Australia Dancing - Songs with Mara (1992

Songs with Mara (1992 - )

Lansac, Regis: Meryl Tankard in 'Songs with Mara', 1992

Songs with Mara premiered on 23 July 1992 at the Gorman House Arts Centre, Canberra, where it was performed by the Meryl Tankard Company. With choreography and direction by Meryl Tankard and set design by Regis Lansac, the work's initial season was dedicated to the memory of Kelvin Coe. The piece featured Bulgarian songs sung by the company and led by Mara Kiek. The original cast featured five female dancers, Meryl Tankard, Paige Gordon, Amanda Rogers, Tuula Roppola and Michelle Ryan who were joined by musicians Mara and Lew Kiek. Through its fusion of dance, song and imagery Songs with Mara evoked the spirits and traditions of Eastern Europe. The work was revived in 1995 for Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre when it featured an enlarged cast of both male and female dancers.

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Lansac, Regis: Meryl Tankard in her 'Chants de mariage II', Meryl Tankard Company, 1992

The Black Swan: Meryl Tankard - Choreographer, 1995 (Moving picture): VHS videocassette, produced by Don Featherstone Productions; sound, colour, PAL, 55 mins; A documentary examining the career of Meryl Tankard. It includes scenes from several of her works including Two Feet, Aurora, Orpheus and Eurydice (for Opera Australia), VX18504, Kikimora, Nuti, Songs with Mara, Chants de mariage II and Furioso. Some scenes show Tankard performing in Germany with the company of Pina Bausch.; Tankard, Meryl ; Nuti ; Kikimora ; Two Feet ; Chants de mariage I & II ; Furioso; Location:; National Film and Sound Archive; Title no: 282135

Lansac, Regis: Portrait of Meryl Tankard, 1984

Photographs of Meryl Tankard, 1984-1994 (Picture): A collection of photographic portraits by Regis Lansac shows Meryl Tankard in studio poses as well as in a variety of roles including Two Feet and Songs with Mara. Another photograph by Angela Lynkushka also shows Tankard in Two Feet; Tankard, Meryl ; Lansac, Regis ; Two Feet; Location:; National Library of Australia; Lansac: P570/1-3; P1767/1-3; Lynkushka: P621/8

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Other resources

Find more about Songs with Mara in:

Internet - Google
Articles - New York Public Library Dance Collection
Pictures - Picture Australia