Pensive Dancer
“The eyes are the most important thing”‘ they say.
So that is where I decided to start.
Could I capture the look in his eyes?
My friend, Jessica Saxton, had caught the moment perfectly with her lens. She’s a brilliant young journalist who gets to travel to all sorts of places and capture the moments with her words and photos.
For this photo she had been travelling with the traditional dance groups from the NPA (Northern Peninsula Area) where we all lived in Far North Queensland, Australia. This little fellow was dressed and ready, waiting to go on for their next performance. He was with Uncle Seriat and the Kuraureg Dancers from Umagico (Alau) . Uncle Seriat is often found teaching the young ones to dance. So many traditions are passed down through this medium. It’s a part of culture that is taken very seriously. Having been privileged to see many performances and practices, to have the dances explained in detail, i wonder if we in western cultures miss out greatly by not dancing with our youth.
This kid is not sad, but rather, a little anxious. The Laura Dance Festival is a huge deal. For all the laughing and camaraderie during the festival it’s a very serious business. Every two years all the Aboriginal groups throughout Cape York come and celebrate their culture and who they are. He is about to showcase his people.
Lynda Symons ©2014
Lynda Symons Artistry 