Enthusiasm for dance grows in the Northern Rivers region, cultivating a vibrant community of artists and practitioners who intertwine Culture, nature, and creativity in dynamic ways.

The PRACTICE AND PLAY initiative unites diverse creative minds from across the region, fostering collaboration, connection, and artistic growth in inspiring settings. Serving as a hub for exploration, it offers participants the chance to learn, share, and create in an inclusive and supportive environment. Through movement, storytelling, and shared experiences, the program celebrates both personal expression and collective energy.

What is PRACTICE AND PLAY?  

PRACTICE AND PLAY is a dance and movement initiative envisioned by a community of Northern Rivers Independent dance artists and produced by Philip Channells. It aims to unite dance makers, artists, and creative practitioners through site-specific workshops that combine movement exploration, cultural exchange, and social interaction. Each gathering provides a platform to experiment, share, and learn, culminating in a communal meal that deepens connections and celebrates the community spirit. 

Event Highlights

Co-facilitated by Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal and Janessa Dufty on Sunday 27 October 2024, this day-long residency took place on Yaegl Country, near Wooloweyah Lake and the river mouth of Yarrawali Biirrinba, before moving to Angourie Back Beach in Yuraygir National Park. This event showcased the program’s unique capacity to integrate artistic practice with the natural environment, cultural connection and playful exploration.

Image: Philip Channells

Dancers: Sean Campbell and Mitch King

Jade’s Workshop: Spirals and Heart Energy

The workshop began with warm-up exercises that incorporated layered touch – from skin to bone marrow, and activated the body’s dimensions – horizontal, lateral, and sagittal. Participants explored the connection between the heart and brain through touch, movement, and heightened sensory awareness.

Jade introduced Wayang Kulit shadow-play puppets, highlighting the Gunungan/Kayonan as a powerful symbol of beginnings, endings, and the unseen world. Building on this, participants engaged in spiral dance movements, navigating the balance between stillness and flow within group dynamics while attuning to the energy of those around them. Groups alternated between moving and observing, focusing on the interplay of spirals and exploring how movement can either support or disrupt others, fostering a deepened understanding of collective energy and interaction.

Holding my breath watching others in the bind, releasing my breath when they found a way through. Tora Crockford

Image: Tomas Zdanius

Janessa’s Workshop: Improvised Partnering and Character Exploration

Janessa’s workshop offered an engaging dive into improvisation, physical response, and creative storytelling. Participants were encouraged to explore their physicality through partnered touch, playful character-building, and dynamic group interactions, all enhanced by live music. These exercises fostered trust and curiosity, allowing dancers to embrace spontaneity and follow impulses without pre-planned outcomes. Each partnered interaction became a conversation through movement, as participants navigated and adapted to the unexpected directions inspired by touch-based cues.

Leif Larkin’s live accompaniment was a vital element of the workshop, setting the tone for exploration and improvisation. The music’s dynamic shifts and rhythms enhanced the emotional and physical responses of participants, creating a rich and immersive environment.

Building on this foundation, Janessa guided the group through a series of playful character explorations inspired by the meeting of Country and ocean. Using humour, exaggeration, and imaginative prompts, participants embodied a variety of personas and dynamics, such as “Put ya boots on” and “Roll ya sleeves up,” preparing for the creative tasks ahead. This phase blended storytelling with movement, fostering both individuality and a shared sense of connection.

Image: Philip Channells

Dancers: (L-R) WOJAK, Sean Campbell, Janessa Dufty and Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal

Group Witnessing

The workshop embraced the idea of performance as process, with participants alternately moving and observing. In small groups, participants shared their character improvisations, providing opportunities for feedback, appreciation, and a sense of shared experience. This mutual witnessing deepened the group’s understanding of each other’s creative processes and amplified the collaborative spirit of the day.

Image: Tom Zdanius

Dancers: (L-R) Allison Pagano, Kimberley McIntyre and Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal

I loved the theme and immersing in their cultural stories, experiences and food. It was beautiful to weave our spiraling journeys together in so many memorable ways. It was a beautiful interplay of connection to self, other and nature. Allison Pagano

Shared Meal  

Participants enjoyed a delicious, multicultural feast featuring dishes from Javanese and Filipino cuisines, such as noodles, adobo, spring rolls, and fish curry. Sharing food brought a sense of warmth, community, and gratitude to the day.  Compliments to all the chefs!

Image: Philip Channells

Beach Choreography

Janessa’s workshop, ‘From Country to Surf,’ was a joyful and empowering experience, blending humor, creativity, and connection. By creating a space free from judgment, participants were encouraged to play, unlocking pathways for artistic expression and strengthening community bonds.

“Catch the raging bull” as a metaphor for facing challenges, with the bull slipping, spinning, and driving participants into spontaneous movement. “Wave diving” as a symbolic motion of resilience, pushing through, and flowing with natural forces. The activity encouraged participants to step into new identities, blending elements of their personal experiences with imaginative, playful movement. 

On the beach, the group revisited movement sequences from the character phrase developed earlier in the hall. This exploration evolved as participants entered the water, ducking and diving under waves while continuing to embody and repeat the phrase. Drawing inspiration from the natural elements of the ocean, the group choreographed an improvised piece that mirrored the fluid, ever-changing dynamics of water, blending spontaneity and collaboration into a powerful shared experience.

Image: Helen Tyas Tunggal

Helix Vortex Dance

Led by Jade along the tide line, the group created infinity spirals in the sand, connecting their movements with the rhythms of the Earth. This exercise highlighted the collective energy of the group, blending seen and unseen forces into a transformative, flock-like flow.  

Dancing on Country added a profound sense of connection to the land, sea and sky, honouring the local Yaegl people and their legacies.

To be creative on Country is 100% what I needed and to imagine more is what has been seeded. Mitch King, a Yaegl artist whose spirit and legacy resonates deeply within the community.

The natural environment became an integral part of the experience, with the tide, sand, and surrounding elements infusing the dance with meaning. Participants felt a unique privilege in moving within this sacred landscape, finding inspiration and grounding in the rich cultural significance of the space. This connection to Country deepened the group’s exploration, making the practice both a tribute and a transformative experience.

Reflections  

The workshop concluded with heartfelt reflections on the value of collaboration, play, and freedom to explore without pressure. Participants expressed appreciation for the safe, non-judgmental space that encouraged bravery, creativity, and connection.  

Image: Helen Tyas Tunggal

Acknowledgements

Co-facilitators: Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal and Janessa Dufty.

Participants: Sean Campbell, Philip Channells, Colleen Coy, Tora Crockford, Megan Edwards, Agustin Elaskar, Jai Hackl, Marianna Joslin, Mitch King, Leif Lyall, Kimberley McIntyre, Alya Manzart, Cara MacLeod, Allison Pagano, Kevin Privett, Junko Sakamoto, and WOJAK.

Photographers: Tom Zdanius, Helen Tyas Tunggal (main image) and Philip Channells.

Catering: Mrs Dufty and Jade.

The next PRACTICE AND PLAY #4 will be led by Marianna Joslin and Shar Mitchell at Lake Ainsworth, Lennox Head on Sunday 2 February 2025. To register, click here. For more information or to inquire about hosting a future event, contact: Philip Channells E: philipchannells@gmail.com.