'Milnjiya, Milky Way' — River of Stars

Perth Festival 2018

This is a ground-breaking collaboration between NT Dance Company and West Australian Ballet (WAB), fusing Aboriginal dance and classical ballet in a world premiere for WAB’s 2018 ‘Ballet at the Quarry’ season.

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The NT Dance Company and Gary Lang its Artistic Director have been invited by the West Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director Aurelien Scannella to collaborate on a project called the “Milky Way”.
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This is a ground-breaking collaboration between NT Dance and West Australian Ballet (WAB), fusing Aboriginal dance and classical ballet in a world premiere for WAB’s 2018 ‘Ballet at the Quarry’ season. Lang is a First Nation Larrakia man whose family extends to Yirrkala in east Arnhemland. His vision is to create a work around his people’s traditional song cycles – he will bring a traditional song man, didgeridoo (Yidaki) player and one of two cultural consultants (elders) to Perth.
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The traditional music in the piece will represent the physical world and an Indigenous opera singer (Deborah Cheetham) will be integrated into the performance as part of the song cycle representing the spirit world. WAB dancers will learn from and perform alongside Lang’s NT dancers.
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This project has been supported by the Australian Government's Catalyst fund and the NT government has assisted to fund the creative development stage. The first public showing of the choreography in creative development was held for the executive of the WA ballet at the Darwin Entertainment Centre in April 2017.
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Photo: Nicholas Gouldhurst

+ Reviews

Seesaw’s review of Milky Way: Ballet at the Quarry
West Australian’s review
West Australian’s review
Australian Stage review
Dance Australia review
Out in Perth review
Rosalind Appleby Music Journalist review
Australian Book review

Pictured in this shot of Milnjiya, Milky Way - River of Stars from left to right is Matthew Lehmann (WAB Principal Dancer), Deborah Cheetham (Yorta Yorta Soprano), Michele Dott (NT Dance Company.jpg

‘Inspired’

Garrmalang Festival 2016

Co-produced by our greatest supporter the Darwin Entertainment Centre, ‘Inspired’ premiered at the Garrmalang Festival in May 2016.

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Co-produced by our greatest supporter the Darwin Entertainment Centre, ‘Inspired’ premiered at the Garrmalang Festival in May 2016. The creation of ‘Inspired’ allowed Gary to indulge in an uplifting spiritual experience, exploring the beauty and lightness of movement that the musical score of Tchaikovsky’s inspires in Gary’s choreography and his dancers.
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After the darkness and sadness of the sensitive journey of Mokuy, Gary sought to celebrate the music of this much loved classic. Inspired introduces some quirky and unexpected elements to the musical score complementing the application of Gary’s signature movement. space
Photo: Nicholas Gouldhurst

Cyclone Tracy 40 year Anniversary

2015 Darwin Symphony Orchestra Collaboration

NT Dance Company were guests of the Darwin Symphony Orchestra at their final concert in December 2015 to commemorate the 40 year anniversary of Cyclone Tracy.

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Introducing new choreography created by our Artistic Director Gary Lang specifically for this unique event, the DSO under the direction of Artistic Director and Chief Conductor Matthew Wood, featured four world premieres of new Australian music written for the people of Darwin by leading Australian composers Ross Edwards, Iain Grandage, Lachlan Skipworth and Kat McGuffie.
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Photo: Tim Nicol

Mokuy (Spirit)

2014

“Mokuy” is a series of vignettes that depict a haunting reflection of the journey of the spirit following death through contemporary dance, projections and traditional and contemporary music.

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In May 2014, “Mokuy (Spirit)” premiered at the inaugural Garrmalang Festival at the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
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“Mokuy” is a series of vignettes that depict a haunting reflection of the journey of the spirit following death through contemporary dance, projections and traditional and contemporary music. For Gary Lang, “Mokuy” represents his personal response to youth suicide in remote Indigenous communities.
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Mokuy required a tremendous emotional journey of sadness that weighed heavily on Gary in terms of its content and execution to ensure that cultural and extended family sensitivities were respected.
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Photo: Glenn Campbell

Goose Lagoon

2010

In August 2010, Goose Lagoon premiered at the Darwin Festival, performing at the Playhouse Theatre in the Darwin Entertainment Centre.

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Set against the backdrop of Arnhem Land’s northern flood plains, Goose Lagoon explores the story of the magpie geese of the Top End; the furl of wings in the first light of the wet season, the frenetic struggle against the hunter’s gun, the tender love of delicate young goslings.
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The puppetry was directed by Erth Visual and Physical Theatre. The Company interspersed human movement and role of the dancers with the magpie geese puppets to enhance the story. In August 2010, Goose Lagoon premiered at the Darwin Festival, performing at the Playhouse Theatre in the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
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Phot: Glen Campbell

Munuk Gapu

2008

Fresh water Salt water - a dance production that interprets the lives, adventures and misadventures of Territory pearl divers from a bygone era.

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During 2008, Gary Lang researched and created Munuk Gapu – Fresh water Salt water - a dance production that interprets the lives, adventures and misadventures of Territory pearl divers from a bygone era.
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In August 2008, Munuk Gapu was featured at the Darwin Festival, performing at the Playhouse Theatre in the Darwin Entertainment Centre.
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Photo: Peter Sparkman

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