Dance motivated by the night sky

Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, of Yamba, will perform her one-person show, 6/7 Empty, at the Lismore City Hall on June 25.

Cathy Adams

LOCAL dancers have the chance to attend a workshop tomorrow with Australian/Indonesian dancer/choreographer Jade Dewi Tyas Tungaal.

It will be held at the Lismore City Hall from 2pm to 4pm.

Ms Tungaal, from Yamba, is bringing her one-person show, 6/7 Empty, to the City Hall on Saturday night, June 25, in conjunction with NORPA.

A founding member of the Mirramu Dance Company, specialising in dance works about human relationships with their environments, she is influenced by her training in traditional Indonesian dance, Japanese martial arts, Indigenous Australian dance, ballet and modern dance.

Ms Tunggal has studied in the United States and Europe and performed internationally with a diversity of dance companies, independent choreographers and directors, including Houlihan & Dancers, The Body Cartography Project, Chunky Move, Gong Tronic, Victorian Opera, Bebe Miller,Sophie Maslow, Ronald K Brown, Jason Pitt, Bernadette Warlong, Vivienne Rogis and Stephen Page.

She said inspiration for 6/7 Empty emerged during a visit to the Bundjalung National Park in Northern NSW.

“The show draws motivation from observing the night sky, following the visible stars of the Pleiades constellation, and researching Seven Sisters mythology,” Ms Tungaal said.

“Many of the epic narratives tell tales of lust, alienation, disempowerment, destruction, fate, destiny and judgment, and imply the Sisters are real entities, extraterrestrial beings, and our ancestors from the stars.”

Last year her choreographic works were commissioned by the VCA School of Dance, Kath Papas, Newport Substation, Melbourne Arts Centre and Multicultural Arts Victoria.

In 2011 6/7 Empty will tour nationally, including Lismore’s NORPA, the Cairns Festival and Hobart’s Salamanca Arts Centre.

Local dancers who want to attend the workshop should be intermediate to advanced level.

The workshop is free to Friends of NORPA or patrons who have purchased a ticket to the show, $20 others. More info: 6622 0300.