This spring, Bangarra Dance Theatre will premiere The Bogong’s Song: a call to Country, a new work created especially for children aged 7 to 12. Opening in Brisbane this September before heading to Sydney in October, the production continues Bangarra’s growing commitment to engaging younger audiences through First Nations stories.
Created by Bidjara choreographer and writer Yolande Brown in collaboration with Thiithaarr Warra/Kaanju/Ayapathu writer Chenoa Deemal, The Bogong’s Song draws on the lifecycle and migration of the Bogong moth as a symbol of transformation and ancestral knowledge.
“Like the Bogong moth, no matter how small you are, you can carry a big story and contribute to something extraordinary,” says Brown, who also directs and choreographs the work. “When we truly understand that we’re all connected—not just person to person, but across species—we’ll begin to see how to work with the wisdom held across the greater ecosystem.”
Through a mix of dance, shadow puppetry, live performance and song, the story follows two siblings as their grandmother guides them into a dreamworld where the natural world speaks through stars, grasses and ancient stories. As the children begin to understand their place in a vast, interconnected ecosystem, the audience is invited to reflect on the importance of listening deeply, to Country, to Elders, and to the quiet wisdom of even the smallest creatures.
The production builds on the success of Bangarra’s first children’s work, Waru – journey of the small turtle, which toured nationally in 2023 and reached over 25,000 young people.
Featured performers Benjin Maza (Yidindji/Birri Gubba/Miriam Mer/Tanna Island) and Tjilala Brown-Roberts (Warlpiri) bring the central characters to life, supported by a creative team including composer Brendon Boney (Wiradjuri/Gamilaroi), designer Richard Roberts, video designer Justin Harrison, puppetry consultant Vanessa Ellis, and cultural consultants Aunty Doris Paton (Ngarigo/Monero) and Arthur Little (Wiradjuri/Gomeroi/Ngunnawall/Yuin).
Illustrations by Walbunja/Ngarigo woman Cheryl Davison and lighting by Ben Hughes and associate Eben Love (Ngarrindjeri) round out the production’s multidisciplinary approach.
The Bogong’s Song will premiere at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre from 24 September to 4 October as part of Brisbane Festival, before travelling to Bangarra’s Studio Theatre in Sydney from 8 to 19 October.
Presented by QPAC and Bangarra Dance Theatre in association with Brisbane Festival, the production has been generously supported by Arts Queensland, the Australian Government’s Indigenous Languages and Arts program, the Girgensohn Foundation and the Knights Family Jabula Foundation.
Find out more at Bangarra.