IN Short – In Situ will continue to challenge its audience’s perception of dance by presenting a fourth instalment of contemporary site-specific works.
This year’s five independent WA choreographers were asked by producers Unkempt Dance, in association with STRUT Dance, to create a work for one of the hidden corners or open spaces at Fremantle Arts Centre.
North Perth choreographer and WAAPA graduate Emma Harrison has relished the opportunity to approach her art form in this unconventional style.
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READ NOW“I’d seen a few shows at Fremantle Arts Centre so I was really interested in making a work in that space which has a lot of history behind it,” the 23-year-old said.
“I haven’t made a site-specific work on other people before and I find it really interesting making something that’s not viewed from the comfort of a seat where the audience is up and involved in it.
“I went along to the tour of the building to see if there were any spaces or quirky corners that sparked my interest and it went from there.”
Harrison chose a two-storey stairwell with two landings for her three dancers to perform a 10-minute piece, which the audience of 25 people can view from above or below.
“It’s like working with a set and the way you create the movement isn’t like standing in a studio on a flat surface,” she said.
“It challenges the dancers and the perceptions of how the audience see it and how close they choose to stand to the action.
“Every night is going to be different, every audience is going to be different and every place you stand is like you’re watching a different work.”
Harrison said her recent solo practice, since returning home from immersing herself in the European contemporary dance scene, had involved collaborating with several musician friends to start a conversation between improvised music and improvised dance.
Two of these musicians have made a soundscape for her In Short – In Situ work, featuring percussion and saxophone.
Four other short dance works have been choreographed by Kynan Hughes, Emma Fishwick, AIVDT: Serena Chalker and Quindell Orton, Linton Aberle and Sarah Chaffey.
THE ESSENTIALS
What: In Short – In Situ
Where: Fremantle Arts Centre
When: November 26 to 28
Tickets: www.fac.org.au