Image by Simon Woods
The Art House is thrilled to welcome two alumni of the Central Coast’s own NASIDA Dance College, Thomas E.S Kelly and Taree Sansbury to perform their thought-provoking and award-winning dance work SILENCE in March.
SILENCE is an important piece of First Nations storytelling and social commentary told through dance. It uses beating drums, evocative lighting and seven powerful dancers united on a stage slowly engulfed in dirt to start a conversation for the return of Indigenous lands.
The performance not only speaks to the struggles and freedoms of First Nations peoples but utilises First Nations cosmology and Dreaming stories as part of the language in which it communicates. Audiences are invited to witness and participate in the ceremony of contemporary dance.
The Art House is committed to presenting diversity on stage and supporting the creative talent of the Central Coast. This work may act as an entry point to complex conversations and contribute to cultural awareness within our community.
Audiences will be captivated by dynamic choreography, live percussion on stage, elements of spoken word, and haunting lighting to create a fully immersive dance theatre experience.
Thomas and Taree created Karul Projects in 2017 to increase and highlight First Nations bodies, voices and stories, and to create more opportunities for employment and skill building with a focus on First Nations artists.
“Thomas [choreographer] embodies his ancestors’ teachings, stories of the stars, rivers, ocean and totem animals locate the work in the artist’s traditional homelands” Koori Mail
“The dancers move to the driving beat by composer and performer Jhindu-Pedro who has his drum kit on the stage and, boy, does he know how to use it”
“The soundtrack was electrifying and the performance so powerful and riveting, that I had to remind myself to breathe” Audience member
SILENCE is produced by BlakDance and the national tour has received financial assistance from the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.
The premiere production was co-commissioned in 2020 by BlakDance, HOTA Home of the Arts, City of Gold Coast, Queensland Performing Arts Centre and Brisbane Festival, with support by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body and the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
The Art House presents
SILENCE
Thu 23 March 7:30PM
Tickets: Adult $39, Concession $35, Under 30 $25 From www.thearthousewyong.com.au / 02 4335 1485