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 Brisbane-born dancer DEBORAH BROWN tells VASQAL about going from “struggling poor actor” to performing artefacts and clouds.
Inspiration can come from anywhere at any time. It can alight upon you as you ride the bus in the morning, or grow inside you as a story is told. Deborah Brown calls upon her family and heritage for inspiration. Her parents come from “opposite ends of the world”, incorporating both Murray Island and Scottish backgrounds. Such diversity seems appropriate for her role with Bangarra Dance Theatre, Australia’s only indigenous dance company. Their new production Of Earth And Sky brings together stories from the past and future to “create a nice, new chapter for the company”, as Brown explains.
Bangarra Dance Theatre was founded in 1989 by Carole Johnson and has since gained many accolades, most recently winning the Ausdance award for outstanding performance by a company for Fire – A Retrospective. This retrospective work holds a special significance for Brown because it “encompasses the best of Bangarra in its twenty years.”
“[Fire] had been touching pieces from over 20 years so it was nice to experience because they’re the dances that drew me to the company in the first place,” she says.
Joining Bangarra was not something Brown had expected or fully planned on. She began dancing at around five years of age and always had a passion for drama and performing. Back in 2003, she was living in Sydney working in hospitality, trying to get some acting work when Bangarra held auditions for Bush. “I saw in the newspaper they had auditions happening so I applied and it went on from there. I’m still surprised today that I got in.”
This was the one time Bangarra held national auditions for their production, making the whole process feel “like it was meant to be” for Brown. She’s been part of the Bangarra crew ever since, taking part in their many performances around Australia and the world.
Of Earth And Sky is the most recent work, a double bill no less. It brings together two different styles. The first work is Artefact, choreographed by established Bangarra member Frances Rings. It takes inspiration from various Aboriginal artefacts and how they relate to people not only as historical objects, but also as spiritually significant.
The second work, Riley, is the choreographic debut for dancer Daniel Riley McKinley. This work is inspired by his late cousin, indigenous photographer Michael Riley. Using Michael’s internationally acclaimed Cloud series, Daniel hopes to pay homage to his cousin’s life and what he contributed to the Australian culture.
Working with these two different styles hasn’t been simple for Brown. “There’s a mental switch between the two that I’m still going through myself,” she says.
This double bill, then, looks at the two extremes and combines them to create “contrasting works that complement each other well.” But more than that, the work sees the experienced Frances Rings collaborate with the up-and-coming talent of Daniel Riley McKinley – the past and the future working as one.
“It’ll be something fresh for the audience,” Brown says.
And no doubt inspirational as well.
OF EARTH AND SKY will see its world premiere in Brisbane on Friday Jul 2 at QPAC and run until Saturday Jul 10. Ph: 136 246 / www.qpac.com.au
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