Carly Sheppard found her choreographic partner in an unlikely place: a golf course. It was at Torquay, during an event celebrating the 100th Sidney Myer Fellowship, where past recipients like Sheppard were invited to apply for funding for new projects. It was there that Alisdair Macindoe approached her with an offer to collaborate.
“Alisdair Macindoe came up to me and was like, ‘Hey, we don’t really know each other, but do you want to apply for this thing together?’” Sheppard shared with ABC Radio National’s Awaye!. Adding to the serendipity, Macindoe noted, “I’m a Sheppard too on my mum’s side. Let’s explore that.” This shared surname sparked the genesis of their darkly comedic choreographic work, The Shepherds, which is set to premiere at the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale, as part of Melbourne’s Rising festival.
The narrative of The Shepherds centres on two lost sheep in a slaughter paddock. For Sheppard, a descendant of the Takalaka people of North Queensland, the coincidence of meeting Macindoe resonated deeply. It brought to the forefront feelings of being a visitor on someone else’s land, a sentiment she often experiences living in Melbourne. Having grown up away from her ancestral Country, and without learning her language or traditional dances, Sheppard describes herself as an “orphan of the colony.”
“That’s what I’m exploring in this work,” she explained. “Alisdair is also exploring his place, but there’s also the symbolism of us working together, both settlers in Melbourne, but him being a settler in Australia.”
The concept of a “shepherd” is multifaceted within their dance piece. For Sheppard, it’s intrinsically linked to the cult she was raised in. “The concept of a shepherd to me is a Judaeo-Christian biblical concept that is connected to a bunch of trauma and some serious schisms in my upbringing,” she revealed. “It is also reflective of what has happened to our people: the missions, missionaries, the idea there is a deity who has given one group of people dominion over others.”
Crafting Ceremony from Concept
These profound themes could easily have made The Shepherds feel overstuffed. However, Sheppard and Macindoe discovered an elegant solution by focusing on the creation of a cult and its associated ceremonial event. “We created a cult and a ceremonial event for this cult, and it’s pretty cool and intense,” Sheppard said. “You can build this thing for the stage, but actually what you’re building is the ceremony. The work itself is the ceremony.” This approach allows the complex ideas to be explored through embodied practice, transforming the stage into a space of ritual and reflection.
A Return to Dance and Choreography
In many ways, The Shepherds represents an artistic homecoming for Sheppard. “What’s been such a blessing about this situation and Alisdair wanting to work with me is it is in line with my commitment that I made to start dancing again and start choreographing again,” she expressed.
Sheppard’s journey in dance has been dynamic. After training at NAISDA Dance College and the Victorian College of the Arts, her relationship with dance became “rocky.” She found herself drawn more to experimental performance and acting, which became her primary focus. “That became my main gig,” she stated. This period allowed her to hone a diverse range of skills: “There’s a lot of craft that goes along with it. I like working with voice and sound design and I like to build my own sets. I like to do sculpture. When I’ve got an idea, I’ve got so many different ways that I like to try, but it’s usually performing on stage that is the end result.”
The opportunity to co-choreograph and perform with Macindoe emerged precisely when Sheppard felt the renewed urge to dance. “What I am already getting out of it is an entrance back in and a way to build my skills up again after years,” she reflected.
The Power of Collaboration
Having a collaborator to exchange ideas with has been instrumental. “Macindoe has this mathematical brain,” Sheppard observed. “I can really nerd out on his way of choreographing because it’s a similar way that I would think about choreography, especially for small, gestural things. Also, what I love about Alisdair is we have the same sense of humour, and that’s a really beautiful way to follow ideas through—through laughter.” This shared sensibility and complementary approach have been vital in navigating the creative process.
Looking Ahead: The Australian Dance Biennale and First Nations Representation
It feels particularly significant that Sheppard is featured in the first Australian Dance Biennale, marking her return to dance after several years. “It’s amazing and awesome, and I feel really lucky,” she said. “There’s just a lot of gratitude that I’ve been able to get to a point where I’m being programmed.”
Despite this “pinch myself moment,” Sheppard is keenly aware of her position as a visitor on the Kulin Nations. “When you are on a program and your position is representing First Nations, it is a sensitive thing because you can’t help but look at the fact that you’re a settler in the Country that you live on,” she admitted. “It’s a strange thing to be that representative when I’m actually a settler.”
She expressed a strong hope for greater inclusion of First Nations artists in future biennales. “I’m really looking forward to the future of the Dance Biennale’s relationship with the incredible diversity of Indigenous dance practitioners across the country,” she stated with palpable enthusiasm. “I’m really, really excited for that.”
The Shepherds is showing at Arts House, Melbourne, as part of the Australian Dance Biennale, from June 5-7.
