2018 Fresh Tracks
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Brown's Mart Theatre, Darwin City
July 8, 2018
Darwin Fringe Festival
Now in it's third year, Fresh Tracks has become Tracks' annual showcase at Darwin Fringe Festival. Fresh Tracks features original choreographic works by local artists working in a range of different contemporary dance and movement practices and dealing with a diversity of conceptual and physical ideas.
This year Tracks presented the inaugural Tracks Choreographic Intensive alongside Fresh Tracks, aimed at supporting emerging choreographers to develop their work to the next stage of craftsmanship and refinement.
Structured as a 7-week program, this intensive of improvisation, choreographic and creative practice provided 3 diverse and inspiring individuals with a nurturing framework to realise their artistic ideas and take them from the studio to a theatre setting. Sunday July 8, 2018, 12.30pm & 2.15pm.
Meet the participants.
Fresh Tracks is nestled within the Tracks Development Program, which invests in the continuation of strong dance voices in Darwin through research and development, mentoring, critical feedback and presentation opportunities. Tracks recognises the importance of supporting and celebrating the talent, potential and commitment of our local artists.
Creative Team
Concept and Artistic Directors: Tim Newth and David McMicken
Program Director: Kelly Beneforti
Choreographers: Sheila Rose, Will Nery, Felicity Wardle
Guest Dancers: Kelly Beneforti, Maria Kypreos, Ashley Almarjani, Anokai Susi, Stephanie Packwood, Haylen Duncan, Kate Rodillas, Danial Ireland and the Grey Panthers: Darryl Butler, Ellen Hankin, Filomena De Castro, Francisca Kleinebeck, Janine Sutter, Judy McKerr, Lesley Piper, Lillian Mann, Marg Lee, Marge Duminski, Maria Vlastuin, MaryAnn Hinton, Roslyn Henry, Trish Greenfield and David McMicken
Film-maker: Amy Hetherington
Program
The Universal Dance Floor
Choreographed by Bryn Wackett and David McMicken
Performed by the Grey Panthers: Darryl Butler, Ellen Hankin, Filomena De Castro, Francisca Kleinebeck, Janine Sutter, Judy McKerr, Lesley Piper, Lillian Mann, Marg Lee, Marge Duminski, Maria Vlastuin, MaryAnn Hinton, Roslyn Henry, Trish Greenfield, with David McMicken, Will Nery and Kelly Beneforti
Music: ‘Across the Universe’ by Rufus Wainwright & ‘Murder on the Dance Floor’ by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
This year the Grey Panthers celebrate their 30th birthday, surely making them the longest continually running seniors community dance group in Australia.
The Grey Panthers present Will Nery as the first recipient of the Grey Panthers’ Youth Development Fund.
Vision
Choreographed by Will Nery in collaboration with the dancers
Performed by Stephanie Packwood, Haylen Duncan, Kate Rodillas, Danial Ireland
Music: ‘Her’ (instrumental), ‘Kuzah’ (instrumental), & ‘Vig’ (instrumental) by Ariki Murray
The path we walk in life starts from a vision we have from when we are young. All our actions and choices move us toward that vision. However it is ever changing and we may or may not reach it.
La Luna
Concept and Direction by Felicity Wardle
Choreographed by Felicity Wardle in collaboration with Anokai Susi
Performed by Anokai Susi
Music: ‘Questo Universo Di Luce’ by Francesco Franz Amato, ‘Wade in the Water’ by Ramsey Lewis, ‘Innermost Encounter III’ by 숨[SUM] & ‘Jeux Interdits (Romance)’ by Narciso Yepes
We know her through her rhythms. She moves our tides. Her face brightens our night sky. But when all else is stripped away, who is she?
Charged with poetic tenderness, La Luna explores what it means to reveal our very own, dark side of the moon.
River of Time
Choreographed and Directed by Sheila Rose in collaboration with the dancers
Performed by Kelly Beneforti, Maria Kypreos, Ashley Almarjani
Music: ‘Dirtsong’ by Black Arm Band, performed live at the 2013 Art Music Awards
“Nobody has...talked to me about who I am.” - Rosalie Kunoth Monks
A blanket of hidden secrets woven through time.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the traditional owners, the Larrakia people for allowing me to dance on their land.
About the Choreographers
Will Nery
My first inspiration for dancing was a DVD that my brother brought home from the shops when I was five. It introduced me to Bboy Lazer’s insanely fast head-spins - I trained hard every day just to practice that one move, and I still do. That thirst for constant improvement helps me feel alive every day.
Felicity Wardle
I am passionately into experimental performance art, multidisciplinary collaborations, and cross-cultural projects. My interests are as much about the process of creation, as in the end results. I continue my cross disciplinary participation in projects involving puppetry, physical theatre, contemporary dance, poetry and photography.
Sheila Rose
My love for dance is intrinsic to my well-being. I have an Introduction and Cert IV in the Performing Arts from The Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts in Brisbane, directed by Michael Leslie. In Darwin, I have attended contemporary ballet classes with Gary Lang and completed the Choreographic Program at Tracks in 2017.
Thank you
Big thanks to Amy Hetherington, the Darwin Fringe Festival volunteers, Mathew McHugh and The Grey Panthers.
Company Partners
Tracks Inc is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body; and is proudly sponsored by the Northern Territory Government.
Project Partner
Darwin International Airport
Supporting Partner
Darwin Fringe Festival
Tracks 2018
Artistic Co-Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
Company Director: Adelaide Wood
Administrator: Jessica Mellor
Production Manager: Duane Preston
Dance Animateur: Kelly Beneforti
Bookkeeper: It Figures
Committee Members: Mary Durack (Chairperson), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), Michael Grant, David Taylor, Ken Conway, Venaska Cheliah, Sudha Coutinho, Mandela Yu. David McMicken, Tim Newth, Adelaide Wood (Ex-Officio Members)
Public Fund Trustees: Rev. Steve Orme, Dr Anita Toth, Ippei Okazaki
Patron: Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM, Administrator of the Northern Territory
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Responces
"It is a platform for a bold, compelling, diverse range of artists working in dance and movement."
"I learnt new things about myself as a person, and as a dancer. I had to challenge my personal boundaries
and was encouraged to explore new ideas and engage in unique experiences." Ashley Almarjani, dancer in Fresh Tracks
"Throughout the development and performance process I felt valuable to our team of dancers and choreographer. My ideas were welcomed..., as were others in the group, each person in turn giving and receiving inspiration from the other." Stephanie Packwood, dancer in Fresh Tracks
"Collaboration between artists has an amazing impact and creates a myriad of ideas and connections between vision, movement and symbolism." Anokai Susi, dancer in Fresh Tracks
"It’s really good to see how other people create their own thoughts, journeys and where they are taking their dance – it showed me different ways they experience and experiment with their dance, their thoughts." Sheila Rose, choreographer
"Communicating with the dancers for me was a big step, and that’s something I can use in the future in many ways." Will Nery, choreographer
"The opportunity to refine this piece was also one of its strengths – to watch it again and again and keep discovering those moments." Felicity Wardle, choreographer
"I just wanted to say how wonderful I thought Fresh Tracks was on the weekend! From the incredible initiative of the Grey Panthers...through to the sophistication of the choreographies presented – beautiful!" Liz Rogers, audience member
"That was a powerful performance of Sheila Rose’ s work experienced at Browns Mart last Sunday afternoon. 'River of Time' evokes tears and of course we are reminded of historical severe hardship for First Peoples in this NAIDOC Week." Kathleen Elliot, audience member