The PuSh International Performing Arts Festival (PuSh Festival) and Coastal Jazz present the sweeping, visually-stunning multimedia experience, dirtsong, February 4, 8pm at Queen Elizabeth Theatre. Australia’s Black Arm Band, an ensemble of acclaimed Indigenous artists, will perform intoxicating harmonies and vocals in nearly a dozen languages, drawing on 40,000 years of tradition to showcase their country’s rich culture. Behind them, projections of vivid Australian landscapes – from vast plains to outback communities – will become illuminated in stunning documentary film.
“Four years ago, I witnessed dirtsong and was profoundly moved by the work’s sublime artistry and its message of resilience, hope and understanding,” says Norman Armour, Artistic & Executive Director of the PuSh International Performing Arts Festival. “Australia’s history marred by the displacement of Indigenous communities from their ancestral territories runs parallel to Canada’s own past. As we approach 150 years as a nation, I believe celebrating the enduring, deep-seated cultures of our overseas peers can empower us further along our own path to reconciliation.”
dirtsong was commissioned for Australia’s Truth and Reconciliation Hearings process and is so named to honour the bond between Indigenous peoples and the very soil they call home. With driving percussion, didgeridoo virtuosity, and soulful vocals, audiences will hear 11 Indigenous dialects – some virtually extinct – as they embark on a musical journey through the heartland of Australia. Sharing five narrative episodes based on the writings of Aboriginal author Alexis Wright, the performers are accompanied by striking cinematography that will conjure places, memories, and encounters, as well as moments of community and natural wonder.
Free Workshop Event: Languages & Voices of dirtsong with Black Arm Band
February 5, 2017, 12pm – 3pm at The Post (110 – 750 Hamilton Street)
Members of Black Arm Band offer a vocal workshop focusing on the significant songs from their signature production, dirtsong, and the Indigenous languages in which they’re sung. It explores heritage, personal journey and connection to land by mapping out the significance of these languages to the company and Australia. No prerequisites required. Admission by application only at pushfestival.ca
PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and Coastal Jazz present: dirtsong
Date & Time: Saturday, February 4, 8pm
Location: Queen Elizabeth Theatre 650 Hamilton Street, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5N6
Ticket Prices: $25 - $45
Box Office: ticketfly.com or 604.449.6000
Website: pushfestival.ca