Somewhere, Everywhere, Nowhere
(SEN) is a 50 minute performance for two dancers, an animated light sculpture and stereophonic sound.
In 2021, despite quarantines and border restrictions, two choreographers from the opposite sides of the world were united in the flesh to create a transhemispheric, cross-cultural, mixed-medium work exploring a world that is both divided and united by technology and contagion.
During the three years in the lead up to the premiere, Adelaide based Alison Currie and Berlin based Yui Kawaguchi exchanged stories, phone calls, and video rehearsals exploring the feeling of maintaining control and balance in a globalised world where distant events influence each other - sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly - and translating this into choreography.
They collected sound recordings of their daily lives throughout this period to reflect on the differences in seasons, hemispheres and time zones, from which sound designer Sascha Budimski has created a surreal and three-dimensional sound score.
Inspired by cables and connections that make up the internet lighting artist Fabian Bleisch created a lighting sculpture made of fibre optic cables which subtly interact with the dance.
Since they started discussing SEN the world has changed a lot. Long-distance connection has become the norm for a lot of people who are unable to travel to see their families and who are, at times, also isolated in their homes away from their local communities.
SEN brings the perspectives of two distant artists together to reveal a fuller picture of our world and shine light on the ghosts in the machines we all operate within.
“In 50 short minutes Currie and Kawaguchi manage to convey this sense of being together, yet apart; of being individuals from different nations who share the same humanity; of finding connection in a virtual world while growing ever more disconnected from what is real.” InDaily
world premiere: OzAsia Festival, Adelaide Festival Centre 2021
▼ CREDITS ▼
Co-direction, Choreography, Concept & Performers: | Alison Currie & Yui Kawaguchi |
Set and Lighting Design: | Fabian Bleisch |
Sound Design: | Sascha Budimski in collaboration with Yui Kawaguchi & Alison Currie |
Light Animation | Fabian Bleisch & Yui Kawaguchi |
Secondement Dancer | Amelia Watson |
Set Constrauctions | Klaus Frohlich, James Dodd |
Producers | Penelope Leishman & Jason Cross (Insite Arts) Australia |
Associate Producer | Ilja Fontaine (Mendora) Germany |
▼ MEDIA ▼
“This powerful, haunting performance by Adelaide-based Alison Currie and Japanese-born, Berlin-based Yui Kawaguchi explores the constraints and possibilities of this strange new age in which we find ourselves." 'KATHERINE TAMIKO ARGUILE INDAILY 2021
“…mesmeric and affecting…” LISA LANZI STAGE WHISPERS 2021
“…a superb piece of work” RAY SMITH BROADWAY WORLD 2021
“Whether a warning or a lament, this is a performance that will burn deep long after it is over, leaving one pondering for days afterwards about the nature of the era of connectivity and disconnection we now live in.” KATHERINE TAMIKO ARGUILE INDAILY 2021
SUPPORTED BY: Arts SA PROJECT GRANT, Government of South Australia PROGRAM GRANT, OzAsia Festival IN ASSOCIATION WITH ADELAIDE FESTIVAL CENTRE TRUST, Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund AN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE, Insite Arts Australia-Japan Foundation 2021-2022 GRANT
Thank you to 2018 OzAsia Festival Director Joseph Mitchell for introducing Yui and Alison and 2021 OzAsia Festival Director Annette Shun Wah for supporting the development and presentation of the work.