Resurgence

Pressing play on movement after an uncomfortable pause, Resurgence is Future Makers’ revival project. Featuring two newly commissioned works by critically acclaimed and award-winning artists Jasmin Sheppard and Kristina Chan, and a third co-devised work by the Future Makers themselves, Resurgence brings together three vital voices in an exploratory world of dance, investigating ideas and issues critical to today.

House Lights – Future Makers

House Lights is a new work co-devised by all 11 members of Future Makers. Commenced during the Sydney lockdown of 2021 entirely over video calls, this has become a frame for the work and its themes of continuing on when things get hard, processing a new normal, control, contribution and hope.

 “You should know that the house lights won’t go down just because theaudience stops talking and is sitting in awkward silence. You should know that dimming the lights in your lounge room isn’t the same thing. You should know the excitement you feel when the house lights go down is because you’ve agreed to sit in the dark with a bunch of strangers and imagine together.”

Alien – Jasmin Sheppard

In early 2021, The Biden administration finally ordered Immigration officials to stop using the term Alien when referring to Immigrants.

The long reaching use of the term Alien echoes the collective perception of those who are different- in culture, appearances, or language.

Australia has its own murky relationship with the idea of an Alien being- First, with the claim of Terra Nullius- that Australia wasn’t inhabited by human beings, then with the White Australia Policy and the treatment of Immigrants and First Nations People.

Garden – Kristina Chan

Garden translates awareness, perceptions and experiences of the myriad of micro-organisms that make us human, through an anthropomorphic lens.

Thinking about bacteria, viruses and fungi from a perspective of “interbeing”, Garden is about reclaiming instinct and remembering who we are.

With a psychedelic sound score by James Hazel, made from voice recordings of the performer’s experiences during lockdown, Garden is a landscape spanning fear, loneliness, hope, connection and desire.

Performances

Presented by Blacktown Arts at the Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre
May 2022

Credits

Lighting Designer: Jasmine Duff

Composers: Amy Flannery, Lili Occhiuto, James Hazel

Promotional photos: Emma Harrison
Performance photos: Rolling Media

Dance Makers Collective is supported by the New South Wales Government through Create NSW and the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

This project is supported by Blacktown City Council.