LOCAL indigenous dance group Waang-djarii are set to perform at the Sydney Opera House on November 22 to participate in a DanceRites competition as part of Homeground, a free festival of indigenous music, dance and arts.
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DanceRites is a competition where dance groups from across the nation will share their traditional culture and compete for the $15,000 prize, the winners will also have the opportunity to perform at Homeground 2016.
The local dancers will compete against more than 150 indigenous dancers from around Australia for the title.
To fundraise for the trip, and allow elders to attend the event, a performance will take place on Saturday, November 14 at Manning Regional Art Gallery from 1-2.30pm.
Tickets will be $15 and free for kids.
"The experience gained from DanceRites will be one for our indigenous dancers to remember and what better support than to have the Manning Regional Arts Gallery host our Aboriginal community to meet and perform," said Aboriginal green team co-ordinator at Taree Indigenous Development and Employment (TIDE) Sean Ploder.
"We all wish them to arrive safe in Sydney and to represent the Taree area."
The inaugural DanceRites competition is an opportunity to reclaim songlines, dance and other traditional indigenous practices. It allows dancers to connect with elders in their community and continue intergenerational exchange of story and ceremony.
Head of indigenous programming at Sydney Opera House, Rhoda Roberts, said: "'All cultures keep their classics alive, but if things continue, in 30 years the songman and woman and their classic art form, and audience, will be entirely lost."
The groups Manning Aboriginal Community Working Party and other organisations such as Biripi Medical Services and Gangga Marrang, the local police, Ngarralingii and TIDE have been supporting the group so far. The Taree Rotary Club also held a fundraiser.
