Kate’s Score: 3.5 Limon techniques
In an experiential frame of mind, I decided not to read anything in advance (publicity or programme) about Colossus, currently at Carriageworks and part of the Sydney Festival. I did not even know what form of performance it would be and I wanted to see how my impressions and understanding then matched up with the stated intent of the work.
There were, I estimated, about 50 performers in dance blacks lying on the floor as the audience entered. Finally, after quite a few moments of silence, they began to move in a sequence of highly synchronised patterns. As the piece gained momentum (often in Mexican-wave chains) there was an impression of the whole as made up of individuals. At times individuals and pairs and smaller groups tried to break away from the collective but were always pulled back into the vortex by societal forces. Even when bullied, the desire to be part of the whole led to imitating the actions of others until there was merging, if not outright absorption. In effect, the performance was an exploration of the nature of society and the individual and how the two interplay.
So how did I do?
Publicity states “ Is a crowd more than the sum of its parts? To what extent is the mood of a crowd a reflection of its individuals, and how are those individuals changed by the experience of humanity en masse?”
So the choreographer, Stephanie Lake’s vision is clear and powerful and what she has created delivers her creative images in a range of emotive scenes which have the flavour of the dance poetry of Carolyn Carlson. The dancers are both the crowd and the individuals within it. Much of the performed choreography was solid but at times, there was a lack of precision and in dance, the power is in the precision. And focus. Some dancers, waiting on the sidelines, spent time adjusting their hair, re-doing ponytails and buns. This pulled focus and engagement with the message. In a few segments of three or four dancers, it was clear they were often a beat off each other and as it is a contemporary dance performance, I could almost hear the ghosts of Bob Fosse and Martha Graham tut-tutting in my ear. The body rolls, kicks, lifts and slides need to be exact, so that an audience are left in awe and what the ensemble can achieve. Attention must be paid to detail in those mirrors in rehearsal rooms!
Choreographing 50 dancers (and my impression was right – there were 50 dancers!) to deliver an exploration of a concept is a daunting challenge and Lake’s efforts are rewarded with the outcome and the appreciation of the audience on the night.
Kate Stratford, Theatre Now
16 – 19 January 2020
Venue: Carriageworks
Theatre Company: an epic work featuring 50 dance students from Ev & Bow, NAISDA, New Zealand School of Dance and Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year.
Duration: Approx. 50 Mins
$50 – $60 + BF
Thur – Sun 8pm
Sat & Sunj 4pm
By Stephanie Lake
Is a crowd more than the sum of its parts? To what extent is the mood of a crowd a reflection of its individuals, and how are those individuals changed by the experience of humanity en masse?
These questions and more inspire Australian choreographer Stephanie Lake’s Colossus, an epic work featuring 50 dance students from Ev & Bow, NAISDA, New Zealand School of Dance and Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year.
Hypnotic and visually stunning, Lake’s symmetrically satisfying dance work sees all 50 bodies move as one. Exploring the beauty and ugliness of the collective experience, Colossus builds and re-builds towards a united, frenetic and formidable utopia.
Chain reactions ripple outward from a single movement, and dazzling patterns sweep through supple bodies to a soundscape designed by acclaimed artist-musician Robin Fox, with award-winning lighting design by Bosco Shaw. Formidable yet accessible, this brilliant piece is a masterwork from the Australian choreographer.
