DanceSite - Indigenous Traditional Dance Project - Showcase Event

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.

A brief summary of previous DanceSite events is The links below

For more gallery photos of each anual event please select the link here.

DanceSite 2008 - Alice Springs

DanceSite 2009 - Alice Springs

DanceSite 2010 - Tennant Creek

DanceSite 2011 - Tennant Creek

DanceSite 11 Photos by Wayne Quilliam 2011. Above top; Mark Butler direct Warumungu Dancers from Tennant Cree: Above bottom: EmCee Gerry McCarthy MLA chats to one of the Papunya women singers.

Photos Left (from top): 1. Warumungu kids wait for their turn; 2.&3. Borraloola Mara singers and dancers; 4. Mornington Island Dancers; 5. Red Flag Dancers; 6. Milyiwayi Dancers; 7. Papunya Tjupi Dancers

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DanceSite 11 Photos by Wayne Quilliam 2011

DanceSite 2011 - Tennant Creek

Saturday September 3, Purkiss Reserve

In 2011 the event was presented by the Warumungu people as 'Wurrpurjintta Anyul Warlunjanjikki' - Coming Together to Dance'. More than 200 Indigenous dancers from ten different Indigenous dance groups in the Barkly, Gulf and Central regions of the NT, to an audience of 1500 people.

> Warumungu Karrti Dancers, Tennant Creek NT
> Munga Munga Dancers, Tennant Creek NT
> Milyiwayi Dancers, Tenant Creek NT
> Jarra Jarra Dancers, Ali Curung NT

> Nturiya Dancers, Ti-Tree NT
> Southern Ngalia Dancers, Yuendumu NT

> Papunya Tjupi DAncers, Papunya NT

> Mara, Yanyula, Garawa Dancers Borraloola NT

> Mornington Island Dancers, QLD
> Red Flag Dancers Numbulwar NT

Special guests in 2011 were the Mornington Island Dancers from Gununa, MI QLD who have performed to national and internatinal audiences. Red Flag were also engaged by Artback NT to headline the event as well to provide professional development to other Dance Groups.

DanceSite 2009 - Alice Springs

Saturday September 5, Telegraph Station

To an audience of 1200 people, the event presented over 90 Indigenous dancers from six different Indigenous dance groups in Central Australia, from the following art centres, communities and language groups:

> Arrernte, Simpson Desert Dancers NT
> Arrernte, Antulye Dancers NT
> Luritja, Papunya Tjupi Dancers NT
> Ngaanyatjarra Tjanpi Dancers, Warakurna WA
> Pitjantjatjara, Kungkarangalpa Dancers Amata SA
> Pitjantjatjara, Rikina Dancers Amata SA

Special guests in 2009 were Djilpin Dancers from Beswick have performed to national audiences at the Dreaming Festival and ‘Walking With Spirits’. Djilpin were engaged by Artback NT to headline the event as well as provide professional development to other Dance Groups.

DanceSite 2010 - Tennant Creek

Saturday September 4, Purkiss Reserve

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 <

Photo of Djilpin Dancer by Peter Eve

Photo of Red Flag Dancers by Wayne Quilliam

DanceSite 2008 - Alice Springs

Saturday September 5, Telegraph Station

The event presented over 80 Indigenous dancers from seven different Indigenous dance groups from communities and art centres in Central Australia:

> Arrernte, Simpson Desert Dancers NT
> Arrernte, Antulye Dancers NT
> Arrernte, Ltyente Apurte Dancers NT
> Luritja, Papunya Dancers, Ngurratjuta Art Centre NT
> Pitjantjatjara, Tjanpi Dancers, Tjanpi Weavers
> Ngaanyatjarra, Kuruyala Dancers, Blackstone WA
> Walpiri, Warumungu Dancers Tennant Creek NT

DanceSite 2007 - Alice Springs

Saturday September 5, Telegraph Station

This year special guests included, the Mornington Island Dancers from Queensland. The event presented more than 50 Indigenous dancers from seven different Indigenous dance groups from Central Australia, from the following communities and language groups: