NZ Dance Company explores The Absurdity of Humanity

The New Zealand Dance Company
The Absurdity of Humanity
Q Theatre, Auckland
August 24-27

Next week The New Zealand Dance Company) premieres its newest  provocative and poetic work, The Absurdity of Humanity” for a strictly limited season at Q Theatre.

Artistic director Shona McCullagh couples the works of choreographers Ross McCormack (Matter) and Lina Limosani (Whispers from Pandora’s Box) to form a powerful transtasman double bill.

Matte by Ross McCormack (Creative New Zealand’s 2015 choreographic fellow) is a work that is inspired by several multi-disciplinary artists and draws on relationships with different environments. It was created by one of New Zealand’s finest and internationally acclaimed dance artists with an absurdist eye for detail, Mr McCormack has said he is "fascinated with how humans can bestow this importance and have almost cathartic experiences with seemingly benign objects”. In this highly anticipated theatrical work, questions of purpose, indecision, and environment are contemplated within a surreal world of poles, appearing as spear-like plinths forcing the space apart.

Whispers from Pandora’s Box by Australia’s Lina Limosani (2015 Dame Peggy van Pragh Choreographic Award recipient) is a theatrical exposition on the dichotomy of good and evil within human nature. With a score created from mashed up film soundtracks and absurdist scores, this black comedy contains Elizabethan-period inspired costumes, David Lynch style elements, and shockingly timed fight sequences. It promises to present both the macabre and humorous. Kill Bill meets Elizabeth I in this romp of surreal and action-packed pandemonium.

An NBR review of one of their earlier works described it as "operatic in scope … full of inventive and evocative sequences with marvelous sculptural tableaux with a small group of dancers using their bodies to create shapes and patterns which expressed personal and collective turmoil."

On its first international outing at the prestigious Holland Dance Festival, the company received acclaim for its performances. The Dutch press praised the rhythmic passion of the dancers, and particularly noted the theatricality of the company with the international audiences responding with standing ovations at every show

The Absurdity of Humanity features Eddie Elliot who had seen a performance by the dance company, which inspired him to approach Ms McCullagh, the artistic director. “Hello,” he said, “my name is Eddie and one day I’ll be in your company.” His bold statement proved to be a true prediction, as he went on to understudy for NZDC, and is now one of its professional dancers. The Absurdity of Humanity also showcases talented dancers; Carl Tolentino, Chris Ofanoa, Chrissy Kokiri, Emily Adams, Katie Rudd, Xin Ji and founding company members Lucy Lynch and Tupua Tigafua.