Bangarra Dance Theatre: Waru  – journey of the small turtle

Australia’s leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre presents their first ever dedicated work for children Waru – journey of the small turtle. Waru is a must-see new Australian work for kids ages 3 and up and their families. 

A journey of survival and discovery with our heroine Migi the turtle, the contemporary saltwater Lagaw Kazil (Island Children) story is inspired by the totemic system of the green turtle, in an interactive and immersive introduction to Torres Strait Islander culture and dance for three to seven year-olds. 

Under the star-illuminated skies of the Torres Strait, a green turtle navigates her way back to the beach where she was born. The season has started, the turtles are returning to nest, and soon the island will welcome a new generation of hatchling – amongst them, our small turtle friend, Migi.  

Waru is created by Bangarra’s Artistic Director and multi award-winning choreographer Stephen Page, together with Hunter Page-Lochard (ABC TV’s Playschool, Spear, ABC TV’s Cleverman), and Bangarra alumni Dancers and Choreographers Sani Townson and Elma Kris, who recently starred as the title role in the company’s lauded production of Wudjang: Not the Past. 

Waru provides teachers, parents and care-givers with a unique opportunity to open up conversations about climate change, caring for the environment and the traditional cultural values of respect and reciprocity, and is also inspired in part by the highly successful Turtle (Corroboree) 2001, choreographed by Stephen Page, Peggy Misi and Elma Kris.