Review: STEPHANIE LAKE COMPANY'S MANIFESTO presented by National Arts Centre Dance
An ode to unbridled joy, humour, and unity.
Living in a time that feels the darkest in decades, we can all benefit from experiencing something more lighthearted in nature. Saskatchewan-born, Melbourne-based choreographer, Stephanie Lake’s Manifesto, a bombastic show from her eponymous company, is an ode to unbridled joy, humour, and unity; something I think we can all appreciate, even if it is only an hour’s respite.
Manifesto starts out, quite literally, with a bang. Nine percussionists, elevated on the stage, pound away on their kits, while the dancers on the ground move in unison, at first in jerking movements, starting and stopping in time to the music, then with more fluid, graceful moments and then with an erratic, almost stumbling manner, although always in perfect synchronicity with the sound. The performance is marked throughout with spates of humour, through small gestures, facial expressions and even a quick streak across the stage. The dancers also break the fourth wall to engage the audience directly, something rarely seen in dance. Indeed, the audience feels the pull and the energy of the dancers, almost becoming a component of the piece itself.
The music, composed by Robin Fox, uses the varied musical backgrounds of its carefully selected percussionists to create a score that feels unique and powerful. The nine drummers have a basis in genres that include classical, funk, heavy metal, and experimental drumming and this varied experience comes through in both the music and the dance. The piece feels so symbiotic because the music and choreography was actually crafted together. In this way, the dancers and the musicians became so intertwined and so close as artists that the piece is like a tree that has deep roots and continues to grow and evolve each time it is performed.
Seeing the dancers move in perfect timing with the beat of the drums, further accentuated by synchronized lighting (designed by Bosco Shaw), is absolutely incredible. The dancers too come from varied backgrounds, both from a perspective of ethnicity and dance style. They have some level of freedom to let their personalities shine through the work. It may all look effortless, but the timing and pathways are meticulously rehearsed; the overall result is a gorgeous expression of nonconformity, athleticism, and unison.
Manifesto succeeds in letting you leave your worries at the door, as you find yourself immersed in a playful world where you can imagine that you are one of the dancers matching to the beat of nine drums.
Manifesto was on stage at the National Arts Centre’s Babs Asper Theatre on April 9 and 10, 2026.
Dancers: Rachel Coulson, Tra Mi Dinh, Marni Green, Darci O'Rourke, Harrison Ritchie-Jones, Robert Tinning, Georgia Van Gils, Kimball Wong, and Jack Ziesing.
Drummers: Robin Fox, Tina Xuan Nguyen, Rama Parwata, Rohan Rebeiro, Alexandra Roper, Jen Tait, Rachel Trainor, Mathew Watson, and Julia Watt.
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