Caravan - The Grey Panthers

Godinmayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Cultural Centre, Katherine, NT

Residency: April 3 - 8
Performance: April 8, 2017

Tracks Dance Company presented The Grey Panthers performing in Katherine

Lock up your Grandfathers! The Grey Panthers are coming to town. Caravan features 20 Darwin dancers well over their 60s, together with Katherine’s own local dance talent. Caravan was a not-to-be-missed opportunity to experience the loud-and-proud life attitude of the longest established senior dance group of Australia.

What do you do when you are over 60 years old, can’t stop dancing, and love travelling? Our most beloved troupe of senior dancers, The Grey Panthers, took their shimmy onto the bus and down the track all the way to Katherine for an afternoon full of dancing. They shared the stage with local guest performers from the Katherine Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory and the STARS Foundation students from Katherine High.

Performed in the Godinmayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre, followed by afternoon tea and a chat with the performers.
In the week leading up to the performance David McMicken and Kelly Beneforti were resident at Godinimayin, and ran community engagement activities that included workshops with The Zumba Gold group, the STARS Foundation students, and the Katherine Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory.

Creative Team

Choreography: David McMicken, Kelly Beneforti,  Julia Quinn, Darryl Butler, Jess Devereux, and features the work of Joanna Noonan in a work especially created on women from remote and rural backgrounds.
Costumes: Ann Gibb, Louise Rieck, Loriel Close

Production and Promotion

Production Manager: Mathew McHugh
Tour Manager: CJ Fraser Bell
Katherine Technician: Richard Starr
Promotion/Media: Agnès Michelet and Clancy Breasley
Poster Images: Paz Tassone, Darren Hunt
Graphic Design: Narelle Sullivan

Performers

The Grey Panthers 
Antonietta Vanzella, Darryl Butler, Dianne Mount, Ellen Hankin, Filomena De Castro, Janine Sutter, Jenni Sanderson, Jo Parish, Judy Markwell, Judy Mckerr, Lillian Mann, Marg Lee, Marge Duminski, Maria Vlastuin, Toni Vine-Bromley, Val Hristova. With: David McMicken and Kelly Beneforti.

Guest Performers
Katherine Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory: Bless Jeffrey, Lita Odquin, and Josie Kellond.
Katherine High - Stars Foundation dancers: Halejah Storey, Nyokah James, Sienna Johnson, Monte Cattermole, Tiffany Coolwell, Connie Maxwell, Gypsy Schmidt, Alison Ashley, Zerneal Draper, Rekiah Ward, Lettoya Haji Ali, Natisha Mahoney, Drew Cook

Running Order

Swings and Flings

Choreographed by Joanna Noonan. This work draws on the women’s personal experiences of living rurally and remotely

Katherine Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory

Filipino Dancers - Sway (Pussycat Dolls) and Wet (Nicole Scherzinger)

Latin Medley

Choreographed by Jess Devereux. Latin music and a rose, what more do you need

Who Can Remember Sweet November

Choreographed by Joanna Noonan

Ballin' the Jack

Choreographed by David McMicken in the style of Gene Kelly

Alley Cat

Choreographed by Darryl Butler, our first male Grey Panther

One

Choreographed by David McmIcken - a little bit of Broadway

Jump Around

Choreographed by Kelly Beneforti. Proof that you can still be gangster into your senior years. Featuring the Katherine High School Stars Foundation dancers.

You Make Me Feel So Young

Choreographed by David McMicken. The title says it all

60 Shades of Grey

Choreographed by Kelly Beneforti and David McMicken - a sassy farewell

Thank You

Suzanne Fermanis, Patricia O'Neill, Katherine Mayor Fay Miller, Jess Corvino from Stars Foundation, Katherine High School, Dragonfly Catering, Coach Charters Australia, Katherine Filipino Australian Association of the Northern Territory

Sponsors

Australia Post,  Southern Cross TV

Government Partners

Regional Arts Fund, Office of Women's Policy NT

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.

The Regional Arts Fund is an Australian Government initiative supporting the arts in regional remote and very remote/isolated Australia. This program is delivered in partnership with the NT Government.

Donors

The Grey Panthers were able to travel to Katherine due to the financial support of our sponsors and generosity of our donors.

We greatly thank Sylvia Langford, Brian Tucker, Katrina Fong Lim, Barbara Bauert, Barbara Pitman, Barry Thomson, Darryl Butler, Don Whyte, Encore Pilates team, Graeme Cheater, Heather Hyde, Joanne Hilliard, J.L Hills, Judy McKerr, Nicole Cridland, Noya Chong Wah, Roslyn Henry, Sally-Anne Mason, Shannon Beneforti, Virginia Burrow, Jan Conti, Ian Landon, Diana Leeder, the Grey Panthers, our Deckchair Fundraising night audience, the Board of former Ausdance NT and the Board of Charttes.

Tracks 2017

Artistic Co-Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
General Manager: Agnès Michelet
Administrator: Clancy Breasley
Production Manager: Mathew McHugh
Dance Animateur: Kelly Beneforti
Bookkeeper: Noya Chong Wah

Committee Members: Mary Durack (Chairperson), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), Michael Grant, David Taylor, Ken Conway, Stephanie Cvirn, Venaska Cheliah. David McMicken, Tim Newth, Agnès Michelet (Ex-Officio Members)

Public Fund Trustees: Rev. Steve Orme, Dr Anita Toth, Ippei Okazaki

Patron: His Honour, The Honourable John Hardy OAM, Administrator of the Northern Territory