2005 Arafura Games Opening Ceremony

Marrara Oval, Darwin

May 14, 2005

A 35-minute dance work performed on a sporting oval leading into 5 minutes of fireworks. Utilising local dancers in a performance that relied on human energy rather than large props and puppets. The concept was evolved from the 2003 Tracks concept for the Opening that was not realised due to cancellation of the Games that year because of the SARS virus.

Director's Notes

As you drive into Darwin you are greeted by the sign ‘Welcome to Darwin – Home of the Arafura Games”. Tracks Dance Company was commissioned by the Northern Territory Government to direct the main act of the 2005 Opening Ceremony. In creating this human spectacular we engaged over 400 Darwin dancers encompassing youth, professional, seniors, multicultural and Indigenous. International guest artists from Sri Lanka’s Sama Ballet (Snakes Gods and Deities) and Rajini Dance Academy (due to a grant received by the Sri Lanka Australia Friendship Association) and Markum Galut (4WD Sweat Dust and Romance), from Papua New Guinea, also joined the cast. It was watched by a live audience of 12,000 and a television audience throughout Australia and South East Asia. TIm Newth

Creative Personnel

Concept / Direction: Tim Newth
Assistant Director: David McMicken
Choreographer: Julia Quinn
Assistant Choreographer (Cultural groups): Julia Gray
Youth Dance Leaders: Jessica Rosewarne, Maxi Gonzales Finestone, Marko Taopo, Erwin Fenis
Sound Track: David Pratt, Matthew Cunliffe and Airi Ingram
Costumes Designer: Andrea Lee (Construction - Ann Gibb)

Performers

Soloists:
Allyson Arjibuk Mills (Larrakia Spirit), Markum Galut (Wallaby)

Grey Panthers:
Anne Newman, Audrey Gorring, Bette Chapman, Betty Ballinger, Bev Paget, Crena Hemmings, Diane Dibbins, Elaine Marlow, Gwen Varney, Helen Murphy, Idalia De Sousa, Jacquie Williams, Jan Hastings, Janine Sutter, Judith Allen, Kathleen Harding, Kay Brown, Liz Gammon, Lucy Aylett, Margaret Glowacki, Margaret Lee, Marge Duminski, Maria Vlastuin, Marj Baxter, Mavis Waddell, Norma Young, Punny Vegter, Sheila Hensby, Shirley Somers, Val Clark, Val Hristova

Tracks Female Youth Dancers:
Aimee Pitman, Alana Colton, Alana Fawcett, Anokai Lancaster, Bec Noble, Bianca Scrymgour, Catherine Murray, Clair Simpson, Clare Cundell, Corina Nichols, Danarose Dizon, Elle Richards, Emma Hoffman, Flori Latif, Hal Brophy, Hannah Reed, Holly Au, Holly Wilson, Jacintha Anderson, Jamaica Bardsley, Jana Tumuls, Jensine Rickert, Jess Sadler-Keary, Jessica Gollow, Jessica McMaster, Jessica Rosewarne, Jessica Spry, Jessie Truscott, Josephine Tchia, Karajayne Handberg, Karly Fisher, Katrina Firth, Kira Parker, Laurinda Morrison, Lisa Bainbridge, Loni Garnons-Williams, Lorraine Meehan, Luci Pisanu, Lucy Buckley, Lyka Zarate, Maryanne Roufeil, Maxi Gonzales Finestone, Megan Waters, Melanie Silva, Melissa Bateman, Monica Jacobs, Natalee Evans, Natalie Aitken, Natalie Stephenson, Natasha Shepley, Noni Harold, Rebekah Jarvis, Rosie O'Reilly, Sachini Gamage, Sailoung Mannion, Sarah Cooper, Sarah Sarmiento, Sarah Wilson, Saskrita Shrestha, Shaan Myall, Shannyce Alderton, Shayna Gavin, Sophie Kerr, Stephanie Quinn, Tatjana Daly, Tegan Barrett-McGuin, Tessa Calver-James, Trudi Goodworth, Tuesday Turner, Vera Tabuzo, Victoria Close, Zoe Crawford

Tracks Male Youth Dancers:
Angelo Morfe, Aston Low, Bryce Dempsey, Daniel Tolliday-Henderson, Erwin Fenis, Gavin Alder, Imanuel Dado, Jeremiah Rasing, John Koenig, John Rigas, John Vargas, Laurenzo da Silva, Mark Taopo, Matthew White, Mio Kovacevic, Phillip Koenig, Ricky Borg, Ryan Newton, Steven Jenes, Wesley Camigla

