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Ochres

This production at Carriageworks presents a chance for audiences to see one of the very first works by this remarkable company.
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Tara Robertson in Ochres; Photo by Edward Mulvihill.

This production of Ochres is the 21st anniversary season of the ​work, Bangarra Dance Theatre’s second ever work after 1992’s Praying Mantis Dreaming; it also marks the first season for the company at Carriageworks. The show sits well in the new performance space. The industrial architecture and the postmodern aesthetic of the building adds an interesting layer to Bangarra Dance Theatre’s signature layering of traditional Indigenous storytelling with contemporary dance.

Bangarra is a seminal force in Australian Indigenous contemporary performance and, as an internationally successful company, is a pioneer and a role model for other Aboriginal performance companies.

One of the essences of dance that makes it so magical is its ephemeral nature, its quality of kinaesthetic engagement with the audience members, its liveness. This also means that much dance is of the moment, transitory and often forgotten. This production of Ochres at Carriageworks presents an archival, documentary chance for audiences to see embodied history and to catch one of the very first performances by this remarkable company. It presents a chance to open the time capsule and see the performance afresh and is an important reminder of the driving energy and commitment of the people who originally worked together to create the piece​. 

Ochres is infused with fresh vitality by a new group of very fine young contemporary dancers who revitalize the work with their energy, total commitment and precision. But the timeless element in this show is the standout performance from Djakapurra Munyarryun, a dancer in the original production, whose grounded and formidable presence ​lends gravitas to the performance. His â€‹presence stays in the memory long after the show has ended.

Munyarryun’s traditional choreography combines with the choreography of Stephen Page and Bernadette Walon-Sene to create a compelling vision animated further through the use of small tree-branch screens that the male dancers used to conceal themselves, initiating a motif of concealment, stalking and hunting.

Another standout was the almost ritual moments when ochre was applied by the performers to their bodies. These moments gave this production the ability to reach out beyond the time capsule, beyond the archival or documentary value of the work as a remount, and to touch the audience with a sense of a timeless connection with spiritual potency.

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Ochres

Bangarra Dance Theatre
Choreography by Djakapurra Munyarryun, Stephen Page and Bernadette Walong-Sene
Music David Page
Costume Design Jennifer Irwin
Set Design Jacob Nash
Lighting Design Joseph Mercurio
Assistant Lighting Designer Megan Evans

Carriageworks
245 Wilson St, Eveleigh NSW
27 November – 5 December

Katie Lavers
About the Author
Dr. Katie Lavers is a writer, director, producer and researcher based in Sydney.