2015 Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance - Tracks Dance Company for Milpirri (Jardiwanpa)

For a large-scale, captivating, cross-cultural dance performance fusing contemporary and traditional dance, championing reconciliation and uniting people in a wonderful celebration of dance and community.
 

Read more about the 2015 Australian Dance Awards

Read more about Milpirri (Jardiwanpa)

Tim Newth and David McMicken’s acceptance speech

Tim: We acknowledge the Warlpiri people of Lajamanu who can’t be here tonight but who are the heart and soul of Milpirri.

Milpirri is the outcome of a 27-year relationship between Tracks Dance and the people of the remote Indigenous community of Lajamanu. Since 2005 Milpirri has linked the energy of the youth with the wisdom of the old, creating understanding between Warlpiri and Western ways of learning - making people feel good about who they are and where they live.

David: Milpirri was born in response to the first youth suicide in Lajamanu, the elders recognised that young people were losing their cultural knowledge. They decided to encourage youth to become part of a new community celebration that would showcase their dance skills while at the same time link them to their cultural heritage.

Tim: David and I work closely with Steve Jampijinpa Patrick and senior members of the community to develop the major themes and produce each year’s performance. Themes are explored through senior men’s and women’s dance, and youth contemporary dance.

David: We thank the Lajamanu elders and community, in particular the Patrick family - the owners of the Milpirri dreaming,
to Tracks staff and the Tracks team - in particular Nick Power, Kelly Beneforti and Caleb Japanangka Patrick. To Ausdance for your ongoing support of Australian dance in all its forms and to all the other strong and amazingly talented nominees in this category.