Karate – Austin Martial Arts Soo Bahk Do display team:
Alex Austin, Angela Agostini, Angelique Buc, Annie Spillett, Bernard Kelly, Bill Ulstrup, Candy Scroop, Curtis Brownjohn, Daniel Robertson, Dika Wood, Fletcher Ellis, Heather Moorcroft, Ingrid Herbert, Jan Austin, Jasmine Tremblay, Jemma Cotter, Jessica Sariago, Joe Parry, Kristin Sodoli, Kylie McMartin, Lachlan Ellis, Laing Clark, Laura Tolomei, Louise Austin, Mark Ross, Mary Hertog, Matthew Thrupp, Michael Austin, Olivia Agostini, Pasco Lawler, Paul Andrade, Peter Baynes, Peter Tibbets, Pierre Ray Du Boisseau, PJ Goodrem, Raphael Lawler, Sharyn Morcom, Stephen McGrath, Thor Ulstrup

Sri Lankan Group
Ajith Amarasiri, Anika Perera, Anil Abeyesinghe, Apsara Haris, Chandana Herath, Chandrika Munasinghe, Damayanthi Selvanayagam, Hemachandra Matotage, Indika Gamage, Jayanthasiri Attanayaka, Krishan Prathapan, Manjula Wickyamarachchi, Prasanna Rupathilaka, Rukshan Pushpakumara, Sandyani Gunatunge, Sashani Liyaanarachchi, Shehana Munasinghe, Suranga Bothejue

Chung Wah Society Lion & Dragon Troupe
Alan Warchot, Andrew Chin, Andrew Chin Jr, David Chin, Edward Tsang, Gavin Chin, Leonal Tchia, Nathan Tam, Nick Brown, Ricky Chow, Rohan Chin, Same Lew, Sean Pearson, Timothy Ho, Tom Bailey, Victor Jong, Warren Wong, Zac Chan

Pacific Island Dance Groups:
Kiribati South Sea Island Dancers, Tifa Of The South Seas, Sunameke Pacific Island Performers, The Maori Boys
Ana Ragata, Cynthia Muller, Demelza Canuto, Di Fuamoli, Emma Muller, Emma Sullivan, Eralia Willoughby, Heta Crombie, Hudson Higlett, Julia Gray, Khan Croft, Kira Sullivan, Luana Muggerridge, Mali Gray, Maria Jones, Marie L Aiba, Mark James, Markhum Galut, Mary Aram, Mele Tupou, Moale James, Monique Moffat, Paia Ingram, Pamela Cameron, Puru Westrupp, Ranu James, Rosanne Muller, Rosa Norman, Rose Sweetapple, Rosia Miller, Sanya Maclean, Sariah Muggeridge, Sose Fuamoli, Tamika Groom, Yola Gray, Yomei Jones

Rince Na Eireann – Irish Dance Group
Alex Gotze, Alissa Caldwell, Amy McKay, Andrew Lague, Bridgeen Marron, Brittany Austin, Claire Marron, Elouisa Edwards, Elisha Narta, Ellen Carter, Emily Lines, Emma Williams, Gabriella Austin, Iona Watson, Jessica Flight, Josephine Blake, Kaitlyn Champion, Kaycee Mepham, Lee Treacy, Lisa Bound, Mara Dobrini, Maree McLinden, Meghan Lague, Nikole Lines, Owen Spencer, Rachael Bateman, Shauna McGuire-Olstad, Shawnee Mepham, Siobhan Evans, Siobhan McGuire-Olstad, Stella Hubel, Tavis Waldegrave, Teagan Mahon

Filipino Community Group
Adam Bretton, Angie Cope, Annalee Boholst, Annalyn Mcleod, Belinda Thiel, Tanita Thiel, Betchay Mondragon, Chelsea Quong, Esperanza Quindara, Flora Brown, Jess Del Rosario, Josef Fehringer, Josef Un-kukla, Judith Ventic, Ken Hutton, Ligaya Mcleod, Lisa Mcleod, Marichu King, Myrna Rogers, Nannette Thiel, Paul-Miguel Hutton, Rebecca Parish, Rose Cusbert, Sean Hutton, Vilmu Stinton, Vivian Rajala

Mediterranean Greek Cultural Group
Anastsis Hatzialou, Charlie Hourdas, Christina Darkodarkis, Christoralan Patmios, Eleni Hatzialou, Emanual Siriotis, Gala Pastikos, Hehal Siriotis, Jamie Trikilis, Janine Dawborn, John Siriotis, Maria Hourdas, Michael Siriotis, Melissa Siriotis, Panda Taktikos, Pauline Melas, Roslyn Siriotis, Sevasti Hourdas, Strato Melas, Theo Taktikos, Theofanis Kokkinomaqoulos, Thomas Siriotis, Tracy Siriotis

