New work from new talent at Bangarra
Image: Dance Clan, Bangarra. Image: Daniel Boud
Dance Clan is the Bangarra program for developing new talent, and in 2023, it will showcase the work of three young choreographers, Ryan Pearson, Glory Tuohy-Daniell and Sani Townson.
One of the three, Ryan Pearson, who is self-described as a “26 year-old gay Aboriginal living in Urban Sydney,” was pleased that his pitch as a choreographer was accepted for the show.
“Being in Bangarra for so long I’ve learned the spirit of all the creatives comes together to create the stories that Bangarra produce,” said Pearson. “As a dancer, my physical contribution is mostly the reactionary instinct I deliver in response to story development; however now, with placing myself on the other side for the first time, I’m collecting new pathways of knowledge and broadening my spectrum to the other creative regions that make up the whole of a developed work. I feel my achievement is the knowledge that I have gained in this time of Dance Clan – knowledge essential for my development as a story teller”.
This being Pearson’s first experience as a choreographer, he wanted to make sure to lay firm foundations for his work as well as “finding personal escape through searching for the love and joy of this world that we live in”.
The dancers in his segment share their personal stories of euphoria and comfort, and the show travels through contrasting landscapes and emotions, fitted from the dancers testimony.
Aware that all dancers, especially high-end dancers like those in the Bangarra company, have a use-by date on the stage, Pearson has been looking for new opportunities, which Dance Clan offered him.
“I felt I needed to branch out into this world not just to extend my knowledge and experience in development and storytelling, but to also gain that knowledge base early on to track a stronger base for when the time does come that my time as a professional dancer comes to an end.”
In his segment, Pearson collaborated with Indigenous musician Brendon Boney and his partner Tessa Nuku. Brendon has been a recipient of the David Page Fellowship.
“He was an amazing collaborator; we’d sit and talk about the core values and feelings I wanted to be released in the show, and how the music would play as an instrument to those stories,” Pearson said.
Pearson also worked with set designer Shana O’Brien, a recent graduate who was being mentored by Jacob Nash (Set Designer, Bangarra) to create the design for the three shows.
“I felt quite comfortable working with Shana and engaging my ideas, no matter how wild they seemed, and we’d sit and sort them out, both of us learning at the same time.”
The costumes were created by Tiwi woman and fashion designer Clair Parker under the guidance of Jennifer Irwin (Costume Designer, Bangarra).
Bangarra is sure to present a show in 2023 that is exciting to watch, and touches the hearts and minds of audience members.
