New Zealand dance teacher Ra McRostie travels from her seaside town of Oamaru to Africa to understand why dance is so vital to their society.

This film is a visually engaging document of a personal journey.  The opening sequence of long boats transporting large numbers of passengers cuts to flowers and birds and then urban Africa.  Similar images are repeatedly used to contextualize the scenes shot in Senegal and then in Zimbabwe in this 1.5 hour long film.  Bronwyn Judge sets up location and geography for the forthcoming narrative to unravel.  The narrative surrounds Ra McRostie with voices from New Zealand, Senegal and Zimbabwe all woven, in what I experienced to be a journey of self, through dance and music.

Following Oamaru artist (she has many talents), Ra McRostie became more inviting as the film progressed.   I warmed up to her mission and her purpose when she stated that she was going all the way to Africa, where she felt a spiritual tie, not only on a personal quest but to serve her community and to have a good time!  The interview sequences of Oamaru community members alongside the longer sequences of African drummers, teachers, musicians and dancers, creates the tie that Ra refers to repeatedly between her home and a place far away, in which she feels connected.  We meet Becky, Mohamed, Maddy, Elajhi, Pape, Christine and Karen, Abdu and Absa just to name a few.  What most resonated with all of these people popping up the entire film was how amazing this journey must have been for Ra and Bronwyn.  We feel the epic nature of the journey.  The film was shot on a low budget with no crew.  Bronwyn Judge as your everywoman (producer, editor, camera operator), for this alone, deserves applause.

As an audience, I realized how little I knew of African music, drumming, dance and its multi-faceted ties to tradition, culture, religion, commercial entertainment, daily ritual, and ritual within one lifespan.  Although I was completely mesmerized through all instrumental or dance sequences through beautifully descriptive scenes about the saba drum and the mbira, the film experience was slightly too long.  And yet, I felt I wanted more time with these instruments and the key characters in Senegal and Zimbabwe. I couldn’t get enough of those drumming, singing, playing, dancing sequences.  

The film to me, made a successful attempt in sketching Ra’s journey for how to live and how to be connected.  In her journey she also reveals that what “we” are looking for is often right in front of “us.”  This is also where I commend Brownyn in the structure of the film.  She returns to Aotearoa to shoot the final sequences advocating for international communities being stronger when unified, to listen to the earth, to listen to ancestors and simplify living.

The message:  Dance is an agent for change, connectivity with a community and personal awareness.  Dance is a source of belonging and encourages listening to ancestral wisdom that leads to personal insight and advocacy.  “Why does Africa draw so many Westerners?” asks Ra.  Be you standing in line at the bank or shopping to stock your pantry, connecting oneself to music, drumming, dance – the whole world can benefit from ancient wisdom.  We all share our sky and our water, we share dance and we share music.

In conjunction with the film, Ra led an African drumming and dance workshop just prior to the screening and both Ra and Bronwyn generously answered curious questions in a Q and A that was equally as interesting as the film.  Although the film has not been widely distributed, and is not for sale, Ra suggested in her own words to contact Bronwyn directly – with your interest.

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