GARRIGARRANG BADU Premieres at Sydney Festival 2026

A major new work from leading First Nations artist, Dharug choreographer Peta Strachan and her all-female Jannawi Dance Clan will take the stage at Sydney Opera House in a world premiere season as part of Sydney Festival 2026. Garrigarrang Badu is presented by Sydney Festival in association with Sydney Opera House and executive produced by FORM Dance Projects in collaboration with Arts & Cultural Exchange (ACE).

Arts & Cultural Exchange Executive Director Anne Loxley said, “ACE has proudly supported Jannawi Dance Clan's creation of Garrigarrang Badu since the project's inception in 2021. Garrigarrang Badu reflects the depth of First Nations creativity in Western Sydney and highlights the extraordinary cultural leadership of First Nations women. We at ACE are grateful that Peta has been a key member of ACE's Dharug Knowledge Holders advisory group since 2020.”

Meaning “saltwater / freshwater” in Dharug language, Garrigarrang Badu celebrates the flow of Country from the mountains to the sea. The work brings together women from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations across the continent, creating a powerful act of cultural continuation through dance, language, and story.

“Garrigarrang Badu is a love song to Dharug Country and to the women who have carried our stories for thousands of generations,” said choreographer Peta Strachan. “This work honours the strength of our ancestors and celebrates the women who continue to shape culture today.”

Blending traditional and contemporary movement, Garrigarrang Badu immerses audiences in the living pulse of Country, its waterways, songlines, and enduring resilience. Following a celebrated development showing at Sydney Festival 2023, the work returns in full form for three performances only.

FORM Dance Projects Creative Director Paul Selwyn Norton said, “FORM Dance is honoured to be working with Peta Strachan in bringing her major work, Garrigarrang Badu to the Sydney Opera House in Sydney Festival. This is a huge moment for Jannawi Dance Clan and a vital work that all must see.”

A special Dharug Knowledge Holders Talk, facilitated by Cathy Craigie, will follow the Saturday 1 pm performance, offering audiences a deeper look into the stories, language, and cultural knowledge embedded in the work.