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2004: SNAKES
GODS & DEITIES – Gardens Park Golf Links,
Darwin |
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Work
: Director's Notes : Media
Response : Audience Response
: Creative Personnel
Performers : Scenario
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| Work |
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SNAKES
GODS & DEITIES features live drumming and dance
with international guest artists from Sri Lanka’s
Sama ballet.
It explores a journey into a freedom from
fear. Imagine a life of release from phobias and deeply
held fears: from fear of darkness, snakes and bugs,
through to fear of losing part of ourselves, our youth,
our spirit and our sense of control. |
PHOTO: Rodney Laredo
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Click to order DVD
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| Director's
Notes |
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In 2002 I spent four
months on a cultural residency in Sri Lanka, hosted
by Monks from a Buddhist Temple near Kandy and members
of the Sama Ballet company. I experienced a richly diverse
Sri Lanka, and witnessed and participated in many extraordinary
cultural and celebratory practices that had the power
to transform - dances, rituals and ceremonies that to
me were exotic but to the locals were a vital part of
their lives. Performed for the well being of the community,
these dances could ward off sickness, fear or ‘evil’,
taking people to heightened emotional states. |
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Here the artists had a connected and
respected role, valued as an important aspect of the
community’s health. As an artist, I have wished
my own role within the community to be seen this way. |
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Just before my Sri Lanka visit, ‘stuff’
was happening in my life that forced me to confront
fear. During a visit to the Darwin Buddhist Temple something
happened, it felt like a sign which I have been unravelling
since. "Meditating, eyes closed, legs crossed,
sitting on the floor. I feel a sensation of something
on my knee, a bug, a cockroach even. I keep my eyes
closed. A few moments later I feel the same sensation
on my other knee. It gets the better of me. I open my
eyes. A snake is wrapping itself around my legs."
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In Sri Lanka, I cross paths with snakes
each week, as I lived a life of SNAKES GODS &
DEITIES. |
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Tim
Newth |
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| Media
Response |
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"…incorporated
drumming, firedance, Bollywood and of course large live
snakes to entrance and excite audiences who have come
to expect the highest standard of entertainment and
spectacle from Tracks. They were not disappointed!"
Karen
Maxwell - Queer Territory |
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| Audience
Response |
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An extraordinary
display of talent, passion, creativity, and innovation.
Loved It! |
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Sensational, we loved it, great
energy. Very high quality and professional. |
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Absolutely fantastic and beautiful. |
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Brilliant. Very distinct flavours,
and electric. |
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Absolutely fantastic. I’ve
seen the Sri Lankan Drumming/dancing before and
loved it - but brilliant in combination with the
others. The live drumming was excellent! |
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An awesome production everything
was absolutely brilliant, setting, scenes, music,
dancing, everything. Thankyou. |
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Tracks always put on amazing
performances. Congratulations . |
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Amazing, stimulating, visually
fantastic, loved the percussion, atmosphere, diversity
of cultures, costumes, lighting, initiative, every
senses felt it. |
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Where else would ‘you’
be under such beautiful trees; in the warm, looking
up at the moon, watching such dancing; different
cultures, such feeling for $12. Thankyou. Enrapture! |
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Fantastic performance from the
very beginning until the end. Fantastic venue |
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Enjoyable - excellent dancing.
Brilliant background. |
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Excellent performances - beautiful
setting - loved those trees and lights and drumming.
Such talented dancers |
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Venue, lighting, performance,
choreography, music, atmosphere - simply wonderful!!! |
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I loved the snakes. |
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| Creative
Personnel |
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The final
ideas and choreography for this performance comes from
the performers, directors, and various cultural influences. |
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Concept /
Direction |
Tim
Newth |
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Assistant Director
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David
McMicken |
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Promotions Manager |
Sue
Mornane |
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Graphic Design |
Mark
Marcelis, Studio 7 |
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Publicist |
Sue Camilleri |
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Lighting / Production
Management
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Matthew
James |
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Sound |
Elka
Kerkhofs |
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Costumes |
Cristina Pantazis and Louise
Rieck |
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Stage Construction |
Neil Hawkes |
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Additional Set Construction
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David
Taylor |
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Lighting / Production
Assistant |
Daniel Lay |
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Stage Manager |
Karen
Maxwell |
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Floor Painting |
Paul Myatt |
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Paka Haka Tutor
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Richard Broughton |
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Soo Bahk Do Tutor |
Jarrod Fong |
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Snakes NT |
Chris Peberdy, Ben Wright
and Lisa Milliner |
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| Performers |
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| Scenario |
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Talking drums, talking
bodies |
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Honouring the Gods |
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Blind-folded by fear. Fear of
not knowing, of taking action, of consequences.
Finding strength |
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The snake - A sign of unrest.
A sign of strength. Freedom in knowledge |
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In the body of Bollywood, of
a mother, of culture, of me |
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The Snakes Gods and Deities |
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The performance incorporates
four traditional dancers from Sama Ballet: |
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Vas Pooja –
Kandyan Dance |
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Naga Gurulu – Cobra and
Eagle fighting |
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Gini Sisila – Fire Eating
Ritual |
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Thelme – from Devol Madu
(dance of the princess) |
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