Zum InhaltsverzeichnisVirtuelles Magazin 2000 

Jose Calarco
 
DESCENDANCE OUT OF AFRICA AND INTO THE BALTICS. TOUR 2007

The Descendance Africa-Baltic States tour 2007 was a journey of the sprit heart and mind, and a lesson in coordination, endurance and faith. Imagine a journey that would take you 40,000km in the air, and 5000km in road and rail? We were set to perform in seven different countries in six weeks half a world apart, we had to deal with nine different currencies, have vaccinations for Africa, apply for visas, there were language barriers, different time zones, tight transfer schedules, varying weather conditions, new cuisines to digest., and we still did not have enough money in the budget.

Even though Descendance had performed in over 25 countries and were vastly experienced, this would be our biggest test yet, maybe even a make or break tour for us. For years I had been working on a tour through the Baltic states, and in 2007 all the pieces came together, but when a late opportunity came for a detour to South Africa and Ghana through the Department of Foreign Affairs, we knew it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit the motherland, the land of black people, music, culture, the poor and underprivileged, yet happy and vibrant people.

Descendance Dance Company showed great courage and dedication to complete this grueling tour, fighting Dysentery, flu's, exhaustion, jet-lag and dehydration, yet the spirit and camaraderie of the group could not be broken, and in the process we had the time of our lives and were treated with respect and dignity everywhere we went. The tour was our most successful to date, we reached over 100 Million people thanks to televised concerts through Russia & Africa and the whole eastern block, with coverage in over 20 countries. Standing ovations and sold out concerts greeted us throughout Europe, Descendance had been well promoted and anticipated in the region, and in the process we created potential new markets and interest in the culture with enquiries coming from the Ukraine, St Petersburg, Siberia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Finland, Sweden, and Czechoslovakia, Descendance completed every date over the six weeks without any canceled shows.

The journey begun on June 20th with an early morning flight to Johannesburg, with such a complex tour you could only take one day at a time and have faith that sometimes you must take risks and go out on a limb to taste the best fruits life has to offer. The Tour had too many highlights to recollect all of them, but great memories came from performances in the, blood spilt streets of Soweto (South Africa) where apartheid was born, to epic stadium concerts in Independent Square (Ghana), and Vitesbk Arena (Belarus), the summer festivals in Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were packed to the rafters and we were greeted with standing ovations and fanatical support like we could not have imagined, performing at The Australian Ambassadors residences' in Pretoria (South Africa) and Ghana made us feel like we were at home again, the fusions with the African drumming legend Mustapha Tettey Addys and the Dance factory were surreal, but the smiles on the faces of the children of Ghana and South Africa at our workshops were the most priceless memories.

The tour organizers did not even anticipate such a rousing response, the success of the Descendance tour has now led to an interest of the culture in new regions around the world. Descendance have now performed in 32 countries in recent times to establish itself as Australia's international dance company, indigenous culture really needs to go abroad to ensure its survival and continued practice, staying in Australia alone can not provide this as there are not enough financial opportunities and audiences, other countries seem to embrace and respect the culture better than Australians.

Photos: Copyright Descendance, use prohibited.
Contact and agent in Germany:
Brit’s Art & Promotion
Hügelstrasse 38
D-52531 Übach-Palenberg
* office: +49 2451 915559
* fax: +49 2451 915559
www.brits-art.com
 
 
Fotos: Copyright Descendance, jegliche Verwendung ist untersagt.
Ansprechpartner und Agent in Deutschland:
Brit’s Art & Promotion
Hügelstrasse 38
D-52531 Übach-Palenberg
* office: +49 2451 915559
* fax: +49 2451 915559
www.brits-art.com

Performance Clips at YouTube

 

Shake A Leg

Torres Straight

Willy Wagtail

Mosquito

 

 

 

Kangeroo

Purification

Descendance Trailer

Australiana

 

Descendance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dance Theatre:
www.descendance.com.au