Project uses dance as a means to bridge cultures

Indigenous and multicultural dance took centre stage in a global learning project between Broome’s St Mary’s College and the Virginia Commonwealth University in the US.

Senior dance students of St Mary’s College were invited by the Australian Dance Teacher Association to develop a dance work in collaboration with VCU Dance and Choreography Associate Professor Scott Putman.

The dance work would then assist Professor Putman’s research in multicultural and indigenous dance practice with young adults.

Professor Putman said the project was about using dance as a vehicle to create a bridge of understanding different cultures.

“If a dialogue needs to happen, those of us that are interested have to engage in that dialogue to understand,” he said.

“It’s not about making a work about what I think about a particular culture, it’s about creating a way for myself and the people I am working with to really understand that culture.

“When you create a space for that, real engagement and a real understanding of different cultures can happen.”

St Mary’s College dance teacher Vicki Thompson said she was delighted when she was approached by ADTA’s Angela Perry to participate in the project.

“To me, dancing has to have some sort of purpose and there has to be some sort of learning process going on,” she said. “To be involved in something where you have to take other people’s experiences on board and ask questions students normally wouldn’t ask has been amazing.”

The Global Learning International Dance Project ran over three days that included rehearsals, consultations with Yawuru elders and culminated in a performance at Entrance Point on March 21.

The performance was also filmed by St Mary’s College film students, which will now create a documentary to be entered into international film festivals.

Professor Putman said the whole project has been the catalyst for an idea to build an international working relationship between St Mary’s College and VCU.

“We’re looking at building a new collaborative course with St Mary’s College in creating new works through an online exchange between the university and the school,” he said. “It will be about having a deeper way of exchanging and working for everyone involved in cultural awareness and understanding.”

Ms Thompson said the project was also about showing her students there were no limits.

“There are no limits to what you can do here in Broome,” she said. “You don’t have to be from a city and you can travel overseas and hold your own. The project really reinforces the idea that what you are doing is worth it.”