Mount St Benedict College acknowledges and pays respect to the past and present traditional custodians and elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Ancestors have walked this country and we acknowledge their special and unique place in our nation’s historical, cultural and linguistic identity.
Visitors should be aware that this Research Guide may contain images or documentation relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are deceased.
Dance and ritual have been essential parts of the cultural and spiritual life of Australian Indigenous peoples for more than 40,000 years, used to promote health and wellbeing and share cultural knowledge.
Established in 2005 as a direct outcome of the watershed National Indigenous Dance Forum, BlakDance is a national industry organisation for First Nation contemporary dancers and choreographers.
We are Bangarra Dance Theatre.
We are a company of professional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers.
We are storytellers. We are fire makers.
As one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies, we share our culture with Communities and audiences across Australia and the world.
Ozzie teaches kids about an important part of Indigenous Australian culture, Aboriginal Song & Dance. We learn traditional instruments such as the yidaki or didgeridoo, clapping sticks, along with various dances and their meaning and also the significance of the Acknowledgment of Country.
Short segment of this video where indigenous Australians discuss the importance of dance in their culture.
Bangarra Dance Theatre is Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company. This February, Bangarra return to Tamworth for the first time in ten years with Spirit: a retrospective 2021, a powerful collection of dance stories chosen from Bangarra’s 31-year repertoire.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dancers and Choreographers
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dance Companies/Institutions
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dance Festivals and Celebratory Events
This list features examples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance festivals and celebratory events.
For more information about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander festivals/celebrations relating to the Arts more broadly, you may also like to visit:
Traditional and ceremonial Aboriginal Dance has been a part of the Aboriginal culture for thousands of years. Dances played an important role in the spirituality of Indigenous Australian tribes, and each group had different customs when it came to performing and orchestrating these dances.
Aboriginal dance, both traditional and ceremonial, has been a component of Aboriginal culture for centuries. Indigenous Australian tribes valued dancing as a spiritual practice, and each tribe had its own traditions for choreographing and performing these dances.
The information and resources in this guide help teachers and educators embed important ideas around reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, cultures and contributions in dance subjects.