Australia Dancing - Page, Russell (1968

Page, Russell (1968 - 2002)

Lynkushka, Angela: Stephen Page, David Page, Djakapurra Munyarryun and Russell Page (clockwise from centre front) of Bangarra Dance Theatre, 1993

Research Materials | Other Resources

Russell Page, a Nunukul/Munaldjali man from Queensland, grew up in Brisbane with his eleven siblings. He began his dance education at the National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) college in Sydney and graduated in 1989. In his graduating year with NAISDA Page represented Australia at the 2nd Dance Academy Festival in Hong Kong. In 1990 he performed in the One Extra Dance production of Othello in Hong Kong and Jakarta and later danced in One Extra's Brave New Works 2. During this early period of his career Page also choreographed and performed with the bands, Jump Back Jack, Jackie Orzarsky and Drum Nutz.

With two of his older brothers, choreographer Stephen and composer David, Page made up the creative core of Bangarra Dance Theatre. He joined the company in 1991 and performed leading roles in productions such as Praying Mantis Dreaming (1992), Ninni (1994), Ochres (1995), Fish (1997), Skin (2000), Corroborree (2001), and Walkabout (2002). In 1999 he work in Adelaide with Australian Dance Theatre during the time that Bill Pengelly was caretaker director of that company. While with ADT Page performed in works choreographed by Pengelly, Garry Stewart, Natalie Weir, Bernadette Walong, Rosetta Cook and Alfred Taahi. Other credits during the 1990s included performances at the Seville Expo in 1992 as part of the Barcelona Olympic Games Festival and in the flag handover ceremony at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

In 1997 Page was choreographer for Bruce Beresford's film Paradise Road. Other film and television credits include the feature film Kick (1999), Tracey Moffatt's Bedevil (1993), Christine Anu's Wanem Time (1995), Black River (1993), an operatic film directed by Kevin Lucas, Michael Riley's Poison (1993) for the ABC Network and the film musical Billie’s Holiday.

Page choreographed works for Bangarra's Dance Clan series and appeared in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and in Tubowgule, the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Arts Festival. He was nominated for the best actor award in the Tulliwali Awards in 2002.

Research Materials

Moving picture | Oral history | Reference text | All

Other resources

Find more about Page, Russell in:

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