Australia Dancing - David, Albert (1971

David, Albert (1971 - )

Webster, Tim: Albert David at the barre during rehearsals for Stephen Page's 'Rites', Bangarra Dance Theatre and the Australian Ballet, 1997

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Born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait the third in a family of eight children, Albert David was brought up on a Mission Station. He was educated at a Sacred Heart Convent on Thursday Island before auditioning for the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) in Sydney in 1988. He began studies at NAISDA in 1989 and graduated from the college in 1995.

David joined Bangarra Dance Theatre in 1996 and performed in the company productions of Ochres, Fish, The Dreaming and the collaborative work Rites, made in 1997 by Stephen Page for Bangarra and the Australian Ballet. In 1998 David choreographed a work for Dance Clan, a Bangarra Dance Theatre production that showcased the works of emerging Indigenous choreographers.

David currently is a freelance artist. In that capacity he has worked with a range of artists and companies. They include the Australian Ballet with whom David appeared as a guest artist in Spartacus in 2002. In addition David has freelanced in choreographic works by Stephen Page, Kim Walker, Bill Pengelly, Raymond Blanco, Virginia Ferris, Jason Pitt, Vivienne Rogis and Elizabeth Dalman - performing in a number of works with her Mirramu Dance Company. He has also continued to choreograph. In 2002 he performed in his own work Giz, and in 2006 travelled to Canada to choreograph for the Canadian Indigenous dance company Red Sky Performance.

Research Materials

Oral history | Picture | All

Interview with Albert David, 2003 (Oral history): Interviewer: Mark Gordon; Interviewee: David, Albert; Audiotape; 170 mins; Albert David begins this interview by talking about his immediate family and his ancestral heritage. He speaks about the introduced society in which he grew up, in particular his schooling and religious education, and discusses his childhood ambitions. He recalls the impact of television on his perceptions of the world, including movies starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, and the impact of a tour to Thursday Island by Bangarra Dance Theatre in 1988. He speaks about going to Sydney to audition for the college of the National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association and his acceptance of the offer to join the college. David then considers his first years of studying at NAISDA and speaks about his mentor at the college, Paul Saliba. He continues with a discussion of deferring his studies in dance and returning to the Torres Strait but then speaks about his reasons for returning to dance. He gives his thoughts on the value of Indigenous culture and then speaks about joining Bangarra, his relationship with Christine Anu and the birth of his son in 1997.

David continues this interview by talking about working with Stephen and Russell Page, the nature of the choreography created at Bangarra and the impact of this style of choreography on his own development as an artist. He speaks about collaborating with the Australian Ballet on the production of Rites and about Jim McFarlane's image of him and Miranda Coney in that production. He then talks about the death of his mother and father and his relationship with Lea Francis. Performing at the invitation of David McAllister with the Australian Ballet in Spartacus and his admiration for Steven Heathcote are also discussed as is the healing power of dance. David also discusses his developing interest in choreography and in particular the creation of his 2003 work Giz. David then reflects on his aspirations for his own and his son's future as well as for the future of dance and dancers in Australia. The interview concludes with an account of David's experiences in New York while on tour with the Australian Ballet.; Page, Russell ; Heathcote, Steven ; McAllister, David ; Saliba, Paul ; Bangarra Dance Theatre ; Page, Stephen ; Australian Ballet, The ; Rites ; Coney, Miranda ; Spartacus; Location:; National Library of Australia; TRC 5023
nla.cat-vn2583108; Written permission required for research use

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Other resources

Find more about David, Albert in:

Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
Pictures - Picture Australia
Internet - Google