Following their performance at the sold out 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival Gala, The Chooky Dancers will come to Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum for two exclusive shows.

The Chooky Dancers are a group of young Indigenous men from Elcho Island, Northern Territory, who shot to international fame after their contemporary dance version of Zorba the Greek was posted on YouTube. The dance, which combines contemporary and traditional Indigenous styles, was created by Lionel Dulmanawuy and filmed when the group performed it for their Yolngu Indigenous Clan. Within 12 weeks of being posted on YouTube the clip had been viewed more than 500,000 times. Today it has been seen by more than one million viewers worldwide.

The group has now performed the dance all over Australia, including at the 2009 Sydney Festival and The Dreaming Festival and Out of the Box Festival in Brisbane, as well as on Channel Sevens Australias Got Talent. The Chooky Dancers are even set to visit Greece soon where their dance on YouTube has generated a buzz in many towns.

“Bunjilaka is so excited to have the opportunity to host this group of talented young men all the way from Arnhem Land”, says Caroline Martin, Manager, Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre. “The story behind the Zorba performance is equally as inspiring as these wonderful performers and the response from our Koorie community and the general public has been absolutely amazing.”

Lionel was inspired to create the dance by his very good Greek friend Liliane, who for a time helped care for his disabled sister in Darwin before returning to Greece. The relationship between the Yolngu family and Lilianes Greek family was the main inspiration behind the dance and is a way of saying thank you to Liliane.

An Evening with the Chooky Dancers is proudly presented by Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, Melbourne Museum in partnership with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.