Bangarra Dance Theatre Australia Limited

ABN 96 003 814 006

Pier 4/5 Hickson Road,
Walsh Bay, NSW, 2000
Australia

web: www.bangarra.com.au

Ph: 61 2 9251 5333
Fax: 61 2 9251 5266

email:
bangarra@bangarra.com.au

MEDIA RELEASE

FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES CONTACT
EMMA COLLISON, Emma Collison Publicity
TEL 02 9699 5199 or 0418 584 795, mmsemmac@bigpond.net.au

BANGARRA IN 2003 - FROM ALICE TO ALASKA

New dancers, overseas and regional Australia tours... plus a new work by Stephen Page work to tour nationally.

After extensive national auditions in 2002, Bangarra Dance Theatre is delighted to announce a new line-up of highly talented young dancers from around the country to join the company for 2003.

Timothy Bishop (ACT), Jhuny-Boy Borja (NT), Deborah Brown (QLD), Chantal Kerr (NSW), Joel Blanco (QLD) and secondee Rheannan Port (QLD) will join current company members Frances Rings, Sani Townson, Elma Kris, Peggy Misi, Desley Roberts, Sidney Saltner and Patrick Thaiday.

As Artistic director Stephen Page points out "This year ushers in a another cycle for Bangarra with new blood. It's very inspiring for me to go back into the nurturing process with the new dancers - to teach them the Bangarra repertoire, to draw out that unique Bangarra essence and to create a new work with fresh sparks lighting the fire."

A highlight of 2003 for Bangarra audiences will be a new work by Stephen Page, titled Bush, which will premiere in Brisbane, May 21 to 24, at the Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre. Bush will then be performed at the Playhouse, Victorian Arts Centre, from June 11 to 21, and then in Sydney at the Theatre Royal, July 23 to 26.

Bush is a lush and hypnotic celebration of dance, myth and music, filled with evocative imagery set to a score composed by David Page and Steve Francis. Holding a fascination with otherworldliness, Bush explores the complex poetry of nature's creations.

In October and November Bangarra heads overseas again, to the USA and UK, on a tour organised by ICM. The company will perform a work entitled Walkabout in Hawaii, Alaska and the east coast of USA before going to London, Manchester and Belfast.

Regional audiences across Australia will also get to experience the magic of Bangarra Dance Theatre first hand when they tour The Dreaming in March to Wagga Wagga, Orange, Wollongong, Taree and Gosford and then to Alice Springs, Darwin, Canberra and regional centres in Queensland in August 2003. The Dreaming combines ancient myth with electrifying dance and music from the contemporary urban world.

Bangarra Dance Theatre is one of Australia's most exciting dance companies combining contemporary dance with Indigenous culture and tradition. Bangarra has built up an outstanding reputation for its distinctly spiritual and moving theatrical productions.

Thanks to Bangarra's principal sponsor, Telstra, footage excerpts of Bangarra's work can be accessed through www.bangarra.com.au

BUSH TICKETS ON SALE!!!!

BRISBANE, QPAC - now on sale through QTIX Ph: 136 246
MELBOURNE, VAC - on sale from mid March through Ticketmaster7 ph:1300 136 166
SYDNEY, Theatre Royal - on sale from mid March through Ticketek ph: 9266 4800