Bold Sydney Festival move for Bangarra dancer

After 13 years of helping to shine a light on the indigenous experience, former Bangarra dancer Waangenga Blanco is taking on the risqué world of Pigalle.

Dancers Chaska Halliday and Waangenga Blanco will perform in Sydney Festival show Pigalle at the Spiegeltent in Hyde Park. Picture: Toby Zerna

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After 13 years of helping to shine a light on the indigenous experience, former Bangarra dancer Waangenga Blanco is taking on the risqué world of Pigalle.

The Sydney Festival show, which will take over the Magic Mirros Spiegeltent in Hyde Park North until January 27, is a joyous carousel of music, muscles and redemption fused with burlesque and ’70s discotheque.

Some of the Pigalle cast, including Marcia Hines and iOTA (centre) and dancers. Picture: Dan Himbrechts

“It is a cabaret, disco extravaganza with burlesque, fire swallowers and aerialists,” Blanco said.

“My character is the Everyman in this club setting. My story relates to a lot of people in that I have been doing the same thing day-in- day-out and I got to a point where I realise that I wasn’t truly happy, that I wasn’t seeking my true potential. It pushes me out of my comfort zone so I can be a better version of me, so that all these other parts of my character can shine.”

Waangenga Blanco performing with Bangarra Dance Theatre. Picture: Roger Stonehouse

From the makers of disco musical Velvet, Pigalle also stars Marcia Hines, cabaret legend iOTA and British burlesque star Kitty Bang Bang.

Blanco, whose own heritage traces back to the Meriam and Cape York regions, said the Bangarra indigenous dance company was special as it allowed us “to give these stories back to the people who gave them to us”.

“It will always be a part of my story, my journey, my family and I hope to go back there one day and create again but I am really excited to be able to find my own voice outside the Bangarra mould,” Blanco said.

Pigalle is an eclectic mix of disco, cabaret and burlesque. Picture: Daniel Linne

Sydney Festival director Wesley Enoch said the Sydney Festival was designed to refresh the mind and soul, encouraging us to see the world in a different way.

Sydney Festival runs until January 27 and features 18 world premieres and five Australian premieres.

Pigalle runs from January 8 to 27. Tickets range from $70-$86 plus booking fee. See sydneyfestival.org.au