Dirt! - MEDIA RELEASE

Get close and be inspired by a rare perspective on dance making…

Kelly Beneforti, Tracks core Dance Animateur and passionate contributor to Darwin dance scene, returns as the director and facilitator of this year's Tracks Dance choreographic development program – Dirt!. “I love being involved at a time when people are full of questions and I feel privileged to be feeding ideas that provoke them” she says of her role. “Here is their chance to dig in deeper and mine their creativity”.

This program, the only company-led dedicated choreographic course in Australia, has been running since 2010 with growing success.  This year will see eight emerging choreographers from varied cultural and training background, from their early twenties to mid-sixties.  “I’ve lived my life in my head. With Tracks program, I can bring out to the audience the movement that’s been living inside me” says Darryl Butler, a second-year participant in the program and member extraordinaire of Tracks iconic senior dance group, the Grey Panthers.

The program bears Tracks signature in tapping into Darwin’s diversity to bring out innovative and not-to-be-seen-anywhere-else movement. Dirt! also demonstrates how powerful and effective dance is to bring together all forms of creative endeavour, which this year’s participants embody through circus, theatre, film and music. A passion for dance and Tracks community values drive this future generation of choreographic talent.

Be ready for a “delightful afternoon” and “enjoy seeing dance that is in development, in a stage of transformation” says Beneforti.  Each showing will be followed by a forum led by esteemed figures of Darwin arts and media scene, Sean Pardy, Director of Brown’s Mart  (Saturday) and Liz Trevaskis, journalist at ABC radio (Sunday). Beneforti promises us to be inspired by her students who, she says “ have personally developed, shifted, uncovered and recognised something in their creative journey, which they are excited about and eager to share”.

This year's aspiring choreographers are: Natalie Hafsteins, Venaska Cheliah, Darryl Butler, Nikki Jeffries, Felicity Wardle, Clare Scarce and Penny Paton.  Anyone interested in seeing creativity at work will enjoy “Dirt” whilst offering support to their undertakings.

For more information

Dates: Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 April
Gates open 3.00 pm
Venue: Frog Hollow Centre for the Arts, Darwin
Tickets:  $10 (full) and $5 (concession) cash at the door

ENDS: For further information, interviews and photos
please contact Agnes Michelet T: 0488287042 or email Agnes