Bangarra Dance Theatre presents Sheltering, 90-minute triple bill dance show at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House.
Sheltering consists of three works: Keeping Grounded, the opening piece choreographed by Indjalandji-Dhidhanu and Alyewarre woman, Glory Tuohy-Daniell; Brown Boys , a personal poetry-dance short film directed by Daniel Mateo and Cass Mortimer Eipper; and Sheoak, a work by Mirning woman Frances Rings that originally premiered in 2015, featuring music by Munaldjali and Nunukul man and composer David Page (dec.). The three works explore themes of cultural connection and resilience, bringing to the forefront uniquely First Nations perspectives and stories.
Keeping Grounded explores the meaning of staying connected – grounded – both physically and culturally, in an increasingly intangible – digital – world. Tuohy-Daniell’s choreography is explosive yet intricate, cleverly utilising vertical space with and within in the vast net, the central set element. Moments of perfect unison truly showcase the vitality and skill the dancers embody. The piece is well-paced, keeping the audience engaged without overwhelmed and the themes were well executed, straightforward and enjoyable.
Brown Boys features movement and storytelling to reflect on identity and culture, and is enriched with Liam Brennan’s masterful cinematography and editing. Along with minimalistic yet effective set design by Elizabeth Gadsby, the result is a visually striking short film that lingers, with audiences primed for more.
Rings’ choreography in Sheoak is compelling, collaborative and heighten the themes of connection and resilience through partner work and collective lifts and movement. At times, choreography invokes visceral, uncomfortable emotions for the audience, further illustrating the fortitude and tenacity of First Nations people. Despite the dancers constantly engaging with each other, moments of complete unison were scarce in the choreography, leading to attention fragmentation. Without a clearer message, these moments felt overly extended. Jennifer Irwin’s costume design is also notable, as the costumes were visually striking and movement enhancing.
One of Sheltering’s greatest strengths are the incredibly polished and expertly utilised sets in every piece. In Brown Boys, Mateo (performer and poet) reflects on identity and culture, amplified through set elements like the fale and a mound of earth. In Sheoak (named after a tree endemic to parts of Australia that symbolises protection, wisdom, journey and survival to the Dhawawal people of coastal NSW), Jacob Nash’s set design features several long smooth, wooden poles that are used both suspended and as props to emphasise the work’s themes of connection and resilience.
A highlight was Shana O’Brien’s set design in Keeping Grounded, that features an extensive net with many large cut-outs. At the start of the piece, the net is used on the ground and when combined with the dancers and Karen Norris’ lighting design, create an intriguing optical illusion, intensely and immediately demanding attention. The net is manipulated and suspended in unpredictable ways throughout the piece by the dancers and pulleys, adding to the visual evolution and liveliness of the work – as if the net was another performer. Such dramatic set pieces can often feel under-utilised or neglected but Bangarra’s choreographers have crafted perfect and inseparable symbiosis between set and choreography, elevating the show.
Musical direction by Brendan Boney, with scores by Boney (Keeping Grounded), Leon Rodgers (Brown Boys) and Page (Sheoak) ensure that the show remains cohesive across pieces. The scores are organic and atmospheric with subtle synths piercing the soundscape, enriching the dancers’ dynamism.
Sheltering is a beautifully produced, thoroughly considered and culturally rich 90 minutes. All audiences will appreciate the athleticism of the dancers, dramatic scores and magnificent sets. For audiences less familiar with contemporary dance or Bangarra Dance Theatre’s work, the thematic intentions may not be consistently clear, however, the production is still enjoyable. Sheltering actively encourages and invites audiences to further actively interpret and engage with the themes, cultivating community and awareness of First Nations experiences.
