A new take on dancing

Renowned South West troupe Southern Blue Dancers are set to kick up a storm at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre on Saturday, when they perform their contemporary piece Dust.

Based in part on the humorous poem by English woman Rose Milligan, the dance explores the idea of travelling to far and distant lands and awakening the senses to all that is new and unfamiliar.

Utilising a combination of images, poetry and the dancers’ own stories, choreographer and Southern Blue Dancers director Jenni Harding said the performance was a personal one.

“It is a series of contemporary dances, with the students actively engaged in the creative process from the very beginning,” Harding said.

The troupe of 45 dancers, ranging in age from five to 20, has been working on the production since February. Harding says all the dancers are looking forward to finally bringing it to the stage.

“They are so excited,” she said.

“The dress rehearsal will be the first time they have all come together with their dances and having them all in one place is going to be fantastic.”

Producing riveting dance performances for more than 10 years now, Harding said Dust would be a great opportunity for members of the public to experience something a little different from traditional dance.

“A lot of people don’t really know contemporary dance and it is quite amazing the performance qualities we have in this group,” she said.

“I always tell the dancers that it is not just about the body and the movement, it is about convincing the audience with their whole performance.”