Dance project will seek to find hidden talent during August workshops

A dance project spanning across the State’s South West and Goldfields and aiming to explore “climate hope” will have workshops at the Goldfields Arts Centre on August 23 and 24.

The Distributed 15 program’s creator Annette Carmichael said she specialised in making large works with community members, and was thinking about the most pressing issue for people at the moment.

Ms Carmichael said climate change was clearly high on the list, and she wanted to contribute to a positive view of the future as an artist, and decided to involve community members across regions to explore the idea of climate hope.

Local producer for Distributed 15 Owen Hinton said the sessions would be taster workshops for the project, with attendees walked through the story of the project and asked to perform some contemporary dance and movement to gauge people’s interest.

“If people want to come along and try it out and they’re like ‘oh, maybe not for me,’ then it’s all good, but if they’d like to continue, then this is the entry point to it,” Mr Hinton said.

He said there would be a week of intensive rehearsal in December, but participants did not need a background in dancing, and any ability level and mobility level would be accepted.

“It’ll all be sort of made to suit, it’s open to all skill levels and experience,” Mr Hinton said.

He told the Kalgoorlie Miner anyone aged 14 and above could participate, and the choreography would be designed by Kalgoorlie-Boulder choreographer Pare Randall, with support from Ms Carmichael and guidance from First Nations consultant Gary Cooper.

Mr Hinton explained the official performance would be at Karlkurla Park, and it would bring performers a strong sense of connection to the dance, fellow performers, and the audience.

The project’s 15 performances will be spread across the regions in March next year, beginning in Margaret River and finishing in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, with Ms Carmichael anticipating many people will travel across the State to attend the shows.