From News Desk
The Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement goes to the Australian company Bangarra Dance Theatre. The South African dancer, choreographer, director and activist Mamela Nyamza is the recipient of the Silver Lion.
The Bangarra Dance Theatre, Native Australia’s major First Nations performing arts company, is the recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement of Biennale Danza 2026, becoming the first company and First Nations performers to receive the award. Mamela Nyamza, the South African dancer, choreographer, director and activist is the recipient of the Silver Lion. With Bangarra Dance Theatre and Mamela Nyamza, Biennale Danza acknowledges artists who have transformed, evolved and brought new urgency to the language of dance, infusing it with the vital force of the respective cultures of their origins, deeply connected to the rhythms, landscapes and symbols of ancestral traditions.
“Since the start of my directorship – writes the Artistic Director Sir Wayne McGregor – I have aimed to profile and advocate for the outstanding artists and companies whose influence and impact extend beyond their remarkable work alone. Highlighting and honouring the artists selected for this year’s Golden and Silver Lions exemplifies this ambition – not least because they are individuals and collectives who have caused a seismic shift in our understanding of dance and the cultural context in which it is performed. Their integrity, passion, commitment and power have often driven radical change, frequently overcoming great challenge and resistance”.
The Lions, approved by the Board of Directors of La Biennale di Venezia at the recommendation of the artistic director Sir Wayne McGregor, will receive their awards during the 20 th International Festival of Contemporary Dance, which will take place in Venice from July 17th to August 1st, 2026.
“With its eighteen versatile and dynamic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dancers, Bangarra (a Wiradjuri word meaning “to make fire”) is one of the leading and internationally renowned performing arts companies in Australia. Each one of the dancers, proud of their background, draws from a cultural legacy that has spanned 65,000 years across generations, creating powerful works that bring together dance, music and poetry. Since its inception in 1989, Bangarra has made a significant impact on the Australian and global theatre scene, touring productions telling the stories of First Nations peoples,” said a statement from the Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Stephen Page, a Nunukul/Ngugi man of the Quandamooka Peoples and a Munaldjali man of the Yugambeh Nation, was the artistic director of Bangarra for over thirty years. From 1991 – 2022, Page shaped the company and a landmark body of more than 27 works, transforming the landscape of Australian performing arts and catapulting Bangarra onto the world stage as contemporary First Nations storyteller. This legacy has been carried forward since 2023 by award-winning choreographer Frances Rings, a descendant of the Mirning Tribe from the west coast of South Australia. Under Rings’ leadership as Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Bangarra. The company continues its mission to promote awareness and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Striat Islander cultures,” the statement concluded.
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