“It’s healing, it’s truth-telling”: How Bangarra is reclaiming Indigenous memories through Yuldea 

Posted on 14 July, 2023

Contemporary dance has long sought to cross boundaries, but very few are able to redefine its limitations and expectations like Bangarra Dance Theatre.

As Australia’s first Indigenous dance theatre company, Bangarra’s work uses contemporary dance as a way to reclaim the stories, history, country and truths of First Nations people. Yuldea, making its way to the Canberra Theatre Centre across 20 to 22 July marks a beautiful continuation of this legacy.

The brainchild of Frances Rings, who will impressively call Yuldea her first work as Bangarra’s Artistic Director, tenderly mediates between the earth and the sky to tell the story of the Anangu people of the Great Victorian Desert, their world heartbreakingly fragmented at the hands of colonisation.

But as Bangarra company artist Emily Flannery notes, the story of Yuldea doesn’t begin that way. Transcending time and, more importantly, space, the magic of Dreamtime powerfully sets the stage.

“The work starts with a beautiful sky story. The opening section is about how an asteroid came to earth and on the asteroid is a beautiful water spirit, which then flows into a lovely subsection about the birds and the dingoes and the family tree, their significance to Mob.”

With every element of the production carefully considered, Yuldea’s music seeks to guide audiences as much as the choreography. Composed by David Page Music Fellow, and Leon Rodgers, a descendant of the Worimi nation, its vibrancy echoes like the unwavering ringing that follows you from the theatre, and into the open air—a shared presence that has the power to unite strangers, connected through by the intimacy of such a unique soundscape.

This soundscape allows for what Emily describes as a chasmic and seismic “shift” in the story. The dancers, much like the audience, are pulled from Dreamtime to inhabit the truths of their ancestors’ past.

“From there, we become more human, and the story takes on a bit more of a shift, as we’re introduced to the colonisation of that area, so looking at how that affected Mob as well as the building of the transcontinental railway as well, which had a huge impact on the community there.”

“But it also looks at the significance of the water hole, the Yuldi Kapi. And that’s a really important water hole for Mob, who have used it for thousands and thousands of years, and it was never depleted. But when the transcontinental railway was being built, the waterhole became empty, which is unimaginable.”

Photography: Kate Longley.

But it’s the Maralinga story that stands out in Emily’s mind.

With the choreography and music changing pace, a rhythmic melancholy fills the air, laying bare to an all-too-recent memory of First Nations’ history—a raw, unapologetic portrait of mourning.

“It’s a part of history that not many Australians know about,” explains Emily.

“In the 1960s the British did their atomic testing on that part of the country, and the after-effects for those communities were devastating. It’s a very sad part of the show.”

“There still haven’t really been the consequences for the people who made those decisions, which is very frustrating. It just feels so relevant today and reminds us of how important our choices are and what we can all do to care for country.”

Photography: Kate Longley.

Against the backdrop of this layered history, Frances and the dancers construct a movement that matches the complexity of the Yuldea narrative. Fast-paced and grounded, ancient rhythms flow through the dancers as a pulsing current—the past and the present united on stage.

“The thing about Bangarra is that everything is informed from a cultural position. And so even if you were aware of it or not, when you’re creating or offering, that part of you is always present and in the room. It will always be part of the story because of what the company is and where it comes from. Cultural dance is in our bodies; when we move in a contemporary style, that energy already flows through us.”

As the work guides audiences to its final destination, it becomes clear that the teachings of Yuldea won’t end there. Circling its way back to the beginning, the work re-connects itself to place, identity and culture—the re-opening of the sky and earth.

Photography: Kate Longley.

Without giving too much away, Emily notes the power of these final moments—memories no longer left scattered across the Victorian desert floor.

“What makes it such a moving work is that it’s healing, it’s truth-telling, but there is a strength and resilience that shines through from those communities.”

“I hope that when people see the show, they feel more connected and interested in the history of this country and look forward to what they can do—in whatever capacity that is—to care for this country.”

Bangarra is proud to offer Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community members discounted tickets to Yuldea. Please contact the Canberra Theatre Centre Box Office on 02 6275 2700 to book.

Feature image: Kate Longley