Review: ADELAIDE FESTIVAL 2016: HABITUS Links Us And Our Environments

Reviewed by Matthew John Plummer, Monday 29th February 2016

Australian Dance Theatre's Habitus is the first in a series of works that explores humankind's connection with nature and our domestic environment. It is being presented in the Space Theatre at the Adelaide Festival Centre.

"This suite of creative works are all conceptually linked to ideas that relate to nature in some particular way." Garry Stewart, Artistic Director.

The performance takes the audience on a journey via the minds of a highly talented, world-class creative team and the company of dancers, providing a feast for the eyes, ears and soul. The dancers are well versed in multiple styles such as classical ballet, contemporary techniques, breakdance, martial arts, and more, delivering precise movements, crisp, and expertly timed, with the strength and technical ability the company are known to provide. Clever use of props and costume makes for an ever changing scene on stage and a fun playground to explore, such as several lounge suites rearranged in various ways, plus used as a new kind of crash mat for dancers to deliver acrobatic manoeuvres.

The choreography keeps the audience gripped and ever present, waiting to see where the journey will lead us next. Snippets of spoken-word provide grounding and context, moments of stillness that lead back again to a stage full of movement. Subtle humour breaks the ice and keeps the performance on a lighter tone through much of the work, although a serious and dark dynamic plays its role also, as the concept and topic of our domestic world is thoroughly explored.

Habitus is a powerful work, turning us around to question some of the fundamental aspects of our world, our disposable possessions, and perspective of our existence in the domestic environ. With more yet to come in this series of works audiences have plenty to look forward to in the near future from Australian Dance Theatre for world-class dance performance.

Here is a some information about the performance, from Artistic Director, Garry Stewart, and dancer, Zoe Dunwoodie, and also the trailer for this work.