Elma Gada Kris is an Australian dancer, choreographer and NAIDOC award winner. She is a Torres Strait Islander woman of the Wagadagam, Kaurareg, Sipingur, Gebbara and Kai Dangal Buai peoples, and a member of the Bangarra Dance Theatre.

Early life and education

Kris was born on Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. She is a descendant of the Wagadagam, Kaurareg, Sipingur, Gebbara and Kai Dangal Buai peoples.[1]

She attended a performing arts school on the mainland,[1] the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) Dance College in Sydney.[2]

Career

Kris first danced with Bangarra Dance Theatre in 1997.[2] She danced with the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre dance troupe before joining Bangarra Dance Theatre full-time in 1999,[3] dancing with them for more than 20 years.[4][5] Bangarra Dance Theatre's artistic director Stephen Page described Elma's contribution as “vital within Bangarra’s story and evolution. Over the past twenty years, she has been a unique creative collaborator, a source of wisdom and a valued friend to me. She has been instrumental in shaping and bringing Torres Strait Islander stories to the stage. I have such enormous respect for Elma – she is a rare artist and leaves an incredible cultural legacy for the next generation to carry forward."[1]

Kris also formed her own dance group, Bibir.[2]

Works

Kris's choreographic credits include Malu (Bibir dance company, 1998),[4] Bupau Ipikazil and Bupau Mabigal for NAISDA (1994)[4] and components of the Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony (2000)[4] and Emeret Lu (Bangarra Dance Theatre, 2007).[4][6]

Awards

Kris has also been nominated for the Helpmann Award (2017) and an Australian Dance Award, for her role in Bennelong (2018).[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Nimmo, Julie. "NAIDOC 2019: Elma Gada Kris is the Artist of the Year". NITV. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 3 "On View: Icons". Sue Healey-Dance-Film. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  3. ↑ "National Museum of Australia - Elma Kris". National Museum of Australia. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Elma Gada Kris". NAIDOC. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Bangarra farewells Elma Kris from the stage - Dance Informa Australia". Dance Informa. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "Person Elma Kris". www.bangarra.com.au. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  7. ↑ "Congratulations to the 2019 National NAIDOC Award winners". Indigenous.gov.au. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  8. ↑ Brinsden, Colin (6 July 2019). "Actor Gulpilil gets NAIDOC lifetime award". Guardian News. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
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