Blue Mountains dance troupe the Wagana Aboriginal Dancers have scored a major coup with an official invitation to the inaugural Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival in Glasgow, Scotland in July 2014.
Honouring the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 2014, this festival celebrates the best of youth dance from across the Commonwealth.The Wagana Youth Dancers will perform at the festival along with youth dance companies from Canada, South Africa, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Malta and Jamaica.
Contemporary Aboriginal choreographer and dancer Jo Clancy is a Wiradjuri woman who has lived and danced in the Blue Mountains for nearly 35 years. Becky Chatfield is a Kamilaroi woman who has called the Mountains home for the past 10 years, and is an emerging and talented dance artist.
The duo co-ordinate the Wagana Aboriginal Dancers, and aim to share their love of sharing culture through dance, music and story-telling, aided by Darug singer/songwriter Jacinta Tobin.
“It’s a great honour for the Blue Mountains dance troupe to be invited to perform at the very first Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival,” said Clancy.
“This is such an amazing opportunity, and we now need to raise $35,000 to be able to take the six young Aboriginal dancers to Glasgow.”
As such, the Wagana Aboriginal Dancers are holding a fund-raising performance night on Saturday, October 19 at Kindlehill Performance Space on Lake Street, Wentworth Falls from 7-9pm.
Jacinta Tobin and Sam Lowbridge will be performing.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 child/concession or $45 for a family and can be purchased at Kindlehill School, Tempt Me Jewellery on Katoomba Street, or at the door on the night.
All proceeds go directly towards getting the Blue Mountains Wagana Youth Dancers to Scotland.
