In Your Blood | Tracks Dance

Text

Holtze Lawn, George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Darwin City

August 12 - 19, 2018
Darwin Festival

Winner 2019 Australian Dance Award, Outstanding Achievement in Community Dance.

'You dance with such spirit, such energy. It's like you’re transformed, it’s in your blood’.

Tracks Dance Company’s 2018 show looked across generations, cultures and sporting codes to ask: what exactly is in your blood? And how did it get there?

The Balinese-born mother wears her son’s team colours and takes her fold-up chair to the game. Her son wears his grandfather's richly coloured costume brought over from the village and bends his fingers backwards to get the moves just right. The Sri Lankan family, now in Darwin, head off in their crisply ironed whites; but are they off to the temple or are they off to the cricket game?

In Your Blood was a full-length, cross-cultural and intergenerational dance work. The choreographers were Australian artists of Sri Lankan, Balinese and Northern Territory descent. Boasting a large cast the show was a rare junction point where professional artists, passionate amateurs and community dancers met and created something extraordinary.

Hometown favourite and ARIA nominated James Mangohig’s composed the original score which he performed live each night. James sampled rhythms from across continents and time to forge an unforgettable soundtrack, which had the audience asking for more.

Taking over the George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens Holtze Lawn, Tracks transformed the space into an open-air tropical theatre and seamlessly transported the audience to another world.

Creative Team

Concept and Artistic Directors: Tim Newth and David McMicken
Cultural Advisers: Putu Desak Warti Stretton and Chandrika Munasinghe
Assistant Director: Kelly Beneforti
Choreography: Putu Desak Warti Stretton, Chandrika Munasinghe, Kelly Beneforti, David McMicken, Venaska Cheliah, Bryn Wackett, Madeleine Brown
Design: Tim Newth
Music: James Mangohig
Lighting Designer: Chris Kluge

Performers

Mothers and Sons

Chandrika Munasinghe, Eranda Munasinghe, Putu Desak Warti, and Max Stretton

Balinese Family

Ashifa Putri Noor, Kelly Beneforti, Noor Rahmawati and Suryani Sumendra

Sri Lankan Family

Hong Doan, Inoka Nanayakkara, Nimeshi Fernando, Nishadya Kapuduwa, Savindie Gunawardhana, Shehana Munasinghe, and Venaska Cheliah

Cricket Team

Anthony Burridge, Ary Brown, Bryn Wackett, Darryl Butler, Ellen Hankin, Jenelle Saunders, Louise Truan, Robyn Higgins, and Thevi Chellia

Football Team

Alicia Smith, Anokai Susi (nee Lancaster), Cassandra Wallace, Clarice Campos, Grace Halliwell, Jess Green, Jessica Rabelo Amaral, Kristi Renfrey, Kylie Innes, Madeleine Brown, Perrine Orlandini, and Saranya Rajkumar

Umpires

Ciella Williams and Will Crawford

Production and Promotion Personnel

Production Manager: Duane Preston
Stage Manager: CJ Fraser Bell
Assistant Stage Manager: Tiffany Jansen
Promotion/Media: Adelaide Wood and Jessica Mellor
Costume Construction: Sumana Perera, Wayan Balik (Hare Krisna Collection), Nuwan Aruruddha Guruge Costume Designers
Lighting and Audio Technician: Chris Kluge
Soundtrack Mastering: Matt Cunliffe (Subsonic Music and Sound)
Additional Soundtrack Musicians: Krishan Maheson, Brian Manning, Caiti Baker
Box Office Manager: Jade Kimm
Head Steward: Sally Crawford
Poster Image and Design: Mark Marcelis
Advertisement: Dreamedia
Film Documentation: Dreamedia (Camera Operators: Luci Caldwell, Mahijeet Singh, Steven Hoare. Video Editor: Steven Hoare)
Photographic Documentation: David Hancock and Duane Preston

Scenario

Umpires Prepare The Pitch/Field

First Quarter

Procession, Offerings, Teams Enter, Coin Toss, and Team Duets

Second Quarter - Cricket / Sri Lankan

Cricket Dance, Mother and Son Duet, Sri Lankan Family Dance, and Son Solo

Half Time Entertainment

Third Quarter - Balinese / Football

Balinese Family Dance, Mother and Son Duet, Son Solo, and Football Dance

Fourth Quarter

Mothers Duet and Bollywood Finale

Company Partners

Tracks Inc is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body; and is proudly supported by the Northern Territory Government.

Project Partners

Darwin International Airport

Supporting Partners

George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens and Darwin Festival

Thank You

Sean Pardy, Katie Crane - Encore Pilates & Wellness, Merlene Hutt, Chandana Herath, Thilan Kurugala, Jenelle Saunders, Megan Atfield, Ryoko Jones, Zowie Sumendra, Staff at George Brown Darwin Botanic Gardens, Territory Springwater, Novatech, Territory Party Hire and the Tracks Volunteer Ushers: Trish Greenfield, Deborah Halliwell, Soo Cheng, Darren McCallum, Peter Stretton, Marg Dorman, Anita Marriot and Jennifer Sanderson.

