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Presented by West Australian Ballet as part of the Ballet at the Quarry season 2019
Concept and choreography: Johanna Nuutinen
Venue: Quarry Ampitheatre
In front of the screen…
“Being constantly under surveillance... What kind of emotions and paranoia does this stir in a person? Watch as the dancers move between the stage and synchronised worlds borne from enigmatic visual effects, which will leave you wondering
if they’re performing live or not. Johanna Nuutinen’s strong and physical choreography is built on the foundations of the study of emotions and shifting power balances within human relationships.” - Program notes
Connection between screen, stage and surrounds…
This work integrated live performance with pre-recorded work connecting with the dancers on the screen and stage through very well timed movement. The work was a remount, however it was important to the choreographer to incorporate a local context. While creating my designs I employed my fabric colour choices to complement the limestone of both the film location, Fremantle Prison, and the performance venue, Quarry Amphitheatre.
The work needed the design to amplify the removal individuality and persona. I added the grey hair and make-up aspect to the design to create a uniform look. This was also important as the dancers on the screen had to match the dancers onstage, so masking different hair colours with grey paint made any casting changes less obvious.
Filming the screen content at Fremantle Prison
Filming the screen content at Fremantle Prison