Marrow

Marrow is a choreographed scream of defiance and demand for discussion. The dance draws strongly from the movements of nature, in wind, on tides, striding birds, sea creatures and animals, using surreal gestures which are far more than mimicry. As a Wiradjuri man from Western NSW, ADT’s current director Daniel Riley brings his knowledge of and respect for First Nations traditions. His work here incorporates the motivations and passions of the company dancers, making the piece deeply personal and honest. You feel that souls are bared here, and that your soul can connect back if you allow it.

The result is a frenetic spectacle that pushes human flexibility to the limit. The driving pulse of the music could be felt through the seats, overlaid with a melody of looped and tuned sound effects and eerie instrumentation, tinkles, crunches, crashes and chords to an effect as exciting as it was unsettling. It felt like a great force which the dancers could flow with and struggle against. The dancers seemed to morph from bird to mammal to sea creature to plant, all caught in a frenetic fight for survival.

The motion is lightning fast, exceptionally lithe and smooth and sometimes explosive, with jerky spasms timed perfectly to the pervasive beat.  At times it’s almost violent, with mimed shrieks and the impression of breaking free from some unseen strangler. Hands flash and flicker so fast they strobe, as the dancers form strange and seemingly unnatural body shapes using hypermobility to incredible effect. When two dancers move together, it’s not so much a duet as an alliance of convenience, or they might merge into one creature, or they fight. Often they seem to be struggling against a forceful sea current, strong wind, or some other force that needs resistance.