Renowned Australian dancer Ms. Elizabeth Dalman, during her November 1 lecture at TNUA, pointed out that her recent work “Bride in the Desert” sends out a message about harmony between the earth and human beings.
She said many of her works have been inspired by the land of Australia, 70% of which is desert. In 2003, she said, her dance company was invited to a visit to an indigenous tribe in the desert in central Australia.
During the day, they listened to the tribal leaders telling their stories passing down from ancient times, and learned their songs and dances.
In the evening, the dancers were allowed to take part in the tribe’s rituals, one of which started with painting their bodies with red earth. That was the inspiration of her “Red Earth,” said the Australian guest of honor.
She cited the Australian indigenous tribal elders as telling her that human beings do not own the land, but instead are nurtured by it and must treasure it.
During the TNUA talk, Ms. Dalman also showed some video clips to let the audience understand how she created her dances in the wilderness, and how she further developed them in the classroom.
For her as a choreographer, she said, the biggest challenge is how she can blend natural elements with contemporary elements and thinking. Therefore her dancers need to get close to nature to get inspirations, she added.
She recounted how she saw one of her dancers dancing around a dying tree, a scene that filled her with a profound sense of sadness. For her, it was like a bride who had been eagerly expecting her wedding, but in the end was greeted by only a dead tree trunk.
The scene inspired “Bride in the Desert,” she said, as the relationship between human beings and the land should be similar to the one promised in wedding vows.
Ms. Dalman received an award for lifetime achievement at the inaugural Australian Dance Awards in 1997.