Image: Heidrun Löhr
I am sitting in front of my laptop monitor, watching the thin blue line that indicates a render in progress, slowly progress. It is frustrating and I am frustrated.
Over the past 2 weeks, I have been capturing a peer’s perspective on dancer/choreographer Martin del Amo, his work and his processes, as well as what I thought would be valuable added material to produce a light hearted but insightful video short, in lieu of the live inaugural Dance Circle event that was scheduled for this Saturday.
For my first Dance Circle experience I was going to give a spiel about Martin, consisting of a gritty first person account from the inside, from the other side of the performative fence. I was going to regale you with (maybe not so) deep insight, peppered with humorous tales of Martin’s exploits. (Those who know me well know not to share secrets because I am a blabbermouth of the first order.)
I also had a few fun activities. No, not the sort of activity that leaves you staring at the floor in case you get picked. Not the sort of activity that leaves you red faced with embarrassment, believe me, I’ve been there and that’s the last thing I would ever inflict. These were carefully designed to experience a little of Martin’s creative sensibility and hopefully make you realise why I appreciate his presence as part of the local Sydney contemporary dance community. No point writing them down, you have to be here (@Riverside). And no you don’t have to be a dancer or dance aficionado to indulge.
Instead I am conducting the first of many predicted pre-recorded blunders over the next few nights. I have too much material and not enough editing nous at short notice.
So I am remedying a potential repeat of this situation. Dance Circle number two will feature a man close to my heart: Raghav Handa. I have known this fella since he was 19 and thought my strangely ‘funny foot shuffles’ were par for the contemporary dance course. Hahahaha-lol. Imagine the enthusiastic young Indian lad cutting his teeth, learning and performing Australian indigenous community and contemporary dance forms first.
He came to me with relatively little dance experience, performing with me for almost 11 years, and is almost unrecognisable from the younger man I knew, basking in his current solo dance career.
Book in early for Dance Circle number two. It’s designed to enhance your experience and I will bend over backwards to deliver.
Meanwhile be sure to catch Martin del Amo and Phil Blackman’s latest work, Songs Not To Dance To. I can say it does not disappoint. It is a conceptual feast, featuring Martin’s usual blend of subtle humour mixed with moments of reflective poignancy.
Live theatre is best experienced live.
– by Vicki Van Hout
