Tertiary Catalogue

Woollarawarre Bennelong was a senior man of the Eora, from the Port Jackson area in Sydney. With extraordinary curiosity and diplomacy, Bennelong led his community to survive a clash of cultures, and left a legacy that reverberates through contemporary life. Bennelong is Bangarra at its best. In a unique Australian dance language, the company celebrates the continuation of life and culture through the power, artistry and passion of the country’s most outstanding dancers. With its immersive soundscapes and exquisite design, Bennelong will leave you in awe of Australia’s history – and its power to repeat. Teachers are advised to review the work before selecting it for study, as it includes scenes/themes that some viewers may find challenging. Show Less

WARNING: The final three dances of Mathinna - 'Convict', 'Moonshine' and 'Drowning' - deal with sexual abuse, alcohol abuse and death. Teachers are strongly advised to view the programme and use their discretion to determine the suitability of the programme for their students. Choreography by Stephen Page Produced by Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2008. Inspired by a girl’s journey between two cultures, Mathinna traces the history of an Aboriginal girl removed from her traditional life, adopted into Western Colonial society to be ultimately returned to the fragments of her original heritage. Mathinna became the archetype of the ‘stolen child’. Bangarra Dance Theatre recreates her powerful story of vulnerability and searching in an era of confusion and intolerance. Show Less

Choreography by Stephen Page Produced by Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2013. As the colonial fleet arrived on Eora country in the late 18th Century, Patyegarang befriended the colony’s timekeeper, Lieutenant William Dawes, gifting him her language in an extraordinary display of trust and friendship, which now inspires our imaginations about ‘first contact’. Show Less

Choreography by Frances Rings Produced by Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2012. Described as a hymn to Country, 'Terrain' transports us to Lake Eyre, the place of Australia’s inland sea and one of the few untouched natural waterways in the world. Bangarra explores the relationship of Indigenous people to Country and how the landscape becomes a second kin. Show Less