Bangarra’s Youth Team are on the lookout for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary school students
The Rekindling team will be back on the road in 2016, taking their fun and inspiring dance workshops to four communities next year: Heywood and Horsham in Victoria, Yarrabah in Queensland and Broome in Western Australia. It will be the first time Rekindling has visited Victoria and Western Australia.
The Youth Team – comprised of three Bangarra alumni, Sidney Saltner, Chantal Kerr and Patrick Thaiday – will be on the lookout for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander secondary students who are keen to explore their cultural identity through dance and stories.
Youth Program Director Saltner said Rekindling was incredibly enriching for the students involved.
“This will be Rekindling’s fourth year and we’ve connected with over 250 young people so far,” said Saltner. “That reach ripples out to the community, from the Elders who generously share their stories and their time, to school teachers who encourage the kids to register, and to the families who support them learning about their identity.”
Part of Rekindling’s success relies on involvement from community Elders, who provide the students with the program’s content.
The artistic director of Bangarra Dance Theatre, Stephen Page, says the program has grown beyond his dreams.
“Rekindling proves our ongoing commitment to nurturing and developing the next generation of cultural leaders,” said Page.
“It was extremely exciting to see that nine students who participated in Rekindling in 2014 then went on to be accepted into the NAISDA dance program, and another four into ACPA (Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts). I’m sure we’ll see even more success stories like that in the future as we encourage these kids to embrace their talent and their heritage.”
NATIONAL AUDITION DATES
HEYWOOD (VIC)
Audition: Monday February 22 2016
(online registrations close Sunday February 21)
HORSHAM (VIC)
Audition: Thursday February 25 2016
(online registrations close Wednesday February 24)
YARRABAH (QLD)
Audition: Monday February 29 2016
(online registrations close Sunday February 28)
BROOME (WA)
Audition: Thursday March 3 2016
(online registrations close Wednesday March 2)
Register online at www.bangarra.com.au/rekindling
ABOUT REKINDLING
Rekindling is an intensive dance based program for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander secondary students to explore ‘who you are’ and ‘where you come from’. The participants research and gather stories with the help and guidance from elders within their communities, to develop dance, performance and creative skills to produce dance theatre in collaboration with local elders.
View the Rekindling brochure here.
Watch the Rekindling video here.