Cultural Dance Preservation Using Creative Technology
How do dance and gestures evolve as our bodies change?
Traditional Owner Raymond Mardigan from Wadeye is leading a fellowship project that preserves and reimagines cultural dance through rehabilitation and digital animation. By bringing movement into dialogue with technology, Ray explores how cultural identity and embodied knowledge can be captured, sustained, and shared in new forms. His vision is for the final works to be housed in the Wadeye Museum, ensuring they remain deeply connected to community and place.
The project is built on collaboration. Ray works closely with his family, cultural leaders, community members, and health professionals, supported by the Qubit team. Relationships are central to the fellowship: social researcher Gretchen Ennis is documenting and connecting with participants, while filmmakers Alana Holmberg and Chrianth Wodeyar capture the unfolding journey.
Creative producer and dance rehabilitation specialist Shay Jayawardena, together with choreographer and digital artist Harrison Hall, contribute to shaping both the artistic and therapeutic dimensions of the work.
Together, this collective is creating a living archive that honors tradition, embraces innovation, and strengthens the ties between culture, health, and creative practice.
COLLABORATIVE TEAM
Raymond Mardigan (Main Dancer)
Raymond Mardigan is a Traditional Owner from Wadeye who is leading this major fellowship focussing on preserving and reimagining cultural dance through rehabilitation and digital animation. His work explores how movement, cultural identity, and embodied knowledge can be sustained as bodies change over time, particularly through injury, disability.
Cyan Sue-Lee (First Nations Community Engagement Leader)
Cyan is a Gulumerridjin (Larrakia), Wardaman and Karajarri woman and multidisciplinary artist and and First Nations Community Engagement Leader, with deep roots in the lands and waters of Garramilla (Darwin). Her curatorial and facilitation practice is grounded in cultural continuity, community-led storytelling, and critical reflection.
Shay Jayawardena (Creative Producer)
Shay is the creative director and program manager of Qubit Incubator, bringing more than 15 years of experience working across the Northern Territory and an even longer history in the disability and arts sectors.
Harrison Hall (Animator and Digital Creator)
Harrison Hall is a Melbourne‑based choreographer and digital performance artist whose work blends movement, technology, and immersive experiential environments.
Alana Holmberg (Photographer and Filmmaker)
Alana Holmberg is a documentary photographer, visual artist and curator whose conceptual, sociological practice weaves together stills, motion, sound, and text to explore contemporary Australian life.
Chiranth Wodeyar (Cinematographer - Northern Territory)
Chiranth Wodeyar is a Darwin‑based cinematographer and content producer with more than 14 years’ experience across documentary filmmaking, videography, and impactful digital storytelling.
Tim Hellier (Cinematographer - Victoria)
Tim Hillier is an Australian cinematographer and visual storyteller whose work spans remote community collaborations, contemporary art projects, and documentary filmmaking across the Northern Territory.
Dr. Gretchen Ennis (Social Researcher)
Dr Gretchen Ennis is an Australian social researcher and community development specialist whose work focuses on arts and health, social networks, and developmental evaluation.