Review: SEARCHING BLUE - THE HUMAN EXPRESSION (T.H.E.) DANCE COMPANY - OZASIA FESTIVAL 2025 at Festival Plaza, Adelaide Festival Centre

Reviewed by Ray Smith, Thursday 23rd October 2025.

I found myself this evening searching for Searching Blue on the Adelaide Festival Plaza. Finding the performance space on the plaza amongst the building site that is the Adelaide Festival Centre was no mean feat, but considerably easier than finding a park in the remains of the Festival Centre car park.

As a public service, should you wish to view this performance yourself, and I strongly recommend that you do, here is how to find it, or at least its starting point. Take the lift up to the Plaza and turn right. Admire Owen Broughton's sundial, which accurately told me the time by the way, and progress on to the seated area tucked away in the corner of the plaza.

I was sitting alone when the performers themselves arrived and began their warm up stretches.
There were four female and one male dancer, a woman with a sack truck carrying a small PA system, and a man with extraordinary hair sitting in front of a microphone.

I was still the only audience member when the dancers took up their starting positions, the PA began emitting a barely perceptible soundtrack of gentle drones, the man with the microphone sat alert and ready with a jaw harp in his hand, and then people began to arrive and take seats amongst the prone and motionless dancers.

The dancers began to move so slowly that it was almost imperceptible as the soundtrack began to swell, the man with the microphone started playing his jaw harp while vocalising through it. The atmosphere was one of extreme calm as the dancers rose and began slow, flowing movements like blue banners caught in a gentle breeze.

The dancers then selected an audience member each, and taking them gently by the hand led them a short distance away before starting to use the joined hands as a pivot point to move slowly and languidly around their dance partner. It was utterly beautiful.

The dancers and their impromptu partners moved further away before selecting a second partner from the audience and the rest of us dutifully followed. The now groups of three continued the slow gentle movements until the dancer quietly guided their partners' hands together before deserting them, leaving them to continue the dance alone. It was astonishing to watch the two deserted audience members, strangers to each other, continue to dance together intuitively. It was a joyous sight and a distinctly empowering one.

I have seen performances by Singapore's The Human Expression Dance Company before, so I knew to expect powerful but gentle statements about the human condition, but I was nevertheless beguiled by the unhurried and liquid movements of these gifted, athletic performers and their uncanny ability to connect with such intimacy and trust with their audience.

I have only spoken to Founding Artistic Director Kiuk Swee Boon once before and very briefly but I read a section of an interview with him that made perfect sense. I do not know the name of the interviewer but Swee Boon said: “The inspiration for Searching Blue partly came from neuroscientist Dr Jill Bolte Taylor’s stroke experience. What struck me most in her story was how she described the human capacity to connect deeply with the world around us. In my HollowBody Methodology, we often work with and explore this very capacity. Dr Taylor’s scientific explanation gave me a stronger foundation to further embrace and develop this in the piece.”

“The title Searching Blue was from Sherwin-Williams’ paint colour of the same name a calming, mid-tone violet-blue. Blue often evokes peace and serenity, and for me, Searching Blue reflects a search for inner calm, for harmony with others and the environment, and ultimately, for peace.”

The dancers led us away from the Plaza, down the steps, and eventually over the river to the banks of the River Torrens in front of the Adelaide Oval, the roar of the cricket crowd and the canned music from the food market were present, but ignored, as Malaysian musician Kent Lee’s jaw harp gave way to frame drum and strong vocalisations, with overtones of throat singing.

It was an affirming and thoroughly engaging experience for me and, as the performance ended, the audience hung around and smiled at each other, and those that had been included in the dance were congratulated and applauded.

Another huge success for T.H.E. and a wonderful, spiritual experience for those of us lucky enough to witness it.

Photography, Crispian Chan.

Australia - Adelaide Awards - Live Stats

Best Musical - Top 3

1. BONNIE AND CLYDE (The Arts Theatre)

25.1% of votes

2. COME FROM AWAY (The Arts Theatre)

23.1% of votes

3. BILLY ELLIOT (Northern Light Theatre Company)

17.2% of votes

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