Tracks Dance Studio, Harbour View Plaza, Darwin City

Program: Sep - Nov, 2019
Showings: Nov 23 & 24, 2019

Program

The Choreographic Program is an opportunity for emerging movement artists and dance-makers to explore the mechanics and creative scope of choreography in an artistically rich environment. The program enables participants to develop their individual artistry within the framework of Tracks, which recognises the unique circumstances in which we are located.

Over the 3-month period, participants:

• Gained skills and experience in solo and group choreographic investigations
• Created a short dance piece for a work-in-progress showing with a public audience
• Collaborated in each other's work and a group work to gain first-hand experience of the creative process in action
• Were led and supported closely by Dance Animateurs Kelly Beneforti and Jess Devereux
• Had access to the expertise of Artistic Co-Directors Tim Newth and David McMicken

This year's program begun with an intensive weekend where participants were submerged in an immersive, rich and playful environment for choreographic creativity.

Showing

A small and intimate showing of bite-sized, experimental new works by nine emerging choreographers. Overflow, a culmination of the 2019 Choreographic Program showcasing the evocative nature of dance and an insight into the behind-the-scenes creative process through artist talks.

Creative Team

Program Co-Facilitators: Kelly Beneforti and Jess Devereux
Choreographers: Sheila Rose, Cassandra Wallace, Cj Fraser Bell, Kyle Walmsley, Mim Ellen-Barwell, Bryn Wackett, Lucy Found, Maari Gray and Anokai Susi (Lancaster).
Showing Technician: Duane Preston

Read an interview with the Co-Facilitators

Showing Scenario

Gökotta and a collection of small things

by Anokai Susi (Lancaster) and Bryn Wackett
Nature mends broken hearts, cluttered minds and troubled souls. An experiment with nature. An immersion, a replacement and a journey.
Performed by “our open-minded and natural world embracing dancers, Maari, Sheila and Cj”
Music: Nature sounds collected and collated by Bryn

Body Space

by Lucy Found
Shapes inspired by the artworks of Wassily Kandinsky and Bill Brant breathe into movement, discovering space and creating body landscapes.
Performed by Sheila, Jess, Bryn, Cassandra and Mim
Music: Punk Migration - Peals

Yes to Telling Your Story

by Mim Ellen-Barwell
I don't want to define this dance with words. It has enough of them.
Performed by Kyle, Cassandra, Kelly and Lucy
Music: Spoken word - Mim Ellen-Barwell & The Man Who Married a Robot/Love Theme - The 1975

Then There Were Nine

Performed by the group
“We found the choreographers responded to a particular spatial workshop with a feeling of collective action and investment. We wanted to revisit this task as a performative outcome. To challenge their attention to the performance and the group, we are using a different piece of music for each showing.” - Jess & Kelly

The Build Up OR Look Up and Live

by Kyle Walmsley
The Build Up brings with it insanity and unreleased emotional extremes amongst our usual routines. For example, a stranger at the Festival of Light shoved me and told me to "look up live" while I was eating a baked potato.
Performed by Lucy, Cassandra, Mim and Kelly
Music: 9 to 5 - Dolly Parton

Condition

by Cj Fraser-Bell and Maari Gray
Act. React. Rest. Grow. Laugh. Learn. Fail. Fail. Lie. Lose. Love
Performed by Kyle, Anokai, Cj and Maari
Music: Helicon 2 - Mogwai x Max Tundra remix & Scotland’s Shame - Mogwai

Breathe

by Sheila Rose
“Freedom is the oxygen of the soul.” - Moshe Dayan
Performed by Lucy, Jess, Bryn, Cassandra and Mim
Music: Yurala - Spinifex Gum (feat. Marliya)

Home/Going

by Cassandra Wallace
Where is home? Is it a return to where we’ve come from? Or is it where we’re going next?
Performed by Cj, Kyle, Bryn, Anokai, Sheila, Mim, Lucy and Maari
Music: A Tribe Called Kotori - Oliver Koletzki

The History

Since 2009 the Choreographic Program has filled a much-needed gap in the performing arts sector in Darwin, where it is difficult to gain training and experience in choreography. This is a non-accredited training course aimed at dance and movement practitioners with a strong interest in developing their artistic practice.

"It was juicy, zesty, vibrational, sweaty, connecting and joyous. The exercise of creativity each week reformed my relationship with dance, has reinvigorated my theatre practice and has consistently been the highlight of my week." - Kyle Walmsley

Company Partners

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.

Thank You

Ruttiya McElroy, Jocelyn Tribe, Lori Uden - SPUN Stories, Corrugated Iron, Amy Hetherington, Thomas Robinson and Kacie Austin - Flowpyre, Jenelle Saunders and Front of House Volunteers: Sally Crawford, Janet Phillips and Janine Sutter.

Tracks 2019

Artistic Co-Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
Company Director: Adelaide Wood
Administrator: Jessica Mellor
Production Manager: Duane Preston
Dance Animateur: Kelly Beneforti
Associate Artistic Director: Jess Devereux
Bookkeeper: It Figures

Committee Members: David Taylor (Chairperson), Mary Durack (Outgoing Chairperson), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), Michael Grant, Ken Conway, Venaska Cheliah, Sudha Coutinho, Max Dewa Stretton. David McMicken, Tim Newth, Adelaide Wood (Ex-Officio Members)

Public Fund Trustees: Dr Anita Toth

Patron: Her Honour the Honourable Vicki O’Halloran AM, Administrator of the Northern Territory