Dance Rites 2020 will include performances from Djakapurra Dance and more.
The Sydney Opera House will present its sixth annual Dance Rites festival online next month, bringing together 28 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance groups in a celebratory digital event with more than 350 performers spanning generations, nations and clan groups.
Australia's annual First Nations dance competition seeks to revitalise vanishing cultural practices and showcase the richness and diversity of First Nations culture. It will be broadcast on the Opera House's digital channels over four consecutive nights from Wednesday 11 - Saturday 14 November, coinciding with NAIDOC Week. The finals, in partnership with NITV, will air on Saturday 21 November.
Sydney Opera House Head of First Nations Programming Rhoda Roberts AO said: "While Dance Rites is coming to you a little differently this year, it has never felt more like a community event. It's incredible to see groups from every corner of the country rising to the challenge of an online competition and submitting outstanding performances that tell stories of community, connection to land and overcoming adversity.
"About 1500 dancers have participated since the festival began in 2015 - and the enthusiasm this year is no exception. We've also seen an increase in registrations from groups in remote communities, with many acknowledging the deep cultural significance of performing their dances and songlines on country".
NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and the Arts Don Harwin said: "Though we cannot be together on the Forecourt to celebrate Dance Rites this year, I'm delighted that the Opera House is able to present this significant event online, sharing First Nations cultural heritage on a global stage and enabling communities across the nation to join in this vital cultural exchange".
Dance Rites 2020 will include performances from:
The broadcast will include two filmed dances from each group: a traditional dance (either a welcome or a farewell) and a 'wildcard' dance that may fuse contemporary dance and music with tradition. Groups will be assessed on authenticity, reclamation work, use of costumes and revitalised crafts and cultural materials, along with fusion of language and music. The winning group will receive $20,000, one runner-up will receive $5,000, and $3,000 will go to the highest-scoring 'wildcard' dance. The $4,000 Rite of Passage Award acknowledges one group's outstanding contribution to revitalising cultural knowledge and practices.
This year's competition will be judged by:
In 2019, the Opera House became the first major Australian arts institution to announce its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which provide a roadmap to address the world's most pressing challenges by 2030. This is reflected in the Opera House's fifth Reconciliation Action Plan (2020-2022), which commits to initiatives that will enable our vision for reconciliation - to foster and celebrate a shared sense of belonging for all Australians.
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