Dance Works.
Lilla’s independent dance practice is deeply rooted in culture. She has been taught by and collaborated with renown First nations dance artists.
In 2017, Lilla founded Of Desert and Sea (ODAS), a small cultural contemporary dance company creating professional dance outcomes. She is one of the creative leads and producer, and has secured funding and performance opportunities for ODAS around the state and country.
Of Desert and Sea
ODAS is an Aboriginal cultural contemporary dance group currently made up of young women who come from language groups across South Australia.
We use traditional knowledge to inform our contemporary dance, which allows us to practice culture and ceremony in today's contemporary world.
ODAS offers workshops and performances, and have been involved in events and festivals such as WOMADelaide, Sydney Opera House's Dance Rites and Dream Big Children's Festival. In 2019 we debuted our first production Beautiful, as part of Tarnanthi Aboriginal Contemporary Art Festival, with a remount for Adelaide Fringe 2020 which earned us the Emerging Artist Award.
Thirteen Sisters by Of Desert and Sea | In development
Director | Lilla Berry
Choreography | Thomas E S Kelly and Kaine Sultan-Babij
Thirteen sisters travel across their vast and beautiful Country, when a strange figure appears on the horizon. Unsure if this person is friend or foe, they must be wary as they continue their journey.
Thirteen Sisters in a Yankunytjatjara and Southern Arrente story about sisters (Minyma Tjuta) who meet a man (Wati Ngintaka) who wins the women over to create a family. Later, they rest, forming the land and transforming into the perentie lizards.