Music and Dance for Life: A celebration of music, dance, life and identity in remote Indigenous communities

CAAMA Music is excited to have rolled out the first Music and Dance for Life workshops last week at Ikunji.  Music and Dance for Life is a combined rhythm, vocal and dance project that will be delivered to young people in six Indigenous communities in Northern Territory between April and June 2008. The workshops aim to inspire young people towards further engagement and training in music and dance programs.

Three professional performing artists – a percussionist, dancer and musician - will teach up to 20 students using a special circle workshop structure developed at CAAMA Music. The project runs for two weeks at each community. Each day there will be one workshop within school hours and one after school, so all the kids in the communities can get involved.

“The Music and Dance for Life workshops are a fantastic opportunity for young people in remote communities to get performing arts skills from dedicated and talented professionals.” Says Bill Davis, the manager at CAAMA Music. “Music and dance is such a powerful way of exploring and expressing identity. The project has huge potential to empower and inspire young people out bush.”

The workshops will culminate in a community concert at the end of the two weeks where the young people will perform what they have learnt. The performance will reflect local language, story and culture as well as local forms of movement developed through the workshops. Local bands will also be supported to present a night of entertainment for the community.

As part of the project each community will also receive a donation of music equipment including a PA sound system, mixer, guitars and drums. This equipment will allow communities to continue to play and develop music with their own local flavor.

The CAAAMA Music workshops are funded through the Indigenous Coordination Centres and Central Australia Petrol Sniffing Unit. They will be held at Ikunji, Willowra, Areyonga, Aputula and Titjikala.

View video below presenting workshops in multi art-form rhythm, vocal and dance.  The target group for the workshops are indigenous young people between the ages of 10-18.