In a significant departure from their traditional focus, Australia's premier Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, is set to present their first major cross-cultural collaboration at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre this February.
The production, titled The Light Inside, represents an ambitious fusion of indigenous storytelling traditions, bringing together Māori choreographer Moss Te Ururangi Patterson with Torres Strait Islander creator Deborah Brown. The work, which premiered in 2024, explores themes of cultural connection across Oceania's First Nations communities.
While Bangarra has built its reputation on powerful interpretations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stories, this new direction poses both opportunities and challenges for the company. The collaboration marks a bold step into broader indigenous storytelling, potentially setting a precedent for future cross-cultural works in Australia's performing arts landscape.
Patterson, who recently took the helm as Chief Executive and Artistic Director at The New Zealand Dance Company, brings his experience as a respected choreographer from the Ngāti Tūwharetoa tribe. His partnership with Brown, a Helpmann Award-winning former Bangarra senior dancer, suggests an intriguing creative tension between different Indigenous perspectives.
Brown's background as both a Torres Strait Islander descendant and accomplished performer adds another layer to the production's cultural complexity. Her previous choreographic work, including her 2013 debut Dive, has demonstrated a keen ability to navigate between traditional and contemporary dance forms.
Artistic Director Frances Rings describes the production as an exploration of "cultural kinship with water and sky," though some dance critics may question whether such broad themes can adequately serve the distinct cultural traditions being represented. The company's decision to tour regional centres, including Wollongong, Newcastle, and Adelaide, indicates a commitment to bringing indigenous perspectives to wider audiences.
The regional tour, running through February and March before resuming in October, will be accompanied by community workshops - a crucial element of Bangarra's mission to develop future cultural leaders. This educational component suggests an awareness that the production's cross-cultural approach may require additional context for audiences.
Merrigong Theatre Company's Artistic Director Simon Hinton has praised the production's timing, noting Bangarra's return to Wollongong after an extended absence. The choice of the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre as an early venue is particularly relevant given the region's significant indigenous heritage, with the theatre company itself taking its name from the Dharawal word for the local escarpment.
As the Australian performing arts sector continues to address questions of cultural representation and authenticity, The Light Inside represents a significant experiment in indigenous artistic collaboration. Whether this new direction will resonate with Bangarra's established audience while attracting new viewers remains to be seen.
The season runs from February 13th to 15th at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, marking the beginning of a national tour that will continue throughout 2025.
When: 13 – 15 February, 2025
Times: Thu 13 Feb, 6:30pm; Fri 14 Feb, 7:30pm; Sat 15 Feb, 1:30pm & 7:30pm
Where: IMB Theatre – Illawarra Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Premium $94 | Adult $79 | Concession (Pensioner/Senior) $69 | Groups 8+ $64 | Under 30s $64 | Student $69
Bookings: https://merrigong.com.au/shows/the-light-inside/
Performance Warnings:
Recommended ages 12+.
Contains loud noise, flashing lights, haze/smoke effects, and voices of Tangata whenua, Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people who have passed.
(Images: Daniel Boud)
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