His Majesty's Theatre Welcomes Sydney Dance Company and Bangarra Dance Theatre

Following its highly acclaimed European tour of Spirit, Bangarra Dance Theatre returns home to develop a breathtaking new theatrical experience.

Rekindling Indigenous culture, Belong features two new works; ID by Artistic Director Stephen Page and About by choreographer and dancer Elma Kris. Drawing on ancient and contemporary stories these two distinctive works trace Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and experiences across our vast country.

With ID, Stephen Page draws upon his personal experiences of observing contemporary Indigenous people tracing their bloodlines, re-connecting with their traditional heritage and living modern lives in a challenging urban society.

Bangarra's commitment to developing and nurturing the next generation of Indigenous storytellers continues with dancer and company choreographer Elma Kris. Her choreographic debut was Emeret Lu as part of True Stories in 2007.

About by Elma Kris is inspired by creation stories from Saibai Island, weaving a contemporary fusion of song and dance, reflecting the exuberance of Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Bangarra's artists-in-residence David Page (award winning composer) and Jacob Nash (award winning set designer) together with Emma Howell (costume designer) and Matt Cox (lighting designer) will be collaborating with choreographers Stephen Page and Elma Kris for Belong. Once again Bangarra creates a truly Australian theatrical experience connecting the spirit of traditional culture with our contemporary lives. Always uplifting and deeply moving, Belong will transform perceptions of the places we call home.

Bangarra Dance Theatre is Australia's premier national Indigenous performing arts company. Under the brilliant and inspirational artistic direction of Stephen Page, Bangarra has strived to maintain the cultural integrity and spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tradition, combining it with contemporary expressions of stories, dance and music to create unique theatrical experiences, and to deliver these experiences to audiences across Australia and around the world.

‘The mediums we work in are physical, poetic, spiritual and emotional. In those moments, as we sit in the darkened theatre or around the night-time camp fire, we share the community of the soul, a coming together of people prepared to give themselves over to a shared cultural experience.' 

WHERE: Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of WA BOOKINGS: BOCS Ticketing 9484 1133 or www.bocsticketing.com.au or at any BOCS outlet *Standard (A Res) $60 (B Res) $50 Concession (A Res) $55 (B Res) $45
*Student# (A Res) $30 (B Res) $30 (Full Time students only)
GROUP BOOKINGS: Standard Groups: Buy 8 tickets to receive ticket discounts. Buy more than 10 tickets and receive a complimentary ticket. Ph 9321 6831

School Groups: Receive one Complimentary Teacher ticket per 12 paid Student tickets ($30)*.
Dance Lovers can purchase A Reserve tickets to each show for $60 each on the Bangarra Dance Theatre / Sydney Dance Company offer. This price is not available online. Book at BOCS.

Perth Theatre Trust and His Majesty's Theatre present Sydney Dance Company's Rafael Bonachela's we unfold on Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30 July, 2011

Choreographer: Rafael Bonachela
Composer: Ezio Bosso
Video Artist: Daniel Askill
Costume Designer: Jordan Askill
Ensemble : Natalie Allen, Emily Amisano, Juliette Barton, Lachlan Bell, Richard Cilli, Andrew Crawford, Janessa Dufty, Kynan Hughes, Bernhard Knauer, Annabel Knight, Lauren Langlois, Wayne Parsons, Todd Sullivan,Chen Wen, Charmene Yap. "Bonachela delivers a work that is breathtakingly, almost painfully beautiful." Daily Telegraph, Sydney

"His language, gender blind and fuelled by disparate energies, has a muscularity that ebbs and flows... an underlying sexuality that gives handsome physical presence to the jagged emotional intelligence." The Times, London

Sydney Dance Company is regarded as one of Australia's most exciting contemporary dance
companies and one of our country's most in demand cultural exports.

Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela will lead the Company on tour to Perth bringing his celebrated
full evening dance work we unfold.

we unfold was Rafael Bonachela's first creation following his appointment as Artistic Director of
Sydney Dance Company in 2009 and as such represents a defining moment in the History of the Company. The work was largely inspired by the unfolding of a new beginning both for the Company and for the dancers who created it alongside its choreographer. The work deals with
a myriad of topics, ranging from fear of the unknown and leaving one's origins to lamentation, humankind's interaction with nature and madness, ultimately affirming the power of the heart
in a troubled universe.

we unfold was inspired by the commissioned music score Oceans by the Italian composer Ezio Bosso, a frequent collaborator of Rafael Bonachela. The music is lush and evocative, driven by Bonachela's theme and inspiration. Rafael explains: "I wanted to create a piece about our needs and desires as artists, for the emotions to slowly unfold, revealing ourselves to those around us." Bonachela worked in the studios of Sydney Dance Company with the dedicated dancers to construct a collective work of exploration and discovery.

"I encouraged the dancers to listen and respond to one another, challenging their willingness to unfold, or alternatively their reluctance to open up to each other."

The undeniable chemistry between Rafael Bonachela's combustible choreographic language and the dancers of the Company has produced a work where rigour, freedom, strength and precision are deftly combined.

Rafael Bonachela is a choreographer of great diversity whose international credits are numerous. He has created works for leading companies in Europe and worked also with popular artists and art forms such as with Kylie Minogue on her Showgirl Tour.

we unfold features the talented Sydney based Askill brothers, with the delicately understated costumes created by Jordan Askill and powerful video art by his brother, Sydney artist Daniel Askill. The production features wonderfully emotive lighting design by Hugh Taranto.

Performing each year both nationally and internationally, Sydney Dance Company is regarded as one of Australia's most exciting contemporary dance companies. As one of the most in-demand Australian performing arts companies, they strive to be an active proponent of Australian dance around the world.

WHERE: His Majesty's Theatre BOOKINGS: BOCS Ticketing 9484 1133 or www.bocsticketing.com.au or at any BOCS outlet *Standard (A Res) $75 (B Res) $65 (C Res) $50
*Concession (A Res) $70 (B Res) $60 (C Res) $45
*Student# (A Res) $35 (B Res) $35 (C Res) $35 (Full Time students only)
GROUP BOOKINGS: Ph 9321 6831 or email groups@bocsticketing.com.au
Standard Groups: Buy tickets for 8 or more and receive discounts
School Groups: Receive one complimentary teacher ticket per 12 paid Students tickets ($35*).
Dance Lovers can purchase A Reserve tickets to each show for $60 each on the Bangarra Dance Theatre / Sydney Dance Company offer. This price is not available online. Book at BOCS.

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