Festival / Open Late / Talks / Workshop / AGSA Tours

First Fridays: Spirit in Motion – Dance

Fri 5 Dec 2025

5-9pm
Free
Gallery-wide
All ages

Explore the major new exhibition Too Deadly: Ten Years of Tarnanthi, then join us for a program focusing on the deep cultural significance of dance for Australia’s First Nation people, and how it serves as a powerful way to share stories, pass down knowledge, and connect younger generations to their heritage.

5pm & 7pm
Guided Tours

Join our Gallery Guides for a tour of Too Deadly: Ten Years of Tarnanthi or highlights of the AGSA collection.

Meet in the Atrium

From 5.30pm
Food and beverages

Grab a drink or bite to eat from the crew at AGSA_eat.
Bar closes at 8.30pm. See the full menu below.

From 5pm
The Studio: Comics and Characters

Join us in The Studio for a self-directed hands-on activity, visitors are invited to create a character for a comic inspired by Banyjima artist Layne Dhu-Dickie. Using bright and bold colours draw a comic storyboard featuring your own unique character. Are they a hero or a villain? Do they have special powers? Make a sticker of your comic character to add to our collaborative storyboard.

In The Studio

5pm
Kuma Kaaru – Traditional Aboriginal Dance

Begin your evening with a lesson in traditional Aboriginal dance and Welcome to Country presented by Kuma Kaaru – Founded in education, Kuma Kaaru (One Blood) brings stories and tradition to life through training and performance.

In the Courtyard

5.45pm - 7.45pm
Tarnanthi resident DJ - SVVLO

Hailing from Mparntwe (Alice Springs), SVVLO (pronounced Sav-Low) was born on Arrernte land with connections to several Northern Territory groups. Now based on Kaurna Yarta, he’s spun tracks across the city and beyond, bringing his energy to festivals and events throughout the state. Constantly experimenting, SVVLO moves fluidly between styles - from the latest Aboriginal sounds to underground and independent beats - while developing his own distinctive music projects.

In the Courtyard

6pm
Words of Movement: Yarn About Dance

Learn more about the importance of dance in Australia’s First Nation Culture as a powerful way to share stories, pass down knowledge, and connect younger generations to their heritage. Hear from First Nation dancers and choreographers working in both traditional and contemporary dance today. Moderated by multi-disciplinary theatre maker and choreographer Jacob Boehme, panellists include Adrianne Semmens, Robert Taylor, Caleena Sansbury and Kaine Sultan-Babij.

6:30pm
Auslan Deaf-Led Tour (cancelled)

This tour has been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Take a guided tour of Tarnanthi in Auslan with Samantha Wilson. For deaf and hard of hearing visitors. This tour will be in Auslan only with no English interpretations.

8pm
Musical Performance – Bousta

Myles Turner, AKA Bousta, is a 27-year-old Indigenous hip hop artist and proud Arrernte man, emerging from Alice Springs and now based in Adelaide. Known for his vibrant stage presence and uplifting message, Bousta blends English and Arrernte in his music to connect with both Indigenous and non-Indigenous audiences. His unique style challenges stereotypes in hip hop, offering a fun and expressive alternative that resonates with young people. A passionate advocate for generational change, Bousta uses his platform to inspire youth in Alice Springs and beyond, showing that music can be a powerful outlet for storytelling and leadership.

In the Courtyard

AGSA_eat menu

  • Broccoli labneh, garlic chips, Davidson plum with pita bread
  • Barbecued pepper berry chicken with native tabouleh
  • Stuffed peppers with spiced rice and saltbush salsa verde
  • Chocolate river-mint s'mores tart

Jacob Boehme is a Melbourne born and raised artist of the Narangga and Kaurna Nations, South Australia. A multi-disciplinary theatre maker and choreographer, creating work for the stage, screen and festivals, Jacob has led the artistic direction of numerous large scale public events. Jacob is the founding Creative Director of Yirramboi Festival and the writer and performer of the critically acclaimed solo work Blood on the Dance Floor. Both presentations winning Green Room Awards in 2018 & 2017 respectively.

Adrianne Semmens is a dance practitioner whose work is centred in stories of place and is shared through live performance, screendance and within gallery spaces. A descendant of the Barkandji people, Adrianne has been involved with Tarnanthi as an artist, dancer, and through her work with Australian Dance Theatre as the company’s Learning and Community Manager. Adrianne’s screendance film kuntyiri is currently touring nationally as part of the ngaratya group exhibition.

Robert Taylor, a Senior Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Narungga, and Nganguraku man, has spent his life deeply engaged in the preservation and sharing of his cultural heritage. Beginning his journey at the age of 8 by learning the didgeridoo, Robert expanded his cultural practice to dance by age 11 and has since become a prominent cultural ambassador. His work spans over 15 years across three communities, with performances both nationally and internationally. By carrying and sharing knowledge through music, dance, and education, Robert continues to bridge the past with the future, fostering a greater appreciation for Indigenous culture.

Caleena Sansbury is a proud First Nations artist of Ngarrindjeri, Narungga, and Kaurna heritage. A graduate of NAISDA Dance College, she is an accomplished choreographer, performer, and arts leader, with a multidisciplinary career spanning national and international stages. Caleena has worked with acclaimed artists and companies as a performer, producer and actor. Caleena brings strong cultural knowledge, creative vision, and collaborative leadership. She is committed to creating spaces where Indigenous stories are shared with integrity, and where artists can explore identity and culture through movement.

Kaine Sultan-Babij is a proud First Nations dancer, choreographer, and performing artist based on Kaurna Country in Adelaide. They have performed with numerous local and national leading dance companies blending contemporary and cultural dance to share stories, honour heritage, and connect communities. Passionate about nurturing the next generation, Kaine facilitates workshops and mentors emerging artists, creating spaces where First Nations voices and stories continue to thrive. Through their work, they celebrate the power of dance as a living, evolving practice that bridges culture, creativity, and community.