Acknowledgements

A Sun Dance and this performance manual were developed on unceded Dharawal, Ngunawal, Nambri, Gadigal and Bidjigal country. I am deeply grateful to live and work on lands and coastlines so abundantly nourished by resilient lines of Aboriginal custodianship, and I pay my respects to all First Nations peoples and others throughout history around the earth that have found meaning and connection to the sun through dance. 

 

Deep thanks are due to the constellation of people whose knowledge, imagination, expertise and friendship have brought  A Sun Dance to life including choreographers and dancers Angela Goh, Ivey Wawn, dancers David Huggins, Lizzie Thomson, Niki Verrall, composer & musician Megan Alice Clune, and costume designer Leah Giblin.  Also to the curatorial, production and wider team at the National Gallery of Australia, namely Elspeth Pitt, Deidre Cannon and Saskia Scott. All of whom have variously shared their enthusiasm and curiosity around this manual over two years 2022-2024. 

 

For the making of manual materials specific thanks are due for the contributions of Ivey Wawn and Angela Goh for teaching, Rhiannon Newton, Ashleigh Veitch, Mitchell Christie for learning, Megan Alice Clune for the music score, and Leah Giblin for costume elements. For expert video capture & editing specific to this manual, thank you to Matthew McGuigan, and to the many involved in the documentation of the premier performance referenced throughout this manual, including Cinematography: Gotaro Uematsu, Video Editing: Miska Mandic, Photo: Jacqui Shelton, Kerrie Brewer NGA, Sal Witchalls, Work in process video: Jed Cooper, Work in process photo: Karlee Holland, Jessica Maurer, Leanne Mason. For editing, design and project support many thanks to Alison Groves. For elegant web design and illustration support Monika Behrens.

 

Conversations about generative archival practices, manuals, transmission, performance preservation and the future have underpinned this endeavor over a number of years, with grateful attention drawn to those with archivist Louise Curham, conservator Lousie Lawson and the Tate Conservation team, as well as the wider Precarious Movements research team over 2021-2024. 

 

A Sun Dance was commissioned by the National Gallery of Australia 2023. This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body. With additional support from the Australian Research Council through research and commissioning partner Precarious Movements: Choreography and the Museum, a research project hosted by University of New South Wales, with Art Gallery of New South Wales, Monash University Museum of Art, National Gallery of Victoria, Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts and Tate.

 

Immense gratitude to my own small galaxy Monika, Indigo and Esther whose orbits are the reason I can do anything at all.

 

In memory of my brother Bryce. Thank you for the reminder of the preciousness of our every rotation to meet the sun.