Tracks 2018

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

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

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

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

Photos

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Ciella Williams, Will Crawford, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Kelly Beneforti, Ashifa Putri Noor, Suryani Sumendra, Putu Desak Warti, Noor Rahmawati, Madeleine Brown, Kylie Innes, Grace Halliwell, Alicia Smith, Anokai Susi, Jess Green, Kristi Renfrey, Clarice Campos, Jessica Rabelo Amaral, Perrine Orlandini, Cassandra Wallace, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018, Pre-show, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Hong Doan, Bryn Wackett, Savindie Gunawardhana, Robyn Higgins, Darryl Butler, Ellen Hankin, Louise Truan, Anthony Burridge, Ary Brown, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Max Stretton, Noor Rahmawati, Suryani Sumendra, Kelly Beneforti, Will Crawford, Ashifa Putri Noor, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Shehana Munasinghe, Inoka Nanayakkara, Chandrika Munasinghe, Nishadya Kapuduwa, Suryani Sumendra, Putu Desak Warti, Kelly Beneforti, Ashifa Putri Noor, Noor Rahmawati, Savindie Gunawardhana, Venaska Cheliah, Hong Doan, Nimeshi Fernando, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Perrine Orlandini, Jenelle Saunders, Eranda Munasinghe, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Anthony Burridge, Thevi Chellia, Ary Brown, Robyn Higgins, Jenelle Saunders, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Anthony Burridge, Thevi Chellia, Robyn Higgins, Ary Brown, Jenelle Saunders, Bryn Wackett, Ellen Hankin, Louise Truan, Darryl Butler, Eranda Munasinghe, Ciella Williams, Photo: Duane Preston

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Thevi Chellia, Ary Brown, Anthony Burridge, Robyn Higgins, Bryn Wackett, Jenelle Saunders, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Louise Truan, Eranda Munasinghe, Bryn Wackett, Ary Brown, Thevi Chellia, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Robyn Higgins, Ary Brown, Jenelle Saunders, Bryn Wackett, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Venaska Cheliah, Bryn Wackett, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Nishadya Kapuduwa, Shehana Munasinghe, Eranda Munasinghe, Savindie Gunawardhana, Chandrika Munasinghe, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Chandrika Munasinghe, Eranda Munasinghe, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Eranda Munasinghe, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Bryn Wackett, Kelly Beneforti, Madeleine Brown, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Kelly Beneforti, Venaska Cheliah, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Ashifa Putri Noor, Putu Desak Warti, Kelly Beneforti, Max Stretton, Suryani Sumendra, Noor Rahmawati, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Ashifa Putri Noor, Suryani Sumendra, Noor Rahmawati, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Max Stretton, Ashifa Putri Noor, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Putu Desak Warti, Max Stretton, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Max Stretton, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Anokai Susi, Kylie Innes, Madeleine Brown, Alicia Smith, Kristi Renfrey, Saranya Rajkumar, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Madeleine Brown, Jessica Rabelo Amaral, Kylie Innes, Jess Green, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Grace Halliwell, Kristi Renfrey, Clarice Campos, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Cassandra Wallace, Kristi Renfrey, Clarice Campos, Jess Green (standing), Anokai Susi, Kylie Innes, Alicia Smith, Madeleine Brown, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Saranya Rajkumar, Will Crawford, Cassandra Wallace, Perrine Orlandini, Jessica Rabelo Amaral, Madeleine Brown, Jess Green, Max Stretton, Grace Halliwell, Clarice Campos, Alicia Smith, Putu Desak Warti, Ashifa Putri Noor, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Eranda Munasinghe, Chandrika Munasinghe, Putu Desak Warti, Max Stretton, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Putu Desak Warti, Chandrika Munasinghe, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) James Mangohig, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Cast of In Your Blood, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Louise Truan, Anthony Burridge, Savindie Gunawardhana, Darryl Butler, Inoka Nanayakkara, Hong Doan, Eranda Munasinghe, Ciella Williams, Ary Brown, Jenelle Saunders, Photo: David Hancock.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Bryn Wackett, Jenelle Saunders, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) Kelly Beneforti, Perrine Orlandini, Thevi Chellia, Hong Doan, Putu Desak Warti, Kylie Innes, Anokai Susi, Photo: Duane Preston.

In Your Blood 2018 (l-r) James Mangohig with the cast of In Your Blood, Photo: Duane Preston.

Videos

Explore Further

Iconic Tracks Works

A Culturally Diverse Voice

Audience Responses

"As always, Tracks thrills audiences with its spectacular settings and dazzling performances. Thank you for once again putting on a feast for the eyes!"

"Show was amaze-ball, reminded me of the movie 'Bend it like Beckham' when culture meets sports, pride and humble teaching from our Mothers"

"Congratulations! One of your best shows ever. Loved the Bollywood finale. Loved the location. Loved everything"

"Didn’t stop smiling, one of the best Darwin experiences I have ever had. Great job!"

"In Your Blood was a nudge that there is so much more to see here..."

Media Responses

“In Your Blood redefines culture and inter-generational dance, ritual and celebration.”
“What triumphs, ultimately, is the way in which dance can truly inspire and unify people of all ages.“ Geoffrey Williams, Stage Whispers

“In Your Blood finds the sweet spot between sport and art where personal passions and family loyalties meet.” “…made tears well in my eyes and run down my cheeks, even as I grinned from ear to ear.” Richard Watts, ArtsHub Performing Arts Editor

Cast Responses

"Thank you for this wonderful opportunity to be part of 'In Your Blood' Love Tracks. Looking forward to getting involved in the future shows."

"What a privilege to work alongside the incredible Putu Warti and Chandrika Munasinghe, their 2 sons Max and Eranda and a beautiful cast who all gave energetic and passionate performances" James Mangohig

Explore More

Learn more about Putu Desak Warti Stretton

Learn more about Chandrika Munasinghe

A previous collaboration between Tracks and Darwin Balinese artist Putu Desak Wati Stretton for Zombies in the Banyan Tree

Past collaboration with Sri Lankan dance company Sama Ballet, Tracks and local artists for Snakes, Gods and Deities

In 2002 Tim Newth completed an Asia Link Residency in Sri Lanka based at the Buddhist Temple, Vishawapadma Sansadaya