Seasons of Skin and Bark (Development)

Tracks Dance Studio, Harbour View Plaza, Darwin

2020 July / August - In Development
2021 August - Performance Season

The sounds of moisture dripping off the corrugated iron roof - heavy dew time. The long tall grasses on the side of the road are battered to the ground by strong wind - the knock ‘em down season. In dying, a tree gives itself back into the world and its surrounding relatives. In life it stands sentinel to constant change, cyclical events, biological interactions, and the influence of human populations. Visitors know that Darwin has a Wet and a Dry Season, but locals are aware of the subtle changes over the year.

The latest scientific studies, conducted around the world, confirm what has long been suspected: Trees are far more alert, social, sophisticated, and even intelligent than we thought.

The Seasons of Skin and Bark delves into this intelligence and places it beside a human perspective to examine how we co-exist with the natural world; allowing us to think about connections and communication through vast networks and over long time frames.

How does an ancient 400-year old tree perceive the world it inhabits? How does the 80-year life span of a human determine our capacity to connect with the natural environment and the environments we create? Set against cyclical seasons that are ever-changing, affecting both plant and animal life, we observe that humans are just one part of the Earth’s different time spans.

Development

2020 saw a group of dancers and the choreographers meet to explore, experiment, improvise and devise new dance coming from themes of the natural world, seasons, and human interactions. A showing of these choreographic ideas was held on 5th August (see photos). This happened alongside the development of the soundtrack, lighting ideas, and costume designs. 

Creative Team

Concept and Artistic Directors: Tim Newth and David McMicken
Choreographers: David McMicken, Kelly Beneforti and Jess Devereux
Musical Director: James Mangohig
Costume Designer: Ann Gibb
Lighting Designer: Chris Kluge
Production Designer: Tim Newth

Dancers

Bryn Wackett, Jenelle Saunders, Maari Grey, Perrine Olandini, Piper Mules, Rebecca Berry, Ruttiya McElroy, Sarah Lacy, and Taylah Anderson.

Solo

Also working from ideas within this time, the solo ‘Intertwine’ was created. Choreographed by Jess Devereux in collaboration with Kelly Beneforti. It was performed by Kelly within a season of work for Darwin Festival called North of Centre.

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.

Project Partners

Darwin International Airport

Tracks 2020

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

Committee Members: Venaska Cheliah (Chairperson), Andrea Wicking (Vice Chairperson), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), David Taylor, Michael Grant, Ken Conway, Max Dewa Stretton, Rachael Wallis. David McMicken, Tim Newth, Adelaide Wood (Ex-Officio Members)

Public Fund Trustees: Maari Gray, Will Crawford and Lachlan Peattie

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