Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that the following article contains the name of someone who has passed.
For many audiences, the concept of contemporary dance can be difficult to understand. It is, in its purest form, metaphorical movement. The use of the body to describe a feeling or a visual impression.
In Tracker, Wiradjuri director-choreographer Daniel Riley’s first work as artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre, he and co-director Rachel Maza bring together the movement of three dancers (Tyrel Dulvarie, Rika Hamaguchi, Kaine Sultan-Babij), the words of two writers (Ursula Yovich and Amy Sole) and the voice of one actor (Abbie-lee Lewis) to bring to life the story of Daniel Riley’s great-great uncle, Wiradjuri Elder Alec “Tracker” Riley. Alec Riley served the New South Wales police force for 40 years, bridging the gap between the enforced colonial public order system and the ways of the land.
Yovich and Sole’s script recreates the investigations that Alec Riley was involved in, interspersed with dance numbers that bring those stories to life. The text is informative, as if taken from newspaper articles on the investigations. Meanwhile, the emblematic dance numbers convey the feeling of being immersed in water, of receiving messages from country, and of the weight of being disregarded and forced to change your ways.
Along with scenic artist Merindah Funnell, set designer Jonathan Jones has created a 270-degree set that is an innovative change from the tired old revolve. Long, transparent scenic paintings of the land and other greenery hang and are moved around a circular ring that shapes the stage. Paired with the rhythmic soundscape, this multi-disciplinary work merges live performance with truly immersive staging to envelop its audience in the sound and feeling of country. It is the type of theatre that simply must be experienced.
Unfortunately, the show was hit by tragedy in the last week, with the original sole actor Ari Maza Long forced to pull out days before opening night due to the unexpected death of his grandmother. Abbie-lee Lewis (Counting and Cracking) stepped in at the last minute, and gives an honourable performance, sharing a palpable chemistry with the dancers on stage. I imagine that the transitions between text and movement will only get smoother with every performance.
With the current impetus for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and the constant dialogue in artistic circles about who gets to tell a story, or who even gets to critique a story, Tracker is a great reminder of the power of self-determined, First Nations storytelling.
Tracker is performing at Carriageworks as part of Sydney Festival from January 10 to 14, 2023. Tickets are $39-$59. Find out more and get your tickets here.
