Emus On Stage

Lewis Major’s work Triptych was a gorgeous and oddly emotional performance. Majors choreography beautifully held a mirror up to rhythms and motion of the natural world. Triptych, meaning an artwork coming in 3 pieces, follows 5 dancers performing 3 dances. Each piece seemed to follow different themes with the overarching theme being abstract movement resulting in a deep emotional response. The interpretation of the choreography and technique of the dancers is nothing short of amazing. 

A key element in the story telling of Triptych was the music and the lighting design. At times it gave location and atmosphere, almost acting like a 6th performer. It embellished the dancers movements, bringing clarity to the story. The lighting created perspective while the music created the emotion. 

All the elements on their own could be interpreted as different things, however when unified in the first act, the space looked as though it was a large body of water. The lighting would ripple like water in a current as dancers glistened in the space. As the music quickly gained pace and velocity, the dancers’ increased their performance space and their energy. The lighting overhead became more harsh, drawing conclusions to a brewing storm. The dancers’ floor patterns, levels and heaviness intensified as the current got quicker again. As the storm calmed back down the lighting returned to neutral, the music calmed in temperament and the dancers returned to the original, centralised movement. The story telling within this particular dance was so clear and concise. The dance built suspense, intrigue and excitement.

In the following section, the music quickly gained hostility and momentum allowing the dancers to move aggressively. The lighting was also used as a tool to synonymously build up angst and create a harsh and structured environment. From what appeared to be choreographed as a fight, boxes of jagged lines appeared on the floor rotating in a circle as one unity. Alongside the complex orchestral music, the boxes would disappear and reappear evoking an unpredictable and uncertain feeling. The dancers interacted with the large playing space, using all levels of movement. As they moved out of the lit space, the light for a micro second in its rotation, followed the dancer. I’m intrigued to know if the lights were stimulated by movement, if this was coincidence or if this was a conscious choice. Either way, little details like this were riddled throughout the performance, truly highlighting the amazing detail of Major’s craftsmanship. 

Another key detail of this section was a solo dance where a plethora of light beams shone downwards forming a line. The music was pregnant with suspense but maintained a consistent pace. The lights again turned in a circle occasionally changing rotation. The beams had a similar resemblance to a jail cell. There were a handful of moments where the dancer was stationary and used the lights’ absence and reemergence to tell the story. The dancer for the most part moved within the rotating lights both in an organic way like walking or turning and in a stylised way with elegant upper body contortions. The beams of light and dancers movement amalgamated together in a beautiful duet. 

The third section was the most surprising. Following a blackout and a curtain close, we reopened to a stage and a dancer covered in a white powder like flour. As he moved through the space, the powder would fall off him like light rain. The dancer moved to uptempo classical music as his work drew into the powder on the floor. A simple but carefully crafted light illuminated the stage, reflecting off the powder. Throughout this performance, there was always a sense of lingering curiosity at what was unfolding on stage. 

The tension and fluctuating rhythms of Triptych was a great example of how all the elements of contemporary dance fuse together to evoke complex emotions. This dance was a fabulous way to start my Saturday off. Despite being so emotionally charged, I was able to switch my brain off and fully surrender myself to the experience. I’ve never come out of a show so relaxed. The only problem I had was that it wasn’t long enough! I could have watched this for hours and not have been bored. Major has an amazing ability to captivate audiences and transport them into another world. Despite there not being a huge overarching plot, I felt as though I went on a journey with the creatives. 

RATING 

Performers Skill 5 / 5

Stage and Atmosphere 5 / 5

Value for Money PAID $50 4 / 5

Entertainment value 5 / 5

BONUS POINTS

Independent artist +1

20/20