Tickets on sale 10am Tuesday 12 November
Presented by Darwin Entertainment Centre and Bangarra Dance Theatre in association with Darwin Festival
Part of the 2025 Darwin Festival
Step out of the shadows and into the phenomena of light – the central life force of our planet. From the extraordinary Bangarra Dance Theatre comes an iridescent new theatrical experience, drawing together music, visual arts and dance to explore the ways light has captivated and sustained Indigenous cultural existence for millenia.
Today, artificial light pollution disrupts ecosystems and obscures the dark night sky, devastating First Nations people’s connections to sky country and limiting their ability to share celestial knowledge and skylore. First Nations people stand on the precipice of the world under threat.
Mirning Choreographer Frances Rings and Goolarrgon Bard Visual Artist Darrell Sibosado’s collaboration explores the awe of light, a bridge between the physical and spiritual worlds. It charts the impacts of light pollution in a climate emergency. Illume asks the urgent question: is the deep wisdom passed down from elders enough to illuminate a path forward from the shadows of a dark future?
Journey with us through a kaleidoscope of images, patterns and synergies into the otherworldly language of light.
Credits
Choreographer Frances Rings and artists of Bangarra Dance Theatre
Artistic & Cultural Collaborator Darrell Sibosado
Set Design Charles Davis
Costume Design Elizabeth Gadsby
Lighting Design Damien Cooper
Composer Brendon Boney
Cultural Consultant Trevor Sampi
Photo Daniel Boud
Performance warning
Recommended for ages 12+
Please note that this production contains elevated sound levels, flashing lights, haze, smoke effects and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who have passed.
Hero image description
The image shows a female dancer, suspended in mid-air in the centre of a mass of vibrant orange billowing fabric that fills the entire frame of the photo. She faces the front; her hair is drawn back from her face and her gaze is straight into the camera. One leg extends downwards with pointed toes. The knee of the other leg is lifted, and the foot is tucked in close to the extended leg. Both legs are bare. Her arms are softly crossed in front of her chest. Her costume consists of masses of long black tendril like threads that extend in all directions from her arms and body, giving the impression of wings in motion and resembling a dragonfly. The threads are attached to a dark fitted long sleeved body suit. The lighting creates very dramatic shadows and contrast between the fiery colours of the background and the graceful shape of the dancer.
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