Episode 6

Yesterday Tim Newth, David McMicken and Kelly Blumberg went to the Golf Course site to look at how we might get a boat to stay still and solid in the water as well as how our Pineapple Woman could get from one place to another. We were dodging the golf balls as players less than perfect whack to their hearts content. I am looking forward to the time this space is transformed into a remote swamp in the Top End somewhere. On close inspection, the water already looks quite swampy.

Last night we moved outside to the undercover carpark area. Our CWA women detailed their feather duster routine, and started the cha cha tray dance to Kiss me Honey Honey (Kiss Me). It was a lot of fun although the warm humid air became thicker as the night progressed. Inside, and the other half of the cast practiced their blessing based on the Mua Thai traditions,  Indian Bharata Natyam and some CHinese. We set the Hungarian trance dancing and got to the point where we will choreograph teh duets of difference soon.  Joanna Noonan finished with assiting the men in their routine that displays their masulinity as crocodile hunters.

A special treat last night was the visit by past (and future) Tracks dancer Kelly Beneforti who is on a brief break from her dance studies at Victorian College for the Arts. I adore seeing our Alumni.

Episode 5.2 - Festival Media Launch

Today was the Darwin Festival Media Launch. So, after a quick rehearsal with Julia and Anne cleaning up some Thai dancing, and we sent a group down to Raintree Park in costume. Julia Quinn in her Pineapple Party Dress, eyelashes and giant ring (size 2 out of 3), Yoris Wilson in his stretch Safari suit complete with shorts, and Crocodile Bullet belt, Venaska Chelia in her Disco dress, and Kristi Renfrey in her hot pink CWA outfit. To say the least - they sure did add colour and movement to the event. They were photographed by the NT news and filmed  for television also.  The lovely Jo Duffy - Festival Artistic Director, gave us a bottle of bubbly as a thank you - and we thank her back for the opportunity.

Then back to rehearsal with Julia, creating a sensuous traveling pattern to go along the edge of a lake as she sees the Crocodile Man for the first time. This was followed by more movement as the Pineapple Woman gets the dancing started at her engagement party, a unique style of dance inspired by the exaggerated hips built into the costume. Tonight is the Festival Launch proper and I am looking forward to the release of the program.

Episode 5

Today was a time to ramp up the rehearsals. During the Day we had Ann Ryan (a Thai Traditional dancer) teaching Julia Quinn (the Pineapple Woman or PW) some dance moves attached to a ceremonial blessing and Loy Kratong. Julia is an amazing dancer who picks up style very quickly, and soon she was a real Thai Princess, (except for the fingers bending fully backwards. Ann says when she was a girl in Thailand she had to soak her hands in warm water and massage the fingers into shape.

Next on the agenda was Sue Ross teaching the cast some Hungarian folk dancing, it may look simple but it is quite tricky. We are going to use this for the Crocodile Man (CM) in a solo. Thank you Sue for your time and expertise.

Splitting the cast into 2, Joanna Noonan took a rehearsal utilising our CWA ladies in a feather duster routine to a wild cha cha track. Despite a few broken Dusters, Joanna and the girls managed to produce a lush little number directed by the Head CWA – Bilha Smith.

The other half of the cast went with Tim Newth to work on some Thai kick boxing blessing movements, some masculine crocodile hunting moves, and some blessing actions starting in the mood of walking meditation and incorporating Chinese and Indian actions. Sound complex? Well this is done to traditional Mua Thai sound track that morphs into a really trancy mix I have done of Donna Summers’ I Feel Love.

After watching loads of Hungarian dancing, both teaching tapes, and performances, Yoris was sent home with a DVD to learn some basic steps. This will be turned into his solo. I think Yoris is a brave man. He is employed as an actor and I respect his desire to rise to the actor challenge. He has been employed on several other Tracks shows (A Bowls Club Wedding, You Dance Funny, and The Cook The Queen and The Kelly), predominantly as a comedian.

Yoris Wilson as the Crocodile Man

I love working in Darwin with such a wide range of influences and people

Episode 4

We are fast reaching the end of rehearsals for the three sections we have created. Tonight we learnt and reworked the Market section. Although the movement is simple, the dancers need to keep their wits about them as we are playing with different facings and directions and traveling. But it is going to be a lot of fun for the audience. Tonight we had Julia Quinn and Yoris in rehearsal, and Julia had created a pineapple selling phrase. We all learnt that and incorporated it into our routine.

The main rehearsal tonight was detailing our Busby Berkley finale. Is the finger pointed? Are we aiming above the head or at the face? Where are the silver balls meant to be? Trying to get such a diverse group of dancers with many styles amongst them, to all learn a new style that is almost "old Fashioned" has its moments, but I am very proud of the dancers, some of whom have never been in a full length performance before and are rising to the demands. The actors in the cast, (Yoris and Bilha) also have to learn the dancing.



I enjoy watching the different approach actors take to the work. So often their commitment is strong as they launch themselves into new ideas, worrying less about the details that the dancers get concerned with. Over time we will get both groups on the same page.

Thursday is the last real day for these sections. New material next week

Episode 3

Last night was a lot of fun in rehearsal. Starting with a trip to the outside undercover park are, we rehearsed the disco routine in an area chalked out by Co-Artistic Director Tim Newth. It is always interesting getting some distance from the dancing, as we are so used to working with our noses on the stage area. Our cast is starting to settle into their characters and are successfully bringing the choreography to life.

We lost a cast member, who (good news for her) has been offered a job in Singapore as a dance instructor. We wish Aimee Speak the best of luck with this change in her career. Darwin can be so transitory at times, people come and go but at least you get to meet a wide range of people.

Returning to the studio, we rehearsed the finale under Joanna Noonan's choreographic eye, the Busby Berkely style routine, making a giant human engagement cake. The Country Women's Association Party Planner women rehearsed in their costumes, a lovely shocking pink dress, 1970's air-hostess style, complete with pink hat. Ann Gibb, Lapitz creations, is amazing the way she creates costumes that the dancers love - they look good, and they can move in them. We got to the end of the blocking of the finale - Watching a few videos of Busby secured the mood. Looking forward to Thursday when we start working on the Darwin Market scene. We are hoping to create a flash dance that ends up using ideas we gained from a Filipino street parade called Sinulog. A research and 'interaction' trip to the Philippines in 2007 with Cultural adviser Betchay Mondragon provided us with the inspiration.

Episode 2

Well, we have finished the blocking of the Darwin 1970's disco extravaganza and have moved onto the finale - all Buzby Berkely style. Joanna Noonan, choreographer, tried all number of glamorous traveling patterns (Kathryn Lawrence should have been dancing in the 1920's - she just took to the style immediately). Next week we will try to space the work in an outdoor area. Our studio is only 6 metres by 10 metres and the performance space is 14 metres square, and we are all crammed up against the mirrors trying to get some perspective on it.

Last night Poppy Kathopoulis and Yoris Wilson joined the cast for their first rehearsals. Poppy has performed in Mr Big, and Struck for Tracks. Yoris has starred in Bowls Club Wedding (1 & 2), Snakes Gods and Deities, You Dance Funny, and last year in The Cook The Queen and the Kelly. More news on the rest of the cast next entry.

Production Manager, Kelly Blumberg, has been busy shopping with Tim Newth, (Co-Director) and have stocked up on many of the props. SO rehearsals are going to be a whole lot more fun soon.