In 1989 Carol Johnson and some graduates of NAISDA (the national
Indegenous Dance School) founded Sydney's Bangarra Dance Theatre.
In 1990 David Page joined the company as composer (today they are two:
Steve Francis and David Page)
In 1991 David's brother Stephen, former NAISDA and Sydney Dance
Company, became Artistic Director, their little brother Russell
(graduated in 1989 on NAISDA) became a star as a dancer (he died in
summer 2002, only 34 years old).
In 2000 Bangarra Dance Theatre won the Helpman Award for a) Best New
Australian Work and b) Best Ballet or Dance Work.
In 2003 Russell Page won posthumously the Helpman Award for "Best Male
Dancer" (in "Walkabout").
They established the Russell Page Foundation to support very young
dancers.