NAISDA Dance will share inspirational stories of resilience, preservation and cultural reawakening, as told by the next generation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers during an exclusive season at The Art House at Wyong from 28 to 30 June 2017.
Directed by Raymond D Blanco, Ngangga Ya (Speaking to the Future) takes inspiration from Torres Strait Islander culture to present stories from the stars, correlating the importance the southern sky constellations hold to the peoples of the Torres Strait in culture, law and survival.
As one of eight elite, national training organisations in the performing arts, NAISDA is at the forefront of shaping Australia’s artistic and cultural talent. Many of NAISDA’s Developing Artists go on to enjoy illustrious careers in the performing arts including with Bangarra Dance Theatre.
“NAISDA’s productions express our commitment to honour the world’s oldest living culture and share knowledge of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island dance, music, art and history with audiences from around the world,” said Director of Ngangga Ya (Speaking to the Future), Raymond D Blanco.
“‘Ngangga Ya’ is Darkinjung ‘speaking to the future’. This production reflects on our place, our futures and how our storying through dance reflects the storytelling of our heritages.
“Our past informs our choices for a future path, however diverse. We look to the stars and the stories of our elders, which helped navigate their choices. Likewise, we look to our youth and the language they speak to bring relevance to today’s directions.
“In whatever our choice, we must acknowledge and honour our past, our elders and their struggles, for without this, where we walk and create our voice in the world becomes irrelevant and we face a spiritually bereft future,” added Raymond.
The hour-long performance will showcase a unique blend of traditional and contemporary cultural dance for which NAISDA has become renowned and will act as a prelude to NAIDOC Week celebrations on the Central Coast.
Performances of Ngangga Ya (Speaking to the Future) will take place at 8pm on Wednesday 28, Thursday 29 and Friday 30 June 2017.
Tickets to Ngangga Ya (Speaking to the Future) are now on sale.
To book, visit www.thearthousewyong.com.au, contact The Art House on (02) 4335 1485 or visit The Art House Box Office located at 19-21 Margaret Street Wyong NSW 2259.