Hobart, May 8th: Tasmanian Regional Arts has launched The Dance Project: a state wide cross-generational, multi-media community dance project engaging three Tasmanian regions in the South, North East and North West. At an event held in Hobart the company launched the project website, dance video and the south project Family by Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet.

Tasmanian Regional Arts (TRA) is presenting The Dance Project in partnership with Mature Artists Dance Experience (MADE), Bust a Move and Tasdance. The Dance Project will develop and present three new contemporary and relevant dance works with, by and about community. Evolving from the heart of each community, these works will explore the sense of place, kinship and identity for the residents of the three regions.

Speaking at the launch, Angie Abdilla, Creative Producer of the project said: “The Dance Project offers a platform for three divergent Tasmanian dance companies to create innovative dance works – discrete and interconnected – from the heart of regional Tasmanians”.

The Dance Project is an initiative of the Australia Council for the Arts, aiming to develop a new model for connections between dance and communities and to allow more opportunities for Australians to both see and participate in dance across the country. It’s jointly funded by the Australia Council’s Dance Board and the Community Partnerships Committee.

Over the duration of the project through 2011 to mid 2012, the project partners will engage with very diverse communities from their regions ranging from Hospice workers in the South (Hobart) to local dance communities in the North West (Devonport, Burnie and Ulverstone) and primary school students in the North East (Winnaleah, Ringarooma, Scottsdale and Bridport). The Dance Project will offer a framework that will act as an open-ended stimulus to explore specific topics and issues that emerge as critical for the diverse communities. Participants will be enabled to select from an eclectic mix of media to form a performance mosaic (image, music, movement, text) they feel would best represent their ideas and responses.

At the event held at Salamanca Arts centre Deputy Lord Mayor Helen Burnet launched the South region project Family produced by Hobart based dance company Mature Artists Dance Experience (MADE) in collaboration with voluntary hospice workers. Family is a joyous and celebratory work about the time that comes when we need to let go, say goodbye, stand on our own and/or take control over our decisions. Speaking about Family the Deputy Lord Mayor said that “It is very exciting that a community group has the opportunity to share their stories with us and that they want to do this in a spirit of mutual understanding is particularly poignant”.

Sharing his vision for the south project Glen Murray of MADE said “The inspiration for our community dance project is to realise the vision of hospice workers and in the process provide both them and audiences with a profound experience; an experience that will support people in confronting myths and misinformation about death and engender a greater understanding and valuing of death as an essential component of life.”

The Dance Project video unveiled at the launch is the first step in kick starting the process of creating The Dance Project. It .has been created to provide an insight into the community leaders initial responses from within the project. Created using video clips captured by the project advocates, it is a way of inviting associative communities to join in the dance project and celebrate the dance that exists in them already. The interactive project website will work as a video blog inviting project participants to share their journey via short dance video clips and help track the creative development of each regional work.
To view the video and know more about the project log onto www.thedanceproject.com.au

About Tasmanian Regional Arts
Tasmanian Regional Arts is the peak organisation for regional arts and community cultural development in Tasmania. Its vision is to excite and inspire Tasmanian communities through arts and cultural participation and experience.

The organisation has operated for over 60 years and represents over 1500 individual members from affiliate community arts groups including 28 regional arts branches located throughout Tasmania. Tasmanian Regional Arts successfully delivers a range of programs, projects, initiatives, advocacy campaigns and resources in conjunction with government, industry, educational and community organisations throughout Tasmania.
Tasmanian Regional Arts