TRACKS WITH THE REMEDY
Tracks Dance Company returns to Darwin Festival with not one, but three unique offerings, exploring storytelling, sound, and movement whilst celebrating the resilience, stories, and collective experience of the people of Darwin.
WORDS TIERNEY WHITE
RENOWNED FOR THEIR ability to think outside the square, Tracks continues to broaden minds with three-part series, Antidote – a remedy for now.
“We have a five-person Artistic Leadership Team … and when we asked them what they thought the most pressing matter was, in terms of making a show about now, it was that there was a lot of negative things going around in how we’re treating our First Nations people, how we’re treating our refugees, how we’re treating ourselves,” says Artistic Director David McMicken.
“It felt like there needed to be a way out, even if it’s just for a moment – how do you find some hope and joy in the middle of all of this so that you can keep on going? How do you tunnel on through, so you get to the green grass on the other side?”
Dance It is the first cab off the rank, a free outdoor performance on Darwin’s Esplanade that explores themes of hope and the times we find ourselves in. Choreographed by Rachael Wallis, Jenelle Saunders, and David McMicken, it features stories gathered by Alyson Evans that are soundtracked to tunes by James Mangohig.
Beneath the spirit-filled Milkwood trees, Dance It celebrates the people of Darwin, and everyone’s invited to witness movement shaped by Darwin’s collective stories.
“It’s in the middle of a really important Larrakia pathway … it’s an important transitional space. Milkwoods are sentinel trees that stand on Country, and look after it and look out for it, so they’re a very important tree locally. The third point is it’s got the most beautiful aspect of the sunset, which is such a Larrakia and Darwin thing to have sunsets at this time of year that are just so special,” McMicken says.
Over at Tracks Dance HQ is Listen Deep, curated and created by Mangohig. It invites audiences to immerse themselves in a deep listening experience soundtracked by a meditative soundscape, and the chance to reflect on what it means to live in this place.
Lastly, Tell Stories offers a heartfelt evening that explores the world we live in and the futures we imagine. Devised by Evans, it features stories from local people, celebrating hope, resilience, and joy across cultures and generations.
Whether you attend one or all three special events, the scene is set for you to find some beautiful hope amongst the noise.
Antidote – a remedy for now
Dance It
WHEN SUN 17 AUG | 6PM
AT THE ESPLANADE
COST FREE | REGISTER ONLINE
Listen Deep
WHEN TUE 19 AUG | 6PM & 7.30PM
AT TRACKS DANCE STUDIO
COST $20-$30
Tell Stories
WHEN THU 21 AUG | 6PM & 7.30PM
AT TRACKS DANCE STUDIO
COST $20-$30
INFO tracksdance.com.au
Image: Duane Preston
