Jasmin Sheppard Blak Interview

Jasmin Sheppard Blak Interview

Internationally acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre heads boldly into 2013 with an inspiring and poignant new dance theatre production, Blak.

Choreographed by Bangarra's Artistic Director Stephen Page and emerging choreographer and dancer Daniel Riley McKinley, Blak places culture at the heart of our existence. It reaffirms the powerful experiences of rites of passage for young people as they transition to adulthood. By embracing their responsibilities, these young people become a critical link in the songlines that connect our future with our ancient past. Based on the myriad of stories told by Bangarra's young artists, their personal appreciation for traditional customs and practices drives the central themes of Blak. Culture, language and survival are intrinsically linked in the urban world of changing social behaviours.

2012 was an extremely successful and busy year for Bangarra with 123 performances in 19 cities across Australia and around the world. The company also received numerous awards including Helpmann, Arts Hub and Australian Dance Awards. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Stephen Page, Bangarra Dance Theatre has built a strong global reputation, touring throughout Australia and performing in New York, Washington, Paris, London, China, Mongolia, Switzerland and Germany.

Named NSW Australian of the Year in 2008 and NAIDOC Artist of the Year in 2012, Stephen Page has long been recognised for his efforts to bring cultures together through the performing arts and also for his commitment to developing the next generation of Indigenous storytellers by mentoring emerging artists. Continuing this commitment, Page has commissioned emerging choreographer and dancer Daniel Riley McKinley to work alongside him in creating Bangarra's 2013 production Blak.

Joining Bangarra in 2007, Daniel Riley McKinley has toured and performed nationally and internationally in Clan, True Stories, Mathinna, Fire - A Retrospective, of earth & sky and Spirit. Daniel has been nominated for numerous awards including Dancer of the Year at the Deadly Awards in 2012. In 2010, Daniel made his choreographic debut for Bangarra with the acclaimed work Riley, from the production of earth & sky which was revered for its exceptional technique, strong ensemble work and powerful portrayal of character, story and emotion.

Bangarra Dance Theatre is Australia's premier national Indigenous performing arts company. Under the brilliant and inspirational artistic direction of Stephen Page, Bangarra has strived to maintain the cultural integrity and spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tradition, combining it with contemporary expressions of stories, dance and music. Bangarra creates dynamic, moving theatrical experiences and delivers these experiences to audiences across Australia and around the world.


Blak

Artistic Director: Stephen Page
Choreography: Stephen Page & Daniel Riley McKinley
Music Composers: David Page & Paul Mac
Set Design: Jacob Nash
Costume Design: Luke Ede
Lighting Design: Matt Cox
www.bangarra.com.au

Melbourne Arts Centre Melbourne, 3rd to 11th of May: www.artscentremelbourne.com.au p 1300 182 183
Ticket prices : $29-$89 plus transaction fees
Wollongong Illawarra Performing Arts Centre (IPAC), Wollongong 17th and 18th of May: www.merrigong.com.au p 02 4224 5999

Ticket prices : $41 - $67 plus transaction fees
Sydney Sydney Opera House, 7th to 22nd of June: www.sydneyoperahouse.com p 02 9250 7777
Ticket prices : $29-$89 plus transaction fees
Canberra Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra 11th to 13th of July: www.canberratheatrecentre.com.au p 02 6275 2700
Ticket prices : $40 - $63 plus transaction fees
Brisbane Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), Brisbane 18th to 27th of July: www.qpac.com.au p 136 246
Ticket prices : $34.50 to $65 plus transaction fees

Interview with Jasmin Sheppard

Jasmin is an Aboriginal woman with a mixed heritage of Irish, Chinese, Jewish and Russian descent. Her Aboriginal heritage comes from the Gulf of Carpentaria, from Normanton and Croydon; the Tagalaka and Kurtijar people.

At 18 she began full time training in musical theatre and completed three years at -The Dance Factory', Melbourne. During this time she performed in HAIR: The Musical (David Atkins, The Production Company, 2002) and The Green Room Awards (2002). In addition to this she obtained qualifications to teach Jazz and Tap dance to Advanced level.

In 2002, she studied for a further two years at NAISDA Dance College, working under choreographers such as Jason Pitt, Bernadette Walong, and Jennifer Newman-Preston. During her time at NAISDA she was privileged to learn traditional dance from Yirrkala and Mornington Island regions, and Darnley and Badu Islands in the Torres Strait. She was particularly inspired by Mornington Island dance, (also known as Lardil), and felt spiritually touched in every lesson, later discovering that her people are closely situated to the Mornington Island region.

Jasmin's other recent work include: Screen Dancer; Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony, Dancer; The Migrant Project Creative Arts Show, 2006, and understudied Vicki Van Hout's Wiradjuri, 2006.

