the trees have voices, the feet have ears

“Timely and pressing, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny, NAISDA never fails to offer a singular First Nations perspective”

The trees have voices, the feet have ears is a call to arms, a charge to re-evaluate our relationship with nature.

In the Dreaming all known and unknown things are sentient, equal parts within an animate overarching entity. Instead of bending, manipulating and mediating all things through circuits, motherboards, on screens and in virtual clouds for human convenience, this year’s NAISDA end of year production proposes the reassertion of a dedicated embodied rapport with Country.

the trees have voices, the feet have ears takes up the urgent call. Caught first-hand on the wind as a roaring plea, or as a cry from the trees as they catch fire, it is mirrored in the alarm heralded by the emergent generations who will inherit a legacy of unchecked consumption and neglect.

Told through the combined mediums of kick a$#* contemporary and kick-up-dirt cultural dance, combined with film, spoken word and sculptural set design, the trees have voices, the feet have ears reminds us of the importance of seizing the moment, of the need to enter an era of relational reciprocity with Country, because Country is starting to fight back.

the trees have voices, the feet have ears features choreographer Glory Tuohy-Daniell who breaks the buffer between us and the natural world, whilst interdisciplinary performance-maker Henrietta Baird holds a microphone to the elements, amplifying the already increasing impact and frequency of global extreme weather events. Framed by Cultural Tutor and Songman Dujon Niue who brings the Torres Strait Island community of St Paul to Carriageworks, this year’s NAISDA end of year production is directed by acclaimed choreographer Vicki Van Hout.

The performance includes work by NAISDA Developing and Practising Artists, enabling Sydney audiences to witness their creative talents as both choreographers and dancers as they embark upon careers that will see them performing to audiences nationwide and globally. This year’s powerful showcase continues the unique NAISDA legacy that has placed it at the forefront of national Indigenous performing arts training for nearly 50 years.

Creative Credits

Directed by Vicki Van Hout

Guest Choreography: Henrietta Baird and Glory Tuohy-Daniell

Torres Strait Islander Song and Dance: Dujon Niue and Jeanette Fabila

Performed by: NAISDA Developing and Practising Artists