Stars – Anula Primary School
Adam Yon, Arrin Hazelbane, Azhar Meeragani, Barnaetar Nyondy, Ben Quinn, Bill Fanning, Brandon Mardius, Brendan Sheddon, Callum Parker, Camila Gonzalez-Quintero, Christina Sang, Christopher Paige, Clair Kiely, Clint Wood, Daniel Enniss, Darcy Tupper-Creed, Darren Cubillo, Delena Washington, Eilish Simpson, Elizabeth Andrades, Elleanor Hubel, Emily Tchea, Emma Kendall, Erin Kendall, Ferdi Flordeliza, Fletcher Luders, Francis Flordeliza, Gelena Mitsakis, Gusgede Ida Bagus Gede, Harry Sutton, Humaira Mohammed, Ilias Karpathios, Imogen Studders, Isobel Kilmartin, Jack Pedlar, Jacob Meehan-Lee, Jade Merrifield, Jake Kirby, Jamie Miller, Jan Fanning, Jasmine Chen, Jasmine Kelly, Jason Lim, Jerome Motlop, Joseph Hazelbane, Josie Maher, Karlee Richards, Kauri (Cody) Westrupp, Kaylah Tam, Kelsey Hales, Kevin Phan, Louise Hall, Luke Botica, Maddison Fletcher, Maddison Kidd, Maighdlin Simpson, Maree Garrigan, Mark Pearce, Marni Ridgeway, Matt Bennet, Matthew Lim, Michelle Shedden, Nathan Chen, Nickolas Fermanis, Nivio Branco, Ploy Watanato, Rabeya Mohammed, Patricia Myers, Ricky De Santis, Robert Justo, Roley Deer, Ruben Anderson, Sam O'Neill Thorne, Santriana Goodrem, Shaquille Walker, Shayne Quinn, Stacey Littman, Susan Al Tai, Tahlia Pierik, Tianee Richardson, Tiffany Kindell, Tyrone Bain Mamarika, Vanettis Fernandes, Zac McPhillips

Manipulators: Alex Hatzivalsamis, Steven Lovison, Terry Brady, Ian O'Reilly, Kevin Kadirgamat, Daniel Kayes

Scenario

• Local Wallaby Story: International guest from Papua New Guinea, Dancer Markum Galut, displays his amazing ability to transform into an animal. Here he becomes a wallaby, calmly eating its food while the world around it gears up.
• Preparing The Ground: As good little Aussies, we mow our lawns in preparation for having visitors, busloads of people arrive.
• Preparing The Mind And Body: Athletes require dedicated preparations for their competitions. The Austin Martial Arts School meet the Tracks Youth Dancers, demonstrating the high level of preparation required. Youth Dancers use semaphore flag signals to spell out ‘Arafura, prepare mind body’.
• Bring It On (1):  Busloads of women from the Grey Panthers Senior Women’s dance troupe arrive ready for a game of lawn bowls. On seeing that they have been dropped on a football oval, and on seeing the 12,000 pairs of eyes watching them, they take their moment in the limelight and show off their precision routines.
• Bring It On (2): The Tracks Youth Dancers, not to be outdone by their grandmothers, flood the arena with pompoms and energy. Their cheer leading brings it on and the Grey Panthers join in.
• Prepare The Spirit – The Stars Align: As night falls we have the time to look at our place in the Universe and check that all is in alignment in readiness for the games to begin. The stars, performed by students from Anula Primary School, form constellations, galaxies, and comets, swirling and shifting. Allyson Arjibuk Mills calls upon the Larrakia spirit to make sure that all is right within the land.
• Calling In The Ambassadors: Arjibuk calls in other Ambassadors representing the many cultures that have made Darwin their home. From Chinese, Irish, South East Asian, Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands, Greek and Sri Lankan.
• Cultural Explosion: A cultural explosion takes place as Darwin becomes the diverse place it is today, opening its arms to the many people of the world who come to live and visit here. Together, they dance their dances and create new meaning on this ancient land.
• The Grid: All performers enter the space to come together.
• Lighting The Universe: The land takes three breaths, uniting the body, mind and Spirit. Single burning lights unite to place us all on the same map. A wave of fire fills the arena.
• Ignite: The fireworks begin and the spirit of our region is ignited ready for the Games to begin.

Tracks 2005

Artistic Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
Company Manager: Sue Mornane
Dance Animateur: Julia Quinn
Bookkeeper: Julie Stark
Development Consultant: Suzanne Fermanis

Committee Members:  Jackie Wurm (Chair), David Taylor (Vice-Chair), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), Sonia Brownhill (Secretary/Public Officer), Ken Conway, Donna Quong, Jill MacAndrew (Ordinary Committee Members), David McMicken and Tim Newth (Ex-Officio Members)

Public Fund Trustees: Rev. Steve Orme, Dr Anita Toth, Paul Wan