2.5: a Journey Towards Adolescence and an Aboriginal Dance Method
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2.5: A Journey towards Adolescence and an Aboriginal Dance Method Michael Leslie A thesis in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts University of New South Wales Art and Design December 2016 PLEASE TYPE THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Dissertation Sheet Surname or Family name: Leslie First name: Michael Other name/s: Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: Master of Fine Arts School: Paddington Campus Faculty: Art & Design Title: 2.5: A Journey towards Adolescence and an Aboriginal Dance Method Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) This project records my history as an Aboriginal dancer who trainedboth in Australia and the USA. The end result of this history is a new Aboriginal Dance Method, which seeks a synthesis with African American dance, and other contemporary dance fonns. In describing This new fonn, is informed by Gamilaraay Language, culture, mammals, birds, reptiles, qualities, elements, moving, parts ofthe body, material culture, water, doing, places, times,and questions. The dance sequence will include contemporary techno music and theatreto synthesise and to explore this new dance typology via the use of 100 steps drawn fromthe Gamilaraay language. These 100 steps are the core creation ofthis Masters. Is it possible to synthesise into another essentially "Aboriginal Dance Method" modern European ballet, physical theatre,African American dance and both ancient and modernAboriginal dance types? The urban Aborigine is oftendivorced, like myself, fromtraditional initiation ceremony and hence cultural Rights of Passage. Loss ofritual and ceremony coupled with racism and no safeplace to exist in society, has generated a mark milestone of institutionalism or goal time as a mark of being a man. Traditional ceremonies are often replaced by jail time foryoung Aboriginal men. Is it possible to create a major dance form, which celebrates and acknowledges these rights, by reflectingon the politics of disproportional Aboriginal incarceration? Can this new dance form,described in my thesis in 100 steps, or compressed movements, add to the choices for young Aboriginal dancers who are seeking to transcendcultural turmoil and to heal its wounds? This paper addresses the history of Racial Prejudice in Australia ofincarceration and its relationship to initiation and the rights ofpassage for Aboriginal males in incarceration. 92 % ofall Aboriginal prisoners are males. Aboriginal people account for25 % of Australia's prison population 14 times higher than that ofnon-Aboriginal people. Declaration relating to disposition of project thesis/dissertation I hereby grant to the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or in part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all property rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstracts International (this is applicable to doctoral Signature Date The University recognisesthat there may be exceptional circumstances requiring restrictions on copying or conditions on use. Requests for restriction for a period of up to 2 years must be made in writing. Requests for a longer period of restriction may be considered in exceptional circumstances and require the aooroval of the Dean of Graduate Research. FOR OFFICE USE ONLY Date of completion of requirements for Award: ORIGINALITY STATEMENT ‘I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and to the best of my knowledge it contains no materials previously published or written by another person, or substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or diploma at UNSW or any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in the thesis. Any contribution made to the research by others, with whom I have worked at UNSW or elsewhere, is explicitly acknowledged in the thesis. I also declare that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project's design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged.’ Signed ................................................................. Date .................................................................... 2 COPYRIGHT STATEMENT ‘I hereby grant the University of New South Wales or its agents the right to archive and to make available my thesis or dissertation in whole or part in the University libraries in all forms of media, now or here after known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968. I retain all proprietary rights, such as patent rights. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis or dissertation. I also authorise University Microfilms to use the 350 word abstract of my thesis in Dissertation Abstract International (this is applicable to doctoral theses only). I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my thesis or I have obtained permission to use copyright material; where permission has not been granted I have applied/will apply for a partial restriction of the digital copy of my thesis or dissertation.' Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date ……………………………………………........................... AUTHENTICITY STATEMENT ‘I certify that the Library deposit digital copy is a direct equivalent of the final officially approved version of my thesis. No emendation of content has occurred and if there are any minor variations in formatting, they are the result of the conversion to digital format.’ Signed ……………………………………………........................... Date ……………………………………………........................... Abstract This project records my history as an Aboriginal dancer who trained both in Australia and the USA. The end result of this history is a new Aboriginal Dance Method, which seeks a synthesis with African American dance, and other contemporary dance forms. In describing This new form, is informed by Gamilaraay Language, culture, mammals, birds, reptiles, qualities, elements, moving, parts of the body, material culture, water, doing, places, times, and questions. The dance sequence will include contemporary techno music and theatre to synthesise and to explore this new dance typology via the use of 100 steps drawn from the Gamilaraay language. These 100 steps are the core creation of this Masters. Is it possible to synthesise into another essentially “Aboriginal Dance Method” modern European ballet, physical theatre, African American dance and both ancient and modern Aboriginal dance types? The urban Aborigine is often divorced, like myself, from traditional initiation ceremony and hence cultural rights of passage. Loss of ritual and ceremony coupled with racism and no safe place to exist in society, has generated a mark milestone of institutionalism or goal time as a mark of being a man. Traditional ceremonies are often replaced by jail time for young Aboriginal men. Is it possible to create a major dance form, which celebrates and acknowledges these rights, by reflecting on the politics of disproportional Aboriginal incarceration? Can this new dance form, described in my thesis in 100 steps, or compressed movements, add to the choices for young Aboriginal dancers who are seeking to transcend cultural turmoil and to heal its wounds? This paper addresses the history of Racial Prejudice in Australia of incarceration and its relationship to initiation and the rights of passage for Aboriginal males in incarceration. 92 % of all Aboriginal prisoners are males and Aboriginal people account for 25 % of Australia's prison population 14 times higher than that of non-Aboriginal people. 3 List of Figures 1 Dancers in Studio 15 2 Dancers in Studio 17 3 Dancers Outdoors 17 4 Alvin Ailey 19 5 Richard Talonga and Michael Leslie 19 7 Cheryl Stone and Wayne Nicole 22 8 Aboriginal Initiation Ceremony Moree NSW 27 9 Aboriginal Initiation Ceremony Moree NSW 28 10 Aboriginal Initiation Ceremony Moree NSW 29 4 Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to my supervisors Richard Goodwin and Uros Cvoro. I would like to thank the staff who maintain and manage the Black Box production and presentation space at UNSW Art & Design that assisted in the realization of the work. Thank you to my family who have provided support and love. 5 Contents Introduction 7 Chapter 1 – Invasion and Occupation 9 Chapter 2 – My Early Days 1 2 Chapter 3 – Methodology 26 Conclusion 64 Bibliography 65 Appendix 67 6 INTRODUCTION The performance is titled ‘2.5’. This title is a number, seemingly meaningless. To me, this title is the translation of my people into a numeric, a statistic, a measurement by Western standards; Aboriginal people are the invisible minority in this country. We are the 2.5. This project addresses the history of institutional racism in Australia. It looks at the way in which attitudes from early colonial history – seen in events such as the Myall Creek Massacre – have been passed down and incorporated into attitudes towards Aboriginal people. In particular, I am interested in how my people, Kamilaroi people, have been subjected to racism. This project is not a history of colonial Australia. Rather, it is a story about how this history affects my people and manifests itself on my body. In this sense, this is a story of how the history of colonialism is mapped onto my body and the histories that establish the background to my study; this is first and foremost a subjective account. It needs to be, because my life has been marked by racism on my body. In other words, I am unable to escape this history, or live outside of it because the institutional racism in Australia will not let me. The approach taken by this project combines historical research with my own personal history: me as a dancer, an Aboriginal man, and an outsider in my own country.