It was a rainy Melbourne night, and nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to witness inside an indoor carpark at Revolt Artspace in Kensington.
After walking down a dark and cobbled alleyway, we entered an open space filled with light to find white hands hanging from the ceiling. A very eery atmosphere permeated the air, and sensing by the awkward silence of the audience members, tensions visibly lifted.
Artistic Director of youth contemporary dance company Yellow Wheel, Adam Wheeler, encouraged his guests to fill the space however they felt comfortable, which was a very refreshing perspective of performance art; to see what we wanted and how we wanted. The lights dimmed and so began the scratchings of what would be one of the best soundtracks to a dance show I have had the pleasure of hearing, thanks to the musical mastery of Duane Morrison.
I Came Here To Dance Once is a series of four works projecting the future generation of contemporary dancers. The cast of 35 were mentored by Jo Lloyd, Joshua Lowe, Amber McCartney and Arabella Frahn-Starkie, who collectively have a wealth of knowledge and performance experience that spans over three decades. These incredible choreographers developed not only the understanding of body movement, but how it moves and how it can move as one.
A stampede of dancers burst through the darkness in a work titled Hunger. This was a great way to start, as it allowed the dancers to work on impulse and find unity amidst the masses. The heavy trap bass beats of the music was matched perfectly with the directional marching of collective on a mission. It seemed that each dancer had their own intention for their path and at individual moments had the freedom to step away from the group and express that intention however they saw fit. This work, developed by Joshue Lowe, then transitioned into a melancholic ceremonial baptism of one dancer, who in my opinion, represented the fragility of our human existence. The hunger for more in life is something we, as a society, fight for each day, and this moment of baptism showed the cleansing of our spirit.
Changing location in the space each time for a new work allowed a new scope and a new dynamic, especially for Air-Reef, a work extra-terrestrial in nature. The cast donned clinically white apparel with a helmet, which seemed to have connotations of a human skull. With the suspended white hands from the ceiling, there was definitely an air of otherworldliness. This work was a defining moment in I Came Here To Dance Once. The attention to detail of choreography by Amber McCartney was sublime and the musicality was on point. The overall essence of the soundtrack for I Came Here To Dance Once was electronic dance music fused with varying sound effects. What was so brilliant about Air-Reef is how McCartney used every beat, every effect and every scratch of the soundtrack to mirror the movement on her dancers. This is also a credit to the dancers, as their synchronicity was well-executed and strong.
The third work of the night was titled Choose Your Own Adventure and choreographed by first year VCA student, Arabella Frahn-Starkie. Opening quite differently to the others, Choose Your Own Adventure began with the classic love ballad, “If You Leave Me Now” by Chicago. The bright string chords allowed Yellow Wheel to show a softer side to the company and allowed individual expression of thought. This piece had an added element of dialogue, which doesn’t always work, but for this it did. As well as dancing in combinations of duos, trios or solos, the small cast recounted their own adventures, like swimming at the Olympics or seeing Kanye West live. While this was endearing, it became very hypnotic and a bit repetitive. There is no taking away from the dancers mastering intricate choreography as well as dialogue, but this piece could have been shorted ever so slightly. It was however, a nice change to have the silence of the space filled only with words.
To close the night, the full company of Yellow Wheel came together to create It’s This, under the choreographic guidance of Chunky Move alumni Jo Lloyd. From the outset, it was obvious this piece was a reflection of individuality as each dancer wore a plain white t-shirt with a photo of themselves on the front. In a sense, this is the moment they had been working towards, and the phrase “It’s This” had its own meaning for each dancer.
Expanding on that idea, around the perimeter of the space, each in their own time would write a thought that was representative of them at that moment. It was quite a powerful stance for the youth, with some writing, ‘I really like this part’ and ‘This is where I came to dance once’. This is also the piece where the soundtrack peaked and it was as if witnessing young kids at a rave. While the juxtaposition is apparent, it was glorious to watch, because the dancers exuded such freedom in their movement and expression.
Dance, at its most basic form, is about trust. Trusting in yourself, in your teachers, and your colleagues. What Yellow Wheel does is remarkable, as they are teach their dancers the fundamentals of contemporary dance technique and how to trust in one’s own evolution of dance. The growth of these young and talented individuals within the space of an hour show was evident, and every challenge was met. To be a part of Yellow Wheel or to see any future works, head to their website for more information.
Click here for more information and to purchase tickets to the show.
