‘Matriarchs’ // Metro Arts and Blakdance

‘Matriarchs’ was undulating.

Queensland’s newest dance festival, Dance24, opened Thursday night at New Benner Theatre with contemporary duet, ‘Matriarchs.’

Presented by Metro Arts and Blakdance, the production is Wulli Wulli woman Olivia Adams’ first work, which she performed alongside her sister, visual artist/dancer Arabella Walker.  

Described as an “exploration of identity through the stories of the women who have come before,” the show featured Adams and Walker amid a backdrop of visual art projections, shadows, and film clips. 

Adams has said personal research informed the work, with a desire to highlight and explore the strong women in her family. She visited Chinchilla and Auburn Station, where her grandmother and great-grandmother are from, before starting production. 

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Video design by Nevin Howell, lighting design by Teegan Kranenburg and sound design by Jhindu Pedro Lawrie worked together to transport the audience: from a peacefully blue-green underwater beginning, to the growth of a smiling, colourful family, to the violent racism in black and white news clips highlighting the so-called “Aboriginal problem” in Australia. The contrast from soothing ocean sounds to the hateful views captured in the archival footage was particularly effective in jarring the audience. 

Adams’ solo piece as Walker’s torch cast shadows upon the dance was a highlight. The jerky choreography made it appear as though she was fighting her own body to escape, and it was powerful to hear her laboured breath. (Both women should be commended for a full 40 minutes of performing, with very little rest time built into the choreography).

With only a few fleeting smiles in a nostalgic section to the tune of “I’ll take you home again Kathleen”, the dancers might consider experimenting with their facial expressions throughout. This may help to further draw the audience into their performance and potentially increase the emotional impact. 

‘Matriarchs’ was undulating as in moving as if in waves: Adams and Walker swayed to the soundscape as if part of the ocean itself, performed with projections upon their bodies, and piqued interest into the history of the Wulli Wulli matriarchs, for those of us who are not yet familiar.

‘Matriarchs’ performed 24 and 25 May 2024 at Metro Arts’ New Benner Theatre as part of Dance24, an experimental dance festival from 22 May – 1 June. For more information visit the Metro Arts website.