Erica Dixon – In Our Blood, On Their Pages
This year, Erica Dixon returned to the Drill Hall for the second stage development of her Truth Telling Residency.
Erica was joined by collaborators Olivia Kirkman, Amelia Jean O’Leary and Zachary O’Donnell.
FROM THE ARTIST:
This work explores the forced removal of my people and the ways our Culture, histories and connections to Country have been disrupted through colonisation. It reflects on the impact of these histories and the ways they continue to shape our understanding of who we are today.
The absence of our stories from colonial records does not mean we were not here. Our presence is embedded in the land herself. In scar trees, shelters, grinding grooves and carvings. These are physical reminders of our existence, our knowledge and our relationship with Country long before colonial documentation. They hold histories that cannot always be found on paper.
Through dance, I want to explore the difference between what has been recorded about my people and what Country herself tells us. I want to bring attention to the histories that have been overlooked, misrepresented or erased, while acknowledging the physical and Cultural evidence that continues to exist around us. This work questions why written records are so often treated as the authority on our histories when evidence of our existence has been present in Country all along.
Ultimately, In Our Blood, On Their Pages is about truth-telling, remembrance and recognising our continued presence. It is an opportunity to honour my ancestors and the generations who came before me, while sharing a story that is bigger than my own. I want this work to encourage audiences to think differently about how history is recorded, whose stories are recognised and where we look for evidence of the past.
Our history is not only held on their pages. We are living proof that it is written into Country, and it has always been.
ERICA DIXON
Erica Dixon is a proud Gomeroi woman from Bingara, Northern New South Wales. Deeply connected to her Culture and community, she is currently completing an Advanced Diploma in Professional Dance Practice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples at NAISDA Dance College. Under the guidance of Jasmin Sheppard and Katina Olsen, Erica is refining her skills in both contemporary and Cultural dance practice. Throughout her studies, Erica has participated in numerous workshops and performances with leading Australian artists and has contributed to NAISDA’s mid-year and end-of-year productions from 2021 to 2024. Her passion lies in Contemporary Indigenous Dance—a fusion of traditional First Nations storytelling with contemporary movement. Erica draws inspiration from her Cultural heritage, using dance as a medium to connect, educate, and empower. Through movement, she shares stories that honour her ancestors and celebrate the strength of First Nations identity. Looking ahead, Erica envisions herself working on creative industry projects and leading Cultural programs in schools and communities through Garwoeidhamin Mayan, a business she co-founded with two other women. Their mission focuses on the storytelling, sharing and re-education of her Peoples Culture. Anything that helps inspire the next generation to be proud of who they are and where they’ve come from.
Image: Erica Dixon, pictured: Olivia Kirkman and Zachary O’Donnell, Truth Telling development resident, Critical Path, 2026, photo courtesy of the artist.
Image description: A photo of two people dancing in a large hall. Both dancers are lunging, with one hand poised on the crown of their head and the other arm and hand folded in near their chest.
This Truth Telling residency is a part of Critical Path’s First Nations program curated by Jasmin Sheppard. It is supported by the Australian Government through Creative Australia, its principle arts investment and advisory body, as well as the NSW Government through Create NSW. This project is delivered in partnership with Powerhouse and AIATSIS.