Burn The Floor presents Walanbaa Yulu-Gi: An indigenous fusion dance experience

Arts & Entertainment Scene

Jasmine Simmons
June 30, 2023

Image: SUN Stage production Burn The Floor Picture: Richard Hatherly

World renowned Australian ballroom dance company Burn the Floor has announced a first time collaboration with the talented First Nations star Mitch Tambo. Together, Burn the Floor and Tambo have curated a brand new dance production and are set to tour the East Coast of Australia this winter season.

The production provides audiences with a unique mix of ballroom dance styles paired with Tambo’s distinctive sound that embraces Indigenous culture. Closely accompanying Tambo will be his wife Lea Firth, a talented vocalist, and First Nations contemporary dancer Albert David.

Twenty passionate dancers, vocalists, and musicians will embark on Tambo’s journey where he will perform his own musical compositions for a wide range of Australian audiences. The tour, cast for 2023, includes original dance members and new upcoming dance stars. The performances will also be soundtracked to Australian rock classics from Midnight Oil, INXS, ACDC, Cold Chisel, and the Bee Gees.

Burn the Floor has been curating performances for the last two decades that combine a variety of choreography and dance moves. The company has previously performed a seven-month season on Broadway, two seasons on the West End, and have toured over 150 cities in 30 countries. They have also been involved with the cruise-ship industry since 2012, performing 6,000 shows for the Norwegian Cruise Line.

Genres of dance that Burn the Floor specialise in include romantic waltz, tango, cha cha, samba, jive and rumba. A production focus is held on lights, costumes and electric live music that is integrated across all performances.

Mitch Tambo’s talent was first recognised by Australian audiences when he performed on the 2019 finale of Australia’s Got Talent. Tambo has since gone on to create his own distinctive sound, blending traditional Aboriginal language and melodies with contemporary beats and production. He has reached number one on the music charts in Australia, the UK, the US, and select European countries with his album titled Guurama-Li.

Tambo’s music contains heavy sentiment and storytelling, ranging from his own personal journey to Dreamtime storytelling, embracing themes of womanhood and celebrating the many achievements of women. In addition to his music career, Tambo is a qualified social worker and content creator, expressing his passion for diversity awareness on podcasts, at corporate events and across schools and community organisations.

The upcoming collaboration with Tambo is part of the 11th world tour for Burn the Floor, with the company also performing across Japan, Korea, and London, their final stop being The Royal Albert Hall on July 8th, 2024.

The Australian tour will commence on the 21st July and end on the 13th of August.