Dance Animateurs of Lajamanu
The Tracks Team
Over many Milpirri's and many trips to Lajamanu, we've had many incredible Dance Animateurs join the Tracks team to choreograph Milpirri, travel to Lajamanu for projects and inspire the next Animateurs to take the reigns.
'Creative elasticity and freedom were offered within our dance facilitation roles' - Jenelle Saunders
Past & Present Milpirri Dance Animateurs:
David McMicken, Tim Newth, Nick Power, Jessica (Rosewarne) Goldburg, Jenelle Saunders, Caleb Japanangka Patrick, Jess Devereux, Kelly Beneforti, Aaron Lim, Jordan Bretherton and Madeleine Brown
As part of our 2020 #rememberingforward campaign we sent out some questions to some of our past & present animateurs to get a deeper insight into their roles at Tracks and in the community of Lajamanu during the lockdown period of COVID-19.
What did it take to be a Milpirri dance animateur?
Nick - Alot of energy, patience and belief
Jess D - Collaboration, good humour, and a willingness to facilitate dance in new ways, plus the ability to nurture and listen to others, and yourself.
Kelly - I think it takes a whole lot of guts, curiosity, perseverance, enthusiasm and a commitment to being whole-heartedly present in Lajamanu while you are there. This last part might sound obvious, but it can be very challenging at times to truly surrender to a place that feels so vastly different from your own. But it's in those moments that the best stuff happens! It also takes vulnerability - accepting that sometimes you are out of your depth, or you don't know the answer, or that there are elements of cultural and social life in Lajamanu that are not yours to understand.
Jess G - Patience and understanding. Being able to adapt.
How did you first get involved in Milpirri?
Kelly - My first experience of Milpirri was in 2009. I was taking a year off from Uni and had been involved in a few Tracks projects, such as the Festival show that year. I got this inkling that there was something else going on at Tracks that I didn't know about, like a special doorway that I hadn't walked through yet. I asked if I could be part of it, and the Company gave me a spare spot on the charter flight to Lajamanu to see the performance. It was like a kaleidoscope exploded in front of me; everything was so new and intense and challenged a lot about how I had experienced dance up until that point.
Was there anything you learnt from being involved in Milpirri that you carry with you today in your arts practice?
Jenelle - Yes, I think I have carried those qualities we were able to practise in a cross-cultural context into a wide range of other work and arts projects. They are transferable skills required I think for most environments when engaging with many people at a time.
Nick - So much. Milpirri is one of the single biggest influences in my path forward as an independent choreographer. Getting an insight into Walpiri culture, seeing the traditional dances and hearing the songs made me start to question my own dance and the culture and community connected to it. Inspired by this line of thinking I took it into my own work, creating performances that are grounded in hip hop cultural tradition but are performed in a contemporary context.
Jess D - Yes. Slowness. Always. Going slow through the world is good and Warlpiri culture really taught me that. Speak to the land and the land will speak back. Listening is key. Time spent sitting and listening to the Yawalyu women sing and dance comes to mind. Plus working alongside Nick Power, I learned a lot from from his teaching style. He led by example (dancing and throwing down!) plus his skills in communicating and inspiring the kids, his wise words and choreographic clarity. And a strong friendship with Darwin-based dancer Jenelle Saunders, who I worked closely with in Lajamanu during Milpirri, 2009.
Aaron - It taught me that dance can mean different things to different people and different cultures. I try to take that into account whenever I teach or collaborate with other dancers.
What are the unique elements of working in Lajamanu, that differ from other work you’ve done in schools?
Jordan - The kids are hyper active and always interested in dance, including cool break dancing tricks and backflips. So some of the teaching has to be fully broken down in order for the kids to get the choreography, but once they got it, they will never stop showing off what sick moves they have just learnt.
Any stand out Milpirri moments that you would like to share?
Nick - The first time I threw down a power-move set for a school workshop at the Arts Centre. The noise was incredible, I'd never had a reaction to my dancing like that, people were running around screaming. After, everyone lined up ready to learn.
Kelly - I don't know if I can pinpoint that exactly. One of my favourite moments during Milpirri is when the Witi Poles burn (this has happened in 2 or 3 of the Milpirri's I've worked on), and all the kids go wild and race through the poles while the burning leaves fall to the ground. It always happens at the end, and it seems to encapsulate the combination of ecstasy, relief, and sadness that I feel at the end of the performance. The sadness comes from the knowledge that I will be leaving Lajamanu in the coming days and won't return for many, many months.
Aaron - Making the video clips with the kids who I got to know over 3 years was one of the most fun times I've ever had in community. I just remember laughing a lot over the silly things we came up with.
Jenelle - The transformation from rehearsal mode to full out performance, when everyone was on the court outside ready to roll (kapow!). The uplift, the pride, the joy, the energy was palpable and super satisfying after a lot of hard work, sweat and input. Aesthetically, the lighting of the lanterns and the firing of the banner symbol was very memorable.
Fast forward to social isolation restrictions in 2020... how has it been working in the Tracks Studio compared to the Lajamanu School?
Kelly - Maddy, Jordan and I have had an amazing time together working in the studio, and with the music team, Monkey Marc and Mantra. Of course, it is very different without the energy of the Lajamanu school kids - they bring lots of laughter and joy, but they also challenge our teaching skills to their limits! We have had a lot more space for developing our choreographic ideas in a collaborative way, so it's felt really supportive. I'm excited to see that translate across to the kids when we eventually get down there.
Being your first Milpirri, what are you most excited about it?
Madeleine - The feeling I will have on the night, knowing that this show is more than what is seen on stage, it has a much greater and deeper sense of purpose and belonging that involves the whole community.
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