Dancenorth Australia’s Lighting the Dark reminds us – and celebrates – that some of life’s greatest joys and most meaningful experiences come from the simplest things.

Bringing together superheroes, beatboxing, Bowie and Banksy, this Brisbane Festival world premiere running at Thomas Dixon Centre until Saturday is contemporary dance at its most broadly appealing. Audiences of all ages can enjoy its wildly original creativity and sense of fun without having to decipher anything; addressed directly from the get-go, the audience knows it matters and reflects the care back at the artists.

Instilling that sense of connection and empowerment is what director and performer Chris Dyke was aiming for, alongside inspiring people to make their dreams come true. The 34-year-old choreographer and dancer living with Down syndrome certainly achieves that as the first artist with an intellectual disability commissioned to direct a work in Australia.

Adelaide-based Dyke has undertaken an annual residency with Dancenorth since 2014, so artistic director (AD) Kyle Page knows Dyke’s superpowers are movement, imagination and instinct. The pair collaborated with associate AD Amber Haines on Lighting the Dark’s concept and choreography, with the Dancenorth Australia ensemble also contributing to the latter.

Interactions between Dyke and long-time friend and ensemble member Felix Sampson help propel the action, with Sampson showing natural charm and humour providing commentary as an MC of sorts. He also impresses singing his own original song a capella.

A superhero battle is cleverly cartoonish, with stop-motion and exaggerated fight moves synced to an array of onomatopoeic sound effects highlighting the dancers’ precision, articulation and athleticism.

A tribute to stealthy street artist Banksy represents a shadowy urban landscape strikingly conjured by Andrew Treloar’s design, Chloe Ogilvie’s lighting and Ana Whitaker’s ever-evocative compositions/sound design. The ensemble dismantle and reconfigure towers of milk crates into a variety of shapes before constructing a giant Jenga pyramid that delivers a surprising lesson in engineering (and spontaneous audience participation).

There are whimsical and surprising elements of romance before Tiana Lung’s entertaining on-demand depictions of superheroes, in particular her lightning-fast moves as The Flash.

All the dancers have opportunities to show their personalities and finesse but what radiates most affectingly is heart and joy. Dyke’s concluding solo statements are both visually and symbolically impactful.

Fostering a sense of happy community through shared interaction, this warm and uplifting work highlights the rewards of seeing past our preconceptions.

Lighting the Dark, until September 14, Talbot Theatre, Thomas Dixon Centre, 406 Montague Rd, West End 

brisbanefestival.com.au

 

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