of the Eora nation who lived in the Port Jackson area at the time of the British first settlement. Today, Bennelong is one of the most celebrated and mythologised Aboriginal individuals from the days of early settlement. His wide notoriety is remarkable - not only for the stories about his interactions and relationships with the British, but for the amount of primary source material that refers to him in notebooks and diaries of several first fleet officers, as well as Governor Arthur Phillip himself.

'Bennelong’s story has been told and re-told many times over by historians, novelists and screenwriters, and his image has been depicted by artists from early times to the present in paintings, drawings and other media. Numerous geographical locations around Australia are named in his honour. Perhaps the most well-known ‘place’ name is Bennelong Point, where the iconic Sydney Opera House stands.

'Bangarra Dance Theatre’s unique telling of Bennelong’s story is imagined through the perspective of Bennelong himself as well as other Aboriginal people of the time. The work explores his personal character, his conflicts, his relationships, his community, and his standing within that community.

'Bangarra’s production of Bennelong is not a historical recount, nor is it a literal translation of events. The work looks between the lines and layers of the narrative that has gathered around this one man, and beyond the common perceptions that have prevailed in regard to Bennelong the man and his unique place in our post-colonial history.

'We are mindful that we look back to Bennelong’s time through the filter of our contemporary consciousness - what we know now is always superimposed over what we read about First Contact times and how we imagine the reality of those times.

'We hope to ignite audiences’ imaginations and focus their thoughts on the enormous impact brought to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through European settlement.'

Source: https://bangarra-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/e-Resources/Bangarra%20Dance%20Theatre_Bennelong_STUDY_GUIDE_compressed.pdf

'Caught between two worlds – one ancient, one modern – a family returns to their traditional land to rekindle the sacred wisdom of the past for future generations.'

'Inspired by the songs and stories of north-eastern Arnhem Land, internationally renowned choreographer Stephen Page combines exhilarating dance and stunning theatricality in Bangarra Dance Theatre’s Boomerang.'

'Boomerang captures the old and the new in powerful visions, revealing the impact of social poisons and the beauty of forgotten rituals.'

'Our land people stories is a new contemporary dance work showcasing the endless choreographic talents of the company and the infinite stories of Australia’s cultural heritage.' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)

'Ochres is a work in four parts (plus a prologue) which explores the spiritual significance, the traditional uses and medicinal power of ochre, while also illustrating the essence of culture– its strength, its contemporary relevance and its power to heal and nurture.' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)

'Two Aboriginal clans from urban and remote communities live in an apocalyptic world and must decide who will be the new leader for the next 100 year cycle. Spear explores what this means to Indigenous men through dance, physical movement, spoken word, hip hop, traditional song and story.' (Adelaide Film Festival)

'Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2014, Bangarra – Australia’s multi award winning dance theatre company – tells the story of Patyegarang, the inspirational journey of a potent Indigenous spirit alive in Australia’s past and present.'

'As the colonial fleet arrived on Eora country in the late 18th Century, Patyegarang befriended the colony’s timekeeper, Lieutenant William Dawes, gifting him her language in an extraordinary display of trust and friendship, which now inspires our imaginations about ‘first contact’.'

'In Dawes’ notebooks, rediscovered in 1972, are transcripts of this remarkable cultural exchange. Patyegarang’s words are a window into a rich, complex and utterly different perspective on her world, its values and its sacred meanings.'

'Bangarra liberates Patyegarang from the library shelves, putting spirit into her heart, as a striking visionary and educator.'

'This deeply moving production is told through the acclaimed creativity of Stephen Page’s choreography and David Page's soundscape, in a powerful and meaningful dance theatre experience.' (Source: Bangarra website)

Blak is physical and edgy, drawn from the artists' urban perspectives, telling the stories of Indigenous Australia in powerful and moving dance theatre.(Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website www.bangarra.com.au)

'Kinship opens with Brolga (Gudurrku), a creation story inspired by the totemic systems in the Australian Aboriginal culture where every individual is assigned a creature totem related to their clan. The brolga is just one of many animal, plant or natural element totems that are landed down from generation to generation. The second work in the Kinship program is ID. This work investigates being Aboriginal in the 21 st century, asking important questions about identity. In a series of dramatic and sometimes humorous observations, this dance contemplates human nature in modern society where skin colour can drive perceptions and impact behaviours . The work also celebrates the resilience of Australian Aboriginal culture as it is expressed in both traditional and contemporary forms. ' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)

' A lavish photographic look at the one of Australia's foremost dance companies. 2014 marks Bangarra Dance Theatre's twenty-fifth year. Clan honours this milestone and those people who have inspired Bangarra over the years. By having its feet in both worlds of old and modern, Bangarra creates contemporary theatrical experiences that are influenced by timeless stories and customs. The land shapes the people, the people shape the language, the language shapes the songs, and the songs then determine the dance - and the spirit flows through it all. This is the Bangarra Dance Theatre. Dancers communicate so profoundly with the mere flex of a foot or hand, a shift of focus, the roll of a head, the transfer of weight within their body. As the dancers move in and out of the space and light there is a momentum and energy, even with the smallest of steps. Greg Barrett and Stephen Page in a unique collaboration have beautifully and skilfully given shape to, and recorded, these magical, ephemeral moments. Clan's intimate and dramatic collection of photographs capture the personal, the professional and the sacred moments of artistic expression.' (Source: TROVE)

'From the luminescent Torres Strait and the turquoise waters of Cable Beach in Western Australia, to the lands of the central desert and the place we call Sydney, Dance Clan 3 explores diverse Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander story lines.' (Source: Bangarra Dance Theatre website)

'On a fishing trip at the beach, brothers Frank and Max are playing in the sand dunes. Sibling rivalry turns nasty when Max plays a dangerous trick on his brother.'

Source: The Turning website (http://www.theturningmovie.com.au/#!/sand/). (Sighted: 6/12/2013)