The next Festival of the Wind - 2011

 

Thank you for visiting the Festival of the Wind Website! The next Festival will be held in Esperance during 2011.

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FESTIVAL OF THE WIND SURVEY

The events outlined on this website at the moment are from the 2009 Festival of the Wind.

This website will be gradually updated once the itinary for the 2011 Festival of the Wind begins to take shape and is finalised.

Please browse through the site to get an idea of the scope and range of exciting events that you can expect at the 2011 Festival.

 

Friday night rocking the Shell

 

 

Seckou Keita Quintet

 

 

Wongutha CAPS ‘Film Fever'

 

‘Film fever' captivated Wongutha CAPS School in the lead up to Esperance's 2009 Festival of the Wind, as Fremantle's Film and Television Institute's well respected Making Movies Roadshow came to conduct a week-long, hands-on digital story making workshop with the indigenous students who board there.

Three visiting filmmakers, along with local media consultant Serena Shaddick, from Living Juicy Media, taught the enthusiastic Wongutha students the basic processes involved in creating a digital film production. This included scripting & storyboarding, video camera skills, sound and editing techniques. A total of three short films were produced by the end of the week, which were brilliantly received by a large public audience on a big outdoor cinema screen after the Festival's main dance event.

Wongutha teacher Gayee Graham loved what the workshops offered the students and hopes to develop the student's new found skills in future activities.

"This is the first time the school has done something like this, and the positive reaction from the students has been really obvious to all, and it's flowed into other areas of their development as well, both scholastically and socially. We'd love to do it again."

 

TrySail - What a Breeze!

 

 

TranscenDance - Taking Dance To A New Level

 

A unique environment, and a unique group of people combined with a talented group of choreographers created an awesome It gave me goose bumps on the night and still does... every time I hear the music display of community dance in Esperance. TranscenDANCE, as it was very aptly named went over and above expectations and left a lasting impression on the audience, dancers and all those involved. TranscenDANCE began 18 months ago, when the community of Esperance expressed a desire for more dance in their lives - and with the Festival of the Wind 2009 approaching TranscenDANCE was a perfect way of getting it to happen It was a unique project in that it was about our wetlands - the precious commodity that Esperance takes care of for migratory birds and numerous wildlife and for the future of the planet. It was exceptional in that people from across generations who had never danced on a stage before impressed the crowds with a myriad of dance styles that was exciting and exotic to the Esperance audience. With a strong line-up on the Festival committee teamed with Mary Rogers from the local peak arts body, Esperance Community Arts, the headline act for the festival was created. When Aimee Smith (recipient of the 2007 WA Dance Award for Emerging Artist) expressed interest in being involved as the Artistic Director, she was quickly signed up and her consultation with the community began. With a great team of choreographers to work with Aimee Smith coordinated the overall structure of the dance. "I wanted to convey the natural beauty of the area but also its importance to the people of Esperance." Aimee set about hearing what the community's thoughts, dreams and desires for the wetlands were and through this consultation a stunning music track emerged that still brings goose bumps to the audience when they hear it. The Esperance community came together for two weeks of intense workshops with people who had never set foot on a stage before - let alone danced on it. The project demonstrated that with determination, enthusiasm, humour and lots of hard work a project of this size is not just about the performance night. The groups traipsed out to the wetlands to immerse the dancers with the subject matter of their dance and to ensure a connection was made, which was of prime importance to Artistic Director Aimee Smith; we heard what ‘experts' thought about the area and saw some of the devastation that a rising water table can do to its environment. When the night finally arrived, the Esperance community was blown away by the performance. ‘The music was awesome - somehow it revealed the interconnectedness between the different dance styles in a natural flow that was the wetlands.' an audience member observed. Months of funding applications, workshops, consultation, discussion, rehearsal, planning and meetings found that hip hop works with contemporary dance and aboriginal dance looks great with African contemporary fusion; and a horde of motivated people from ages 7 - 70+ in the mix makes a massive opportunity for growth and learning. Having a level headed, creative and organised artistic director to work with was the other crucial ingredient for success - with Aimee Smith's youth, and wonderfully calm and positive attitude she induced the grumpiest person to laughter. ‘TranscenDANCE was, I believe, a hugely successful project.' Aimee Smith comments, ‘I judge this primarily on the impact it appeared to make on the participants themselves, which for me, as a community arts practitioner, is the primary aim of my work.' Having an experienced, well disciplined group of choreographers was the key; they worked with dancers and local dance teachers sharing experience, fun and determination to build and create a story through dance. ‘It was a strong and supportive cast' remarks Jayne Lee, Hip Hop choreographer, reflecting on the success of the project, ‘the self-esteem and confidence the participants gained over the residency was clear in their overall performance' The story was about our wetlands; a day in the wetlands of beauty, movement, smells, sounds and feelings - most of all the feelings; and the performance and experience left everyone with a lasting memory of laughter, smiling, a sense of belonging and love. TranscenDANCE was only made possible by the kind and generous support of BHP Billiton, Australia Council, Festivals Australia, DCA, Country Arts WA, Lotterywest, Healthway Act-Belong-Commit, Shire of Esperance and Esperance Showbizz. The entire experience was also supported by considerate and loving friends and family of the dancers, volunteers, community groups and businesses.

Transcendance photos: Dan Paris

 

'Take a Seat' - Public Art on the Foreshore

 

		Community feedback gathered at the Think Tank & Brainstorm Session held in preparation of the Festival of the Wind 2009 was dominated by the request for more public art in Esperance.  In response to this, the Festival Committee proposed that a local artist be commissioned as part of the 2009 Festival to produce a public artwork for placement along the Esperance Bay foreshore. The Committee's concept was to complement the popular Esperance Bay foreshore walk trail with a series of artistically created and inspired ‘seats'. To establish the collection of functional public artworks a new piece will be commissioned for each consecutive Festival.  The incorporation of public art will enliven the foreshore and add to the social and cultural fabric of Esperance.  The works will be expressions of the community's values and aspirations and will reflect the theme of each Festival.  Through the process the Festival Committee aims to develop community pride and identity, support local craftspeople, express the local history and create a tourist attraction. Upon receiving the Shire of Esperance's support, the Festival Committee secured the Esperance Port Authority and Xstrata Nickel as platinum sponsors to fund the project.  A team of two local craftspeople, Shayne Witt and Mick Kennaugh, were selected for their concept "Granite Rocks!".  Their work is fabricated out of recycled pieces of local Esperance granite and offers a meeting place with seating and lounging opportunities.  The installation took several days to complete and was officially opened at part of the Festival of the Wind on Thursday 5th March 2009.  The work, situated in Bow Park, has been received positively by the community.   The Festival Committee wishes to thank the Esperance Port Authority and Xstrata Nickel for sponsoring the project.

 

Flotsam and Jetsam

 

Beachcomber Art Exhibition