Part of the Dancing on the Edge Festival, “Volcano” investigates how, for better or worse, sometimes inexplicable events can interrupt the frenetic bustle of modern life.
The particular event under the spot light was the Icelandic eruption of 2010, which caused huge disruptions to the aviation industry and crucially, we are told, the largest disruption to air travel since the second world war. Liz Kinoshita and team took these two facts and synergised them to tell the story of the 2010 eruption using the essence of 1930’s/40’s musicals.
Courageously the piece was performed completely without recorded musical accompaniment. Through an incredible feat of stamina, all rhythm and melody was provided by the dancers themselves, singing and tapping with gusto throughout the entire performance. The result was endearingly intimate. A theme amplified by the uniform lighting cast on both stage and audience for a good proportion of the show. For better or worse we were all in this together. Audience engagement aplenty, the performers scampered up and down the tiered seating serenading and charming audience members.
The piece that was brave, quirky and packed with charisma. All the performers exhibited incredible talent, yet with a compelling edge of something honest and unrefined. With beautiful crooning vocals, especially from the female performers, I was in awe of how they could sustain singing whilst dancing for the entire performance. However it did seem that the exertion of the singing depleted energy levels and diverted the performers focus away from the dancing for the movement on stage to feel, at times, somewhat lackluster and clumsy.
Rather than conforming to the notions of a quintessential dance program, this piece felt like performance poetry, with lyrics heavily imbued with sentiment. It reminded us that sometimes it takes an unexpected or even catastrophic event to break the cycle of modern life and get that rare moment of quiet reflection and perspective.
Get your tickets to Dancing on the Edge Festival here!
– MG