“This is their moment to shine”: the next generation of First Nations dancers take centre stage in Sydney

As an art form, dance is almost as old as time itself. Long before there were theatres, stages or spotlights, there were feet stamping the earth, bodies moving to ancient rhythms and stories passed down through generations.

So it seems only fitting that NAISDA Dance College, Australia’s leading First Nations performing arts training organisation, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a production inspired by that most enduring of natural rhythms: the rising and setting of the sun.

Taking to the Carriageworks stage in Sydney from 26 to 28 November, Goeyga Buya. Banal. Djarrawawuy: Sun Cycle brings together emerging First Nations performers for a celebration of five decades of Blak creativity, culture and storytelling.

Its beautifully evocative title draws on three First Nations languages: Goeyga Buya means sunrise in Kala Lagaw Ya, spoken in the western and central Torres Strait Islands; Banal means sun in Darkinjung, the language of the NSW Central Coast; and Djarrawawuy means sunset in Gumatj, a Yolŋu language of north-east Arnhem Land. Together, they trace the sun’s journey from dawn to dusk and back again, reflecting the passing of knowledge between generations and the promise of new beginnings.

For the first time, NAISDA’s two cultural communities – from Moa Island in the Torres Strait and the Dätiwuy Clan of north-east Arnhem Land – will share the Carriageworks stage, bringing cultural song and dance together with contemporary performances by the college’s Developing and Practising Artists. And there’s a rather lovely full-circle story behind the production, too. At its helm are award-winning choreographers Thomas E.S. Kelly, a Minjungbal, Wiradjuri and Ni-Vanuatu artist, and Taree Sansbury, a Kaurna, Narungga and Ngarrindjeri artist.

Both graduated from NAISDA more than a decade ago before going on to establish Karul Projects, a First Nations-led dance theatre company whose work has reached audiences across Australia and internationally. Thomas has also brought his talents to the small screen as the host of ABC Kids’ Dance with Tom, introducing young audiences to First Nations culture through movement, music and storytelling.

Now, they’re returning to the place where their creative journeys began, this time to help guide the next generation of First Nations storytellers. “NAISDA helped me understand who I am, what I want to say and how I can say it through my practice,” says Thomas. “To return with Taree and create alongside the next generation of emerging artists in NAISDA’s 50th year is incredibly special.”

NAISDA’s own story began in 1976, amid a flourishing of Indigenous cultural pride and a movement to bring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance traditions together with contemporary performance. What started with a small group of pioneering dancers has grown into an influential training institution, with an alumni roll call that includes singer Christine Anu, choreographer Vicki Van Hout and former and current Bangarra Dance Theatre artistic directors Stephen Page and Frances Rings.

Based on Darkinjung Country at Kariong on the NSW Central Coast, the college offers performing arts qualifications that blend contemporary dance training with cultural learning. Alongside the likes of ballet, jazz and hip hop, students spend time learning directly from Elders and cultural knowledge holders during residencies in First Nations communities. It’s an education that reaches well beyond the dance studio.

While the anniversary is an opportunity to celebrate everything the college has achieved, Thomas is keen to emphasise that the story is far from over. “This isn’t about looking back at something that has finished,” he says. “The knowledge and stories carried by the people before us are alive in these young artists, and they have their own voices and their own stories to tell. This is their moment to shine, and I can’t wait for us all to come together and celebrate it.”

Goeyga Buya. Banal. Djarrawawuy: Sun Cycle runs from 26 to 28 November 2026 at Carriageworks, Sydney. Find out more and book tickets here.