Ochres: Dance and Aboriginal Culture

Bangarra Dance accompany Ochres reddish vs. nigrify Culture and its, at times, inconceivable differences is an expression of denote for our society today. Silencing and elapsing of horticultures and traditions seems to have escalated immensely. However, for the sake of our future, there is strong importance in the need of these traditions endurance. Therefore, modern bounce has the aptitude in defying these un provided heathenish judgments. We see countless contemporary choreographers, today, merging momentous techniques of contemporary with conventional fonts of cultures for unerringly that reason.Widely acclaimed inwardly Australia and internationally, Bangarra Dance Theatre presents the sprightliness of true Australia. They cause traditional culture accessible and enjoyable, providing an enriching experience for the audience. Their releases be yeasty and thought-provoking, contributing to a greater understanding and acceptance of aborigine values. The work of Ochr es (1995), a Bangarra Dance Theatre end product, embraces upon the cultural and spiritual signalificance of primary life.Through the four colours of Ochres, to each(prenominal) champion representing an gene of Aboriginal culture, Stephen Page corporate contemporary abstraction in exposing symbolic reasoning. A correlation of the stir traditional forms is distinguishable in both incisions Red and Black of the phenomenal production. Evidently, by means of the use of only four male dancers, Black conveys the element of mens business. The storyline perceives an ash storm that has blown oer and that the call and pain of initiation can only be viewed from a distance.Traditionally, whats more stereotypically, men were visualised as the control and workers in Aboriginal culture. As the support providers for their families, men would find themselves endlessly run and toiling. Stephen Page successfully fused these aspects of tradition within a contemporary put in creating such m eaning. Varying movements be performed with strong prisonbreak and sustainability denoting their precedent and boldness. This is further supported by, in sections of the dance, the strength held by the upper physical structure while utilizing various leg movements.Actions of kicks and leaps are performed at various levels assisting in the representation of the ups and downs they are faced with, and the fight from pain. The movement where dancers appear kneeling to the nucleotide, pushing and pulling their arms repeatedly, appears as an abstraction of plowing other element of men at work. Furthermore, movements intertwine with the use of props as they crawl behind and in front of them. It is this that appears as a sign of the men being out in the bush hunting.In order to place their connection with the land tradition of aboriginal culture, low crawling and floor movements are seen throughout the sequence. In comparison, the development of Red evokes the customs, laws and value s place on the relations coxas between women and men who have been on a elbow room of change since time began. In each of these relationships the youth, the obsession, the poison, the pain, there is struggle. Unlike Black, Red makes use of both male and female dancers to portray this sum and embrace these relationships.Within the first sequence, youth is evidently conveyed through the use of dim-witted motifs such as the women flashing her dress towards the man, running around, skipping, and torment of the male. It appears as the initiation of a relationship between a man and a woman or as evident in youth, a girlfriend and a boy. As the sequence progress, the young boy finds himself arising from the torment of these consort ladies and perseveres his dominance. During torment the male is visualised sitting at a light level, but once power is regained levels change dramatically where he is preceding(prenominal) the women.As the males in black, the males movements are performe d with strong suspension and sustainability of his entire physique. Strong kicks, high leaps and barrel rolls, and lifting of the female dancers further bring up his dominance. Again, as black embraces in a connection to the land through numerous floor movements so too does red. The following two segments, encompassing obsession and poison, are where a slight contrast of movements is evident. suspend and sustained movements remain but less sharp and forceful more or less more drawn out and gradual.This emphasises the delicate love and care for each other. However, as the word obsession suggests, its segment consist of support where dancers are endlessly connected either being hip to hip, head to hip or upper body to upper body. This idea establishes the need for one person within love, always relying on them and falling back to them. Furthermore, it encompasses numerous lifts throughout to convey their connection. Whereas, within poison slow suspended movements are performed in u nison almost repelling each other. Dancers become within each others personal space, so close tho do not touch.This is the beginning of the struggle of relationships where they find themselves repulsed by each other. Finally, the closing segment addresses pain the dying of ones love. This section is relatively shorter than the rest representing the short death and pain. The male appears as the focus, just like the males present in black, as he sits at a low level close to the connection of his land for the finishing time. The female is present dancing around him as a spirit of hope. Evidently, she utilises various turns and jumps to achieve this meaning.Traditional aspect of the stolen generation can further be respected abstractedly within the work of Red dwelling upon the historic background of Aboriginals. This is shown through the men representing the giving medication and the women representing all of the Aboriginal women. Movements have been utilised through forceful suspen sion and sustainability allowing the dancers to express their emotions towards this diachronic chapter. The fast movements and the use of space show the aboriginals trying to escape from the government in order to save their family.As Page endeavours to encompass Aboriginal culture within contemporary dance, he makes use of occasional Aboriginal dance techniques. In both Red and Black of Ochres it is blatant to see these techniques throughout. By altering movements, that would generally be seen on straight supporting legs such as pirouettes, to bent from the knees is one approach of foreshadowing Aboriginal techniques. From the turn of knees, asymmetrical shapes can then be established another aspect visualised within Aboriginal dances. Finally, music and aural elements of the entire piece encompass aboriginal chanting to maintain this culture.Stephen Pages production of Ochres is one of the many illustrations to how contemporary choreographers of today revive those slowly dimini sh traditions of our historical cultures. As distinguished within the works of Black and Red of this production, cultural understanding and justice can be achieved through incorporating its aspects into contemporary dance. His influence to our current and future society has been enormous, contributing to a untold greater understanding and acceptance of cultural values. More particularly, our authentic Australian spirit of Aboriginal ancestors can be reunderstood and claimed as truly remarkable.