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Matriarchs Lead Powerful New Dance Work To Sydney Opera House
Dharug dancer and choreographer Peta Strachan is bringing a powerful new work centred on First Nations women, language and Country to the Sydney Opera House as part of Sydney Festival 2026.
Jannawi Dance Clan’s new work
- Strachan’s all-female company, Jannawi Dance Clan, will premiere the immersive work Garrigarrang Badu – meaning “saltwater, freshwater” in Dharug – at the Opera House on January 9 and 10.
- The Sydney-based ensemble draws dancers from across the country, with a focus on honouring and revitalising First Nations language, story and ceremony through contemporary and cultural dance practice.
Celebration of Dharug Country
- Performed entirely in Dharug language, Garrigarrang Badu traces the journey of water from the mountains to the sea, highlighting how each part of Country holds its own stories and responsibilities.
- Strachan describes the work as a “love song” to her Dharug homelands and to the ancestors, especially the matriarchs who have safeguarded stories and culture across generations.
Space for women, strength and voice
- Strachan founded Jannawi Dance Clan after becoming a mother, determined to create a safe, supportive space where women could continue their dance practice while navigating parenthood.
- She says the company allows women from different mobs to come together, ground themselves and “lift our voices” through shared performance and cultural connection.
Creative collaborators and cultural leadership
- The production has been developed in partnership with FORM Dance Projects and Arts and Cultural Exchange, whose leaders praise the work as a powerful expression of First Nations creativity in western Sydney and an example of strong cultural leadership by First Nations women.
- Dharug Elders and knowledge holders have also guided the creation of the piece, ensuring cultural integrity and community ownership of the stories being brought to the stage.
Deeper cultural insight for audiences
- One of the three performances will be followed by a special knowledge holders’ talk, giving audiences the chance to hear directly about the stories, language and cultural knowledge embedded in the work.
- The season at the Sydney Opera House marks a major milestone for Jannawi Dance Clan, positioning Garrigarrang Badu as a must-see work within the 2026 Sydney Festival program.
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