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22 June, 2021
Bangarra’s flagship youth outreach program Rekindling was launched in 2013. Its vision is to inspire pride, kinship, and a sense of strength in young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through visits in community engaging secondary school-aged students.
Rekindling re-connects First Nations youth with their local Elders through cultural and creative dance residencies. Over a series of visits, and an engagement period of three years per location, participants explore stories from Land and Community and choreograph a dance work inspired by their Country. The program also provides inspiration for future opportunities and career aspirations in performing arts.
Rekindling has visited over 38 communities since its inception, working with over 1,000 students and 230 Elders, engaging with 47 language groups and culminating in thousands of performances for community nation-wide. The next generation will carry our Songlines onward, and we are committed to ensuring that they are equipped with confidence and pride.
In this week’s video our Youth Programs team explore the impact this program has on participants, their communities, and their future. Rekindling is led by Sidney Saltner, one of Bangarra’s most acclaimed artists, who became Youth Programs Director after 25 years as a performer. He is supported by Youth Programs Coordinator and former dancer Sani Townson and Youth Programs Trainee and Russell Page Graduate Mitchell J Nalingu Harrison-Currie.
Thanks to our generous donors, Bangarra has had the capacity to create and grow this program to where it is now. With your support of this vision, we know that our impact can extend much further.
Please help us keep moving by making a tax-deductible end of financial year donation today.
Photo: Brendan Blacklock