Jasmin joined Bangarra in 2007, and has performed in True Stories, Mathinna, Fire – A Retrospective, of earth & sky, on the European tour of Spirit, Belong and most recently TERRAIN. In 2012, Jasmin also performed in Stephen Page's Warumuk - in the dark night as a part of the Australian Ballet's 50th Anniversary celebrations and of earth & sky on the regional tour.

In 2013 Jasmin visits Vietnam with Spirit and tours to regional VIC and TAS with Kinship. As well as visiting Arnhem Land for the cultural residency in the lead up to the new work Blak, Jasmin will also make her choreographic debut for Bangarra in Dance Clan 3 later in the year.

Dance has given Jasmin the opportunity to connect to her culture, and she hopes to inspire others to follow their hearts and dreams.

Question: How would you describe Blak?

Jasmin Sheppard: We've been rehearsing for four weeks; the men have been separated from the women and we're doing two separate men and women stories and then we'll be coming together in the coming weeks to create the last section of the work that incorporates both men and women.

Blak is talking about men's business, modern day initiation, indigenous men living in suburban societies and also looking at women's issues and what women go through with modern day initiation in suburban society and the good and bad things we have to deal with as indigenous people who live in the city and not necessarily living on their traditional land.


Question: What do you hope audiences take away from Blak?

Jasmin Sheppard: I hope that they get a feel that we're all in this struggle together, trying to find our identity as a human beings, as young people and above race there are issues that we touch on in the men and women's work that all women have to deal with regardless of race, colour or status. Blak shows that we're all connected and trying to find our identity and what that means for indigenous people in modern society.


Question: Can you talk about your role in Blak?

Jasmin Sheppard: We do a few different pieces and I have a number of different roles, so far with what we've created; I play a supportive family member for someone who has lost someone and I also play someone who is going through a tough relationship and then we also touch on indigenous people today who've grown up without their language trying to find their native tongue.


Question: What's a typical days rehearsal like, for you?

Jasmin Sheppard: A typical day for a dancer with Bangarra Dance Theatre begins at 10am with a warm-up class that may be a contemporary or a ballet class. Then we start rehearsals right through to lunch, we then have an hours lunch and return to rehearsal through to 6:30pm.


Question: What is different about the Bangarra Dance Theatre?
Jasmin Sheppard: Bangarra Dance Theatre tells indigenous stories from Australia, the mainland and Torres Strait as well. There is a lot of inspiration and influence from an ancient culture and we are very blessed to be able to draw on that which gives our work a unique depth and a story that is unique.


Question: What inspired you to join the Bangarra Dance Theatre in 2007?

Jasmin Sheppard: I always wanted to join Bangarra Dance Theatre since I discovered their existence when I first saw them on video and I fell in love with the style straight away and it really spoke to me allowing me to speak with my blood line and tell my own personal history as well as express my love of dance.


Question: What is it like working with Stephen Page and Daniel Riley McKinley?

Jasmin Sheppard: They're both incredibly creatively inspired and inspirational. I joined Bangarra Dance Theatre with Daniel Riley McKinley back in 2007 and I love his fresh energy and inspiration, he is a very smart and highly creative guy.

Working with Stephen Page is the reason why I joined Bangarra; his such an inspiring person and when you get into the studio with him it's like you disappear into a different creative world where you lose track of time and you're amongst the story as he focuses in on where movement comes from and the integrity of the pieces we're creating which is very stimulating.


Question: What advice would you give to others who wish to dance professionally?

Jasmin Sheppard: To young girls who want to be professional dancers first of all you've got to really love it, it's got to be your main passion because it's hard work and takes a lot of dedication. It takes a thick skin to cop the rejection; I had a lot of rejections, the first time I auditioned for Bangarra Dance Theatre I didn't get accepted, it wasn't until three years later when I auditioned in 2007 that I got a position with the company. You have to be determined and passionate about what you do so it becomes your priority. You have to be a hard worker and always be willing to grow.


Question: What inspired you to begin dancing as a career?

Jasmin Sheppard: I always loved dancing, even as child regardless of the fact that I didn't go to dance classes, when I was young, I loved dancing around the house. I think dance has always been an innate passion of mine and it's a way that I feel that I can express my spirit.

I was about 15 years old when I started taking dance classes, I finally got sick of dancing around the house and I knew I should be doing it, every week. I took myself along to dance classes with a bit of help from Mum, I mostly paid for the dance classes with my pocket money because I really wanted to do it.


Question: What's next for you, this year?

Jasmin Sheppard: After Blak we will be re-dancing an old Bangarra show and taking that around regional Victoria and Tasmania.


Interview by Brooke Hunter
Photo: Greg Barrett