FRINGE World is back and according to festival director Amber Hasler there is more happening than ever before.
“Today we launch the third-largest Fringe in the world and the largest annual event in WA,” Hasler said.
“Fringe really is the best time of year and this is your chance to find the good times with over 750 events in our program, across 130 venues throughout the city.
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“Fringe fans come in all ages from kids to 20-somethings to baby boomers and everything in between.
“It reaches more suburbs than any other Perth event with an average ticket price of $24 and 47 per cent of the program is made up from our spectacular WA artists.
“Fringe World is very proudly Western Australian and we look forward to welcoming the people of Perth in their hundreds and thousands to the Fringe that they love.”
Returning this year is 2017 Fringe World sensations Djuki Mala, formerly known as The Chooky Dancers, from Elcho Island in North East Arnhem Land.
The energetic and highly entertaining cast of indigenous dancers proved why they had been a hit wherever they had toured, including Sydney Opera House, China and Europe.
Their celebration of dance, storytelling and culture has a wow factor that fuses traditional Yolngu and contemporary pop culture in numbers including the show stopping Zorba The Greek which is the dance that started it all.
Dancer Yalyalwuy Gondarra has performed in Djuki Mala for seven years and the 23-year-old said he was happy to be back in Perth.
“Last year was great and everybody loved us,” Gondarra said.
“It was full on hard work but we had a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to getting more five star ratings; we’ll be trying our best.”
Djuki Mala toured to Edinburgh Festival last year and Gondarra said not only did he enjoy dancing for the month but it was great to meet all the other companies, making lots of new friends.
“My girlfriend came to Edinburgh with us and after that we had a holiday to Greece. We went to the Greek Islands, Athens and Santorini,” he said.
“We had already performed in Cyprus two years ago with our Europe tour and loved it. That was work and then I got to go back for fun this time.”
Djuki Mala is showing January 28 to February 25 and Fringe World runs from January 26 to February 25.
Program at www.fringeworld.com.au.