I had forgotten how dance provides a sound score, especially contemporary dance. It's like, the movement contains a musicality unlike any other. Every sound you hear is what you're meant to hear, and Serpent reminded me of that. Every jump and land - whether it be in silence and falling into the ground or trembling with sudden force, created an ambiance set amongst the sound score already created with physical music. It was a great reminder to really listen to all of the sounds. I was also reminded (maybe this is just a reaction from a dancer's eye) of how each movement creates its own breath. Or maybe the breath required per sequence/movement appeared to be noticeable again for me. Just nice to be reminded and to note it. Scarlett had explained in his video montage, he had wanted to experience movement in an elegant way without the dependency of women in his work. Or more so without women dominating, as generally when it comes (I say generally here, as I realise the political stance of sexism being apparent) to women dancing - expressionisms of soft and elegant movement can feel inevitable, ditto for men expressing raw, physical movement. Serpent showed a unified and rich expression into movement in it's pure form. It contained total continuation - the movement never finished, they elongated into the next one, and each part of the movement felt explored. It really gave me a visceral feeling. I could feel the stretch or the reach it seemed within my own body.The gaze into the audience from the dancer's eye established the relationship of performer meeting audience. It felt powerful and unique - an unspoken language. It was really beautiful to see the movement and not be focused on the relationship of the performers - instead having a focus of performer and audience member. Exquisite work.
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| Serpent by Liam Scarlett |
Enter Russell Maliphant with Fallen. The stage was stripped back - there were lighting decks only - no wings, and the bare stage laid bare hosting only the ten men we had just seen in such an elegant piece. But they weren't the same men...or that's what it appeared like. This piece transformed them into a well oiled machine, and interestingly enough enabled Maliphant's goal (explained in his video montage) to succeed. The goal being to introduce the dancers, each with their own skill set, to the other dancers and form a new set, whilst keeping their own. It would form a new language and a new learning for both choreographer and dancer (Maliphant had explained he generally had worked within many duets/trios and not a whole group previously). The sound score and staging transformed us to a factory or workshop. Raw metallic sounds filled the stage, and the movement eased into a physical attack and showcased jagged-edged movement in its finest form. The partner work and group relationship highlighted this new skill set and the vocabulary really spoke for itself - nothing else was needed and nothing less. It showed that there wasn't a need for independent identities - even though it kind of juxtaposed in that, they lost their identities and became a part of this 'machine like feel' yet still highlighting their unique independent voice. Similarly in that the movement didn't feel romanticised but then it's power resembled an era of romancing the movement instead of the relationship perhaps. All in all - a stellar show, and stellar performances.
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| Fallen by Russell Maliphant |
:)
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