NAISDA Dance College presents ‘Kamu’

NAISDA Dance College will return to Carriageworks on November 25-28 to present its end-of-year production Kamu, directed by Frances Rings. “Kamu” is the Kala Lagaw Ya word (West Torres Strait Island word) meaning “mangrove flower.”

“Like children, the mangrove seeds stay attached to their parent, growing until they are ready to detach and make their salt-water journey onwards,” explains Rings. “As Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, we look to the natural world to inspire, regenerate and sustain us. It also increasingly reveals to us significant changes to our surrounding ecology.

“As we head towards the 40th anniversary of NAISDA, Kamu characterises the continued cultivation of cultural values inherent to our foundation and our conscious responsibility towards the health of our land and seas,” she concluded.

Rings will be joined by Dujon Niue, a NAISDA graduate and the artistic director of cultural dance group ARPAKA, which has created work for the production. Other notable choreographers include Joel Bray, Ian RT Colless, Penny Mullen, Raymond D. Blanco and Sani Townson.

NAISDA is delighted to be continuing its partnership with contemporary multi-arts centre Carriageworks, which has co-presented the show for four years.

NAISDA is honored that Bangarra Dance Theatre will perform Ochres at Carriageworks from Friday, November 27 to Saturday, December 5, and that NAISDA graduate Rika Hamaguchi (who joined Bangarra this year) will be in performance. She joined the company after completing her Diploma of Professional Dance Performance. She is a descendant of the Yawuru, Bunaba and Bardi people in the Kimberley Region.

For further information on NAISDA’s Kamu, visit www.carriageworks.com.au/events/naisda or call 02 8571 9099.