Blue Mountains dance troupe the Wagana Aboriginal Dancers have been invited to bring four young dancers to perform at the 13th Dance and the Child International World Congress in Copenhagen in July 2015.
Shakira Parker, Jacklyn Chalker and Olivia Enyon from Lawson Primary School and Kirrily Wood from Faulconbridge Primary School will travel with Wagana's artistic director Jo Clancy and Darug singer/songwriter Jacinta Tobin to Denmark next year to perform 'Sum of my Ancestors' which explores and confronts issues related to Aboriginal culture and identity.
Wagana girls are learning every day who they are, where they come from and their role in community. They have fair skin, they dance, they weave and they share stories passed down from generation to generation. They are all the sum of their ancestors.
Wagana have recently returned from a tour to Glasgow where they delivered workshops and performed at the Commonwealth Youth Dance Festival.
Ms Clancy said: "The level of interest in Aboriginal culture, people and dance from the 400 young people we shared our workshops with in Glasgow was overwhelmingly positive and our performance evoked tears and much applause from our audience.
"Wagana are thrilled to have another opportunity to share Darug and Wiradjuri Aboriginal culture at an international event and to showcase the richness of our dance, language and art. The girls are also very proud and humbled to go overseas and represent their families, their community and their culture."
To sponsor the tour or make a donation call Jo on 0409 651 290 or email jo.clancy@bigpond.com.
Wagana are auspiced by the Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre.
