DanceSite 2010 - Purkiss Reserve, Tennant Creek Saturday 4th September

Indigenous Traditional Dance Project - Showcase Event

Photo of Red Flag Dancers by Wayne Quilliam

DanceSite Background
DanceSite was originally conceived and coordinated by Desart as a spontaneous, traditional dance event attached to the Desert Mob Art Fair weekend in September each year. A partnership with Artback NT in 2007 saw DanceSite develop further into a showcase event and through strategic support form Arts NT 2005-2008, Artback NT was able to give focus to the presentation and promotion of Indigenous traditional dance in Central Australia. Participation in this event gave dancers, singers and performance groups the opportunity for professional skills development in front of a mainstream audience and further cultural maintenance exchanges with other language groups.

As a local and culturally appropriate platform for traditional dance, DanceSite has also been able to showcase emerging artists and promote further professional performance opportunities for them. Following DanceSite 2008, two dance groups were offered engagements at the Dreaming Festival, Woodford, Queensland, June 2009 and others were offered work and performance opportunities within the Central Desert region.

At audience level, DanceSite encouraged the Alice Springs community to celebrate Indigenous traditional dance from Central Australia, providing a cultural backdrop for further appreciation and greater insight into Central Australian Indigenous culture including; dance, ceremony and connection to country.

DanceSite is a presentation of traditional Indigenous dance from Central Australia. In years previous to Artback NT involvement (2004-2006) the event has been staged on the circus lawns at the Araluen Cultural Precinct.

Critical support for dance development and rehearsals for several months prior to DanceSite through the ITDP has contributed to the success of the event.

ITDP Overview

The purpose of the Indigenous Traditional Dance project is to promote cultural maintenance and exchange in relation to traditional dance. These exchanges encourage art centres and dance groups to invite neighboring communities and language groups to come together to share their knowledge and understanding of traditional dance practices from their regions. The ITD Project provides community cultural development support, facilitates and organises performance opportunities and provides links and information sharing between Indigenous traditional dance projects, communities and contemporary dance and theatre initiatives.

DanceSite is the annual showcase event for this project.

DanceSite and the ITDP are funded by Arts NT Regional Arts Fund, Aboriginals Benefit Account and Centrecorp.

In 2010, Artback NT presented DanceSite in a dramatic new location as a major event the Desert Harmony Festival in Tennant Creek. This was again hugely successful with a mostly Indigenous audience of over 2000 people gathering to participate in the biggest cultural event ever staged in Tennant Creek.

Special guests from Numbulwar, the Red Flag Dancers who have performed nationally and internationally, headlined a spectacular showcase of Indigenous dance from the Barkly and Central Desert regions. This year, more than 120 dancers representing 10 different language groups, remote communities and art centres showcased their culture including:

> Warumungu Karrti Dancers, Tennant Creek NT
> Munga Munga Dancers, Tennant Creek NT
> Arrernte, Simpson Desert Dancers, Alice Springs NT

> Warabri Dancers, Ali Curung NT
> Jarra Jarra Dancers, Ali Curung NT
> Mara, Yanyula, Garawa Dancers Borraloola NT

> Ghenoa Gela, Torres Strait ISlands QLD
> Red Flag Dancers Numbulwar NT

DanceSite 10 Photos by Wayne Quilliam