I really enjoyed the performance of the dance theatre piece SILENCE at the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre on Wednesday night, August 9.
There were moments when I thought I was at a rock opera despite there being only seven performers on stage. Such was the flow of movement of the dancers as they glided across the stage to the pulsing, rhythmic beat of the powerful and impressive percussive drumming that leads the soundtrack of this work, beautifully interspersed with the resonant notes from a vibraphone and the powerful and sometimes haunting voice in an Aboriginal language beautifully and forcefully spoken.
The movements of the close-knit band of dancers referenced the vital role of Country, of Mother Earth, of sovereignty, of Aboriginal lore. The fluidity of the dirt passed and poured between dancers or spread across the stage as a dancing ground referenced that infamous photo by Mervyn Bishop of Gough Whitlam pouring the red earth into the hands of Vincent Lingiari when Gurindji land was returned to its original custodians in 1975.
The power of this work was its ability to transition flawlessly from contemporary to traditional dance, embracing the journey of our First Peoples under colonisation in a positive, joyous, humorous yet deadly serious way.
It was a solid hour of uplifting performance and towards the end, many in the audience, including me, found ourselves singing or humming along to the insistent beat of the Treaty song by Yothu Yindi adopted for this work.
Hands were thrust skyward in a scene where voices called, "We want to be heard! When will you listen to our voice? When will you properly recognise us as the First Peoples?"
It's an ambitious work, underpinned by themes such as acknowledgement of sovereignty never ceded, land rights, shared power, a guaranteed voice and consideration of interests, recognition, restoration, statutory entitlements and ownership of natural resources (from artistic director Thomas E.S. Kelly’s statement).
Strong, yes, powerful, yes, with a fresh and genuine feel but not confrontational. More a celebration of the many struggles faced, and those continuing to be faced, a conversation that will never be silenced.
For me, this piece was rejuvenating and re-energising. To see all these issues placed in a continuum with a focus on treaty and healing made me realise that the current struggle for constitutional change through a Voice to parliament is part of a much bigger story. But it also reinforced the realisation that we now have an enormous opportunity to heal, to move forward as a nation, to embrace 65,000 years of history, to close the gaps. There is nothing to fear. Let's do it, Australia!
You will really enjoy this fresh and joyous work of dance theatre. Don’t miss it!
The reviewer, John Corker, is the local coordinator of Wollongong for Yes23
SILENCE is at IPAC until Saturday, August 12. Tickets from $39. Book here
