A ballet dance video. Ballet dancers dancing.
Music: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?
id=292340932&s=143441
From the ballet series, "Anaheim Ballet: More Than Dance..."
Australia's got talent 2008
talent audition show 3
These non-english islanders, from Arnhem Land, chooky dancers, have travelled to perform for the judges in Melbourne Australia.
Dancing a modernised Yolngu version of the classic dance from Zorba the Greek.
The Chooky Dancers, from Elcho Island are a group of barefooted Aboriginal men wearing skirts and tradidional ceremonial white body paint.
In the past, this dance has only ever been performed in Arnhemland, a vast Aboriginal owned region of northern Australia.
Bored with perofrming on their small island at indigenous dance festivals, they decided to improve and modernize their act. Someone happened to film them and post it on youtube, very quickly it became a hit with almost a million views.
Fame then sky-rocketed further after starring on Seven Network's Australia's got Talent.
Invitations are now flooding in from around the world. A possible first destination is Greece, not to mention many more, they are becoming quite popular and famous, even making headlines in European newspapers.
This Yolngu style Zorba goes indigenous act made it through to semi-finals, watch Australia's got Talent, Tuesday evenings, 7:30 on Seven.
Native dancers, chooky dancer audition 2008.
Zorba the greek Yolngu style, up-tempo.
No, it's not the chicken dance.
Dannii says that Britney Spears should learn some dance moves from them.
WINNING ACT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wcg6VWW7LE
Talent 2008 Denmark Robot Dancers. These guys are amazing dancers and entertainers. They made it to Finals in the show.
Hey I guess I posted up the lyrics. I wrote these up as I listened to the track, its the best of what I can understand so I hope its accurate!!
Lyrics:
Hey (X4)
Now I can't seem to get it
and in my mind I'm bettin
My times made up, I gotta go
and its alright if you want
to see through your tomorrow,
but right now I gotta go.
if you want to stay then you can
be here with me.
but I can't let go all this love, oh no, so easily
I said if you want to stay then you can
be here with me.
but I can't let go all this love, oh no, so easily
No I can't seem to forget
In my mind Its ready
my times made up, but I'm at home
And its alright if you want
to be who you want to be
but right now, I gotta go.
if you want to stay then you can
be here with me.
but I can't let go all this love, oh no, so easily
I said if you want to stay then you can
be here with me.
but I can't let go all this love, oh no, so easily.
If you want to go babe, you can.
but hear me out.
Oh I can't let it go so easily.
So easily
So easily
(Harmonizing)
No No No
If You want
If you want
So easily
Its alright
Believe me it's alright.
Musical traditions and recollections of eight retired African-American railroad track laborers whose occupational folk songs were once heard on railroads that crisscross the South.
Aboriginal interpretation of Zorba the Greek.
Frank Djirrimbilpilwuy from Milingimbi has been in the Indigenous Media Industry for many years and has been a long-standing member and supporter of the Top End Aboriginal Bush Broadcasting Association, TEABBA Radio. He has worked Independently in Music and Film for many years also.
As the man behind the camera and release of the video, Frank is also representing the dance group who call themselves "The Chooky Dancers". Frank has said that he filmed the footage at this years Ramingining Festival on the 30th September 2007 and knew it would be "something special" as soon as he saw the boys rehearsing. "The crowd went wild as you can see in the video, and the classic song Zorba the Greek has now become a hit overnight in the communities and now it seems, everywhere else too" Frank said.
In just one week of being released onto "You Tube" by the staff at TEABBA Media Services, the video has received rave reviews been given a 5 star rating and has now been viewed well over 15,000 times.
"The phones have not stopped ringing at the TEABBA offices, all from people who want to know more about the footage," a TEABBA staff member has said "even the honorable Kon Vatskalis with the Territory Labour party has commented on the video and suggested that they perform at the Greek Glenti next year."
The Chooky Dancers are a group of 10 energetic young men who had healthy living in mind when they choreographed the performance. Franks son Lionel is the lead dancer in the video footage at front and center. "They (the Chooky Dancers) begun working on this just after this years Garma Festival in Gukula and worked very hard on it, they also do a Bollywood style performance which is also fantastic" Frank said. It seems that talent runs in Frank's family, with Franks Daughter also in an all Indigenous Line Dance Group also who Frank actively plays a role in.
The "Zorba" video, which has not yet been given an official title, is just a sample of Franks works "I edited that footage on "imovie" at the TEABBA Media Services video workshop and now have plans to make a documentary about my Yolngu families connections to the Greek culture". Franks feelings towards the Greek culture have been reinforced by his daughter Pricilla, who requires constant care and is currently being cared for by a woman of Greek heritage in Darwin. "Lillian is a selfless woman, who cares for my daughter" Frank said " she takes Priscilla to church, weddings and all kinds of functions within the Greek community and they are all lovely people with strong cultural identity also which Yolngu people can identify to. I want to show through this documentary how 2 cultures can mix and this dance video is a fabulous start", Frank said.
If anyone would like to enquire about Frank's work or "The Chooky Dancers", Frank can be reached on f_garawirrtja@yahoo.com or 0427 801 699 or if difficulties are experienced with getting through, messages can be left with TEABBA Radio on 89 390 400.
The Chooky Dancers will appear on Channel 7s Australia's Got Talent which is currently screening on Tuesday nights.
