Performing arts
Dance principles and protocols
Dance principles
and protocols
Indigenous dance takes many forms including
storytelling, ritual and entertainment, and may
combine with other artforms such as drama
and visual arts. Dance productions are
generally collaborative works involving the
expertise of dancers, choreographers, artistic
directors, production crew and others.
The principles outlined below are a framework
for respecting Indigenous heritage.
1. Respect
2. Indigenous control
3. Communication, consultation
and consent
4. Interpretation, integrity and authenticity
5. Secrecy and confidentiality
6. Attribution
7. Proper returns and royalties
8. Continuing cultures
9. Recognition and protection.
In the following pages, we have suggested
protocols for using Indigenous cultural material,
and interfacing with Indigenous artists and
Indigenous communities.
1. Respect
If you honour and respect Indigenous
protocols, your production will work out well.
It can often be a challenge but it’s the right
process. If you don’t seek protocol it won’t.
Be a success on a number of levels.
Rhoda Roberts60
Respectful use of Indigenous cultural material
and information about life experience is
a basic principle.
Acknowledgment of country
When organising a dance performance, festival
or event of local, state or national significance,
it is respectful to invite a representative of the
traditional owners to attend and give a ‘welcome
to country’ address.
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See the discussion on page 10 about ‘welcome
to country.’
Representation
Indigenous cultures should be represented using
Indigenous cultural values. It is important to avoid
outdated or inappropriate perspectives and
terminology. When a non-Indigenous group
collaborates with Indigenous performers and
the community, it is best to invite an Indigenous
person to work as a cultural consultant. Their
tasks include liaising between the groups,
advising on cultural protocols and the use of
Indigenous cultural material so that its integrity
is valued, protected and respected.61
Australia’s premier Indigenous dance company,
Bangarra Dance Theatre, has a strong
commitment to cultural protocols in the
development of dance. For instance, Bangarra
developed a formal agreement with the
Munyarryun language group of northeast
Arnhem Land for permission to perform and
adapt the language group’s dances.
When we went into creative development for
our full-length piece in 1997, Fish, we drew
up a formal agreement which stated that the
Munyarryun clan give their consent for use of
their traditional dance and song (which uses
the Yirritja language in its raw form) and [that]
these materials would be used by Bangarra.
We’ve been in a very fortunate position
because Djakapurra (Munyarryun clan
member) and his sister Janet are actually
working with us – so we don’t have the
problems of going back and forth, checking
the way material is being used and isn’t
distorting any of its true meanings or
transgressing any protocols. They are
constantly overseeing this through their
very presence.62
Accepting diversity
There is great diversity of Indigenous dance forms
and styles among Indigenous communities.
Performing arts
Dance principles and protocols
This diversity comes from the different styles
and forms belonging to language groups
across the mainland and islands. Diversity is
also reflected in the many different ways
Indigenous people express their experiences
in dance. This might influence the creation
of new dance forms representing personal
experiences and observations, new
interpretations of stories about individuals,
families or communities, and research and
revival of Indigenous dance styles. Indigenous
dancers value their diverse styles and identities.
Broad acceptance of this diversity makes an
important contribution to creative endeavour
and cultural development.
Living cultures
Indigenous cultures are living and evolving
entities, not historical phenomena. The
development of new forms of expression is an
important part of contemporary Indigenous
culture. Dynamic cultures are often influenced
by different styles, but care must always be
taken when interpreting or adapting traditional
or contemporary dance forms. In the case of
traditional dance, it is essential to identify the
person with authority to speak for that dance,
consult with them for permission to use their
dance, and follow their directions.
Contemporary dance is an equally important
element of Indigenous culture, and extensive
consultation should be undertaken before
interpreting or adapting contemporary dance.
2. Indigenous control
Indigenous people have the right to selfdetermination in their cultural affairs and
expression of their cultural material.
One significant way is for all participants in a
project to discuss how Indigenous control over
a project will be exercised. The advice and
liaison skills of a cultural consultant can be very
useful. Discussions should include the issue of
who can represent language groups, who can
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give clearances of traditionally and collectively
owned material, and who can speak for
contemporary dance.
Many Indigenous dance steps and combinations
of dance forms belong to particular language
groups. Permission from language group owners
is required to perform those steps and dances.
Several groups are developing their own
policies and procedures to protect their culture,
and to ensure the integrity of productions.
Case study: Woomera
Aboriginal Corporation
Woomera Aboriginal Corporation, a
custodian of Mornington Island’s Lardil
cultural heritage, is developing an
intellectual property policy that reflects the
Mornington Island community’s intention
to protect its culture and traditions while
at the same time demonstrating respect
for others. The policy is drafted partly in
response to a preponderance of
unauthorised performances of Mornington
Island’s songs and dances. The policy
promotes a strategy for protecting
ownership of Mornington Island’s own
songs and dances and provides policies
and procedures that discourage
unauthorised attempts that exploit Lardil
culture. Woomera has no desire to secrete
Mornington’s rich dance tradition and freely
promotes Lardil culture through dance
performance, film, recordings, publications
and exhibitions.63
Case study: The Dreaming Festival
– The First Nations Status application
We have developed a First Nations Status
form which has been developed for
performers unknown to the festival and/or
collaborative works with Indigenous and
non-Indigenous artists. It requires people
who want to perform at the festival to tell us