Conceptualised, directed and choreographed by Artistic Director Antony Hamilton, Melbourne’s genre-defying contemporary dance company, Chunky Move, presents the world premiere of the much-anticipated new work 4/4, this August.
Premiering on Tuesday 8 August, and running for seven shows until Saturday 12 August, eight dancers will perform a stark symphony of mesmerising movement inside the industrial vastness of Southbank’s Malthouse Theatre.
In a world full of commotion and clamour, 4/4 is a captivating meditation of meticulous, stripped-back dance combining choreographic precision, minimalist design and rugged street aesthetics.
The episodic performance unfolds segment by segment, each building upon the last, while quartets and duets converge and diverge in evermore hypnotic configurations.
Synonymous with Hamilton’s expert practice within the contemporary and street dance genres, 4/4 continues to push the boundaries in how audiences experience performance.
“4/4 is probably the most densely complex choreographic work I’ve ever made,” said Hamilton. “With an ensemble assembled from dancers with such varied experiences, knowledge and practices, it blows my mind every time I see them working, and coming together in harmonious, singular attention to the immense task of performing this work.”
Collaborator Alisdair Macindoe’s sound design uses metronome arrangements to create harmony and discord in its composition, elevating the complexity of the dance. This juxtaposition is further enhanced by the accompanying lighting design from Bosco Shaw and raw, street-inspired costume designs by Paula Levis.
Hamilton and Macindoe’s last major collaboration, MEETING, took home a Green Room Award, Helpmann Award and Bessie Award from New York, enchanting audiences across the globe for three years running. 4/4 reunites their idiosyncratic sound and movement language once again, for a new generation of dance-lovers.
Concept, Direction & Choreography: Antony Hamilton | Featuring: Mason Kelly, Melissa Pham, David Prakash, Harrison Ritchie-Jones, Aimee Schollum, Michaela Tancheff, Nikki Tarling, Jayden Wall | Understudies: Kyall Shanks, Samakshi Sidhu, Harshil Vora | Costume Design: Paula Levis | Sound Design: Alisdair Macindoe | Lighting Design: Bosco Shaw | Rehearsal Director: Alice Dixon (May / June development) | Production Manager: Ashley Buchanan | Stage Manager: Claudia Howarth | Production Coordinator & Rehearsal Stage Manager: Olivia Walker | Lighting Programmer: Nick Moloney
Chunky Move: 4/4
Merlyn Theatre – Malthouse Theatre, 113 Sturt Street, Southbank (Melbourne)
Season: 8 – 12 August 2023
Bookings: www.malthousetheatre.com.au
For more information, visit: www.chunkymove.com for details.
Image: Chunky Move presents 4/4 – photo by Peter Rosetzky