Terrain | Bangarra Dance Theatre

A Hymn to Country through Contemporary Dance

Inspired by Lake Eyre
Deborah Brown in Bangarra's 'Terrrain'. Photo by Greg Barrett

From 4 to 5 March, Riverside Theatres and the internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre present Terrain, a powerful work of contemporary dance and storytelling, by celebrated Aboriginal choreographer Frances Rings. It will be the first time Bangarra has performed in Western Sydney since 2010.
Terrain will transport audiences to Lake Eyre, the place of Australia’s inland sea and one of the few untouched natural waterways in the world. In this visually spectacular and captivating performance, Bangarra’s 17-member company of dancers showcase a story of resilience, strength and connection to Country.
After the world premiere season in 2012, Terrain won two Helpmann Awards; one for Best Ballet/Dance Work and another for Best Female Dancer in a Dance or Physical Theatre Work for dancer Deborah Brown.
Terrain will return to the stage in 2016 with an award-winning creative team of Aboriginal artists: choreographer Frances Rings, composer David Page and set designer Jacob Nash. Together along with costume designer Jennifer Irwin and lighting designer Karen Norris, they have created an evocative production inspired by the timeless beauty of Lake Eyre.
Riverside Theatres will host Terrain’s first revival performance, which will then tour regionally and return to the areas around Lake Eyre in South Australia, the work’s inspiration, at the end of the year.
“Riverside Theatres has long supported the presentation of works by Bangarra Dance Theatre, from some of its earliest works such as Fish in 1998 up to its most recent being Mathinna in 2010,” said Frances Rings. “I’m excited to return to Western Sydney in 2016 to present Terrain, a work inspired by the amazing geographic wonder that is Lake Eyre and performed by some of this country’s most beautiful dancers.”
Bangarra is one of Australia’s leading performing arts organisations with a unique dance technique forged from more than 40,000 years of culture, infused with contemporary movement. Illustrating the connection Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have with the land, Terrain invites audiences to witness a mesmerising dance work that is powerful, meaningful, and extremely entertaining.