I've just finished up a project with a group of fantastic dancers and musicians from the more traditional side of the arts spectrum. It's called 'rhythm diaspora' and it was a commission for the 2012 Oz Concert at the Government House Gardens by Kulcha, who run the event.
I was the music director and concept creator, and I assembled a team of some of the best traditional dancers and musicians in Perth. The piece focussed on the rhythm and dance connections between a range of these traditions. In exploring the connections between these traditions, we got to tell a few beautiful stories along the way, like the story of how the clave travelled from West Africa and became the backbone of Salsa music, to the story of how the Romani Gypsies carried north Indian traditions all the way from India to Spain and back again, creating Kathak and Flamenco in the process.
Without talking about it too much more, I hope that the video explains the process a little more - it's a mix of rehearsal footage at Artsource's Studio 42 and dress rehearsal footage from the event stage.
I was the music director and concept creator, and I assembled a team of some of the best traditional dancers and musicians in Perth. The piece focussed on the rhythm and dance connections between a range of these traditions. In exploring the connections between these traditions, we got to tell a few beautiful stories along the way, like the story of how the clave travelled from West Africa and became the backbone of Salsa music, to the story of how the Romani Gypsies carried north Indian traditions all the way from India to Spain and back again, creating Kathak and Flamenco in the process.
Without talking about it too much more, I hope that the video explains the process a little more - it's a mix of rehearsal footage at Artsource's Studio 42 and dress rehearsal footage from the event stage.
