Dancer and choreographer Daniel Riley McKinley is passionate about his work and enthusiastic about his role in the new Bangarra piece, Blak. He is also a thoughtful and eloquent speaker about contemporary dance and the place of the artist in society. It is clear that his experience as an Indigenous person in an urban environment has greatly influenced the production.
He explains that in Indigenous communities, boys work towards manhood and the line between youth and adult is clearly defined. However, in the cities, the change is blurred and indistinct. Blak seeks to bridge this gap by creating a transition ceremony on stage.
According to Daniel, Blak is a “celebration of the experience and journey towards manhood”. It raises questions about a man’s responsibility to culture, society and to himself.
In a wider perspective, McKinley sees Bangarra as an expression of Indigenous life which gives everybody “a sense of pride and hope in their own traditions”.
With the insightful Daniel Riley McKinley at the helm, Blak is sure to give audiences all this and much more. (LR)
June 7-22, Sydney Opera House, Bennelong Point, $69-89, (02) 9250 7111, sydneyoperahouse.com
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