The Stars Descend

The Stars Descend is an expansive large-scale dance and art project in Western Australia developed through a partnership with Annette Carmichael Projects and Gondwana Link.

The Stars Descend story unfolded over five regional locations from 17 March – 1 April, 2023 through a vast trail of contemporary dance performances, aimed at transforming how people see and care for Country. Inspired by eco-restoration efforts across the Gondwana Link, it showcased the importance of climate action and restoring health to the land, and convey hope to audiences.

Each location was a chapter in a story co-created by some of Western Australia’s most impressive artists working with local community members. Performances took place in spectacular outdoor settings to celebrate the rich biodiversity and ongoing restoration along the Gondwana Link’s 1000 kilometre ecological pathway. The project utilised stars as a powerful symbol of hope, agency, and action. Stars represent ideas of deep time and the interconnectedness of people and the natural world.

Each chapter took place in a regional location situated along the Gondwana Link, from Margaret River to Kalgoorlie.  Audiences experienced the splendour of some of south-western Australia’s most significant ecological areas – the Southern Forests, Stirling and Porongurup Ranges, Fitzgerald Biosphere and the Great Western Woodlands.

The Stars Descend team delivered five visually stunning, immersive experiences of movement and sound through a well planned experience for audience members in Margaret River, Northcliffe, Porongurup, Fitzgerald Biosphere (near Ravensthorpe), and Kalgoorlie.

Choreography was inspired by the natural landscape and served the broader focus of driving community awareness of Gondwana Link’s goal to restore 1000km of continuous native habitat.

People were able to engage in a number of ways:

• As a workshop participant
• As a self-drive visitor, travelling across the Gondwana Link on a 16-day odyssey to watch all five performances, or
• As a visitor and audience member of the stand-alone chapters in single locations.

Self-drive visitors undertaking the 16-day odyssey were provided with rich information about places to visit and stories to listen to along the journey. Audiences were able to book tickets for individual chapters and remain connected to all five dance chapters and locations through shared visual imagery and digital content.

Images by Nic Duncan