Traditional and contemporary Indigenous dance – strong and proud

There is a strong and proud tradition of song and dance from the remote community of Lockhart River in the Cape York Peninsular. Lockhart River dance embodies traditional stories, history and cultural truths that are vital to the passing on of Culture.  

The dancers will perform at the opening event to kick of this year’s Festival of Ideas, in acknowledgement of the enduring strength, richness and complexity of culture kept in custody by the first Australians.

Through the guidance and mentorship of Elder Songmen Father Brian Claudie, Lawrence Omeenyo and Silas Hobson, young men and women are carrying on traditional dance so they in turn may pass it on to those who come after them and so they can share the uniqueness, strength and pride of Lockhart River across cultures and generations.

The Kawadji Wimpa Dance Troupe are nine young people and three Elder Songmen who travel to represent the stories and life of the Clans of Lockhart River through dance. 

Kawadji Wimpa Dance Troupe perform within their community celebrating important occasions and travel to the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival bi-annually.  

The Troupe also travels to Melbourne to work with the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music to learn contemporary techniques and styles with Artist in Residence Jacob Boehme, who is Artistic Director of the Idja Dance Theatre. The group also performs in Melbourne as part of Wilin Week, the annual campus  celebration of Indigenous arts.

“We have so many dances, and we’ve been doing them for a long time. The star dance, dances about hunting and collecting sugar bag, catching bullocks and branding them, and the dance about Yanthimini - a greedy ol fella,” says dancer Lawrence Omeenyo.

“Now we are doing modern dance too.”

Opera singer and Director of the Wilin Centre Deborah Cheetham says when she joined the VCA she recognised there was a lack of formalised Indigenous dance training in Victoria, and that Jacob Boehme – who has a Masters in Puppetry, had formed an embryonic dance company called Idja (which means skin in his father’s language).

As artist-in-residence at VCA Mr Boehme has now been able to bring Indigenous dancers from all over Australia to Melbourne for training in choreography, ballet and contemporary dance. Most of them have experienced traditional dancing with their families and communities, and are looking for pathways to direct their talents into formalised training in dance.

The 2013 Wilin Intensive Showcase will take place on 28 September at the VCA.

Watch Indigenous dancers in the Wilin Spring  2012 Intensive take class and participate in studio work at the VCA:

R www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCrFMqQcKfc