Big Dance 2.0
Image: Big Dance 2.0
Big Dance 2.0 is a new dance performance presented by Dance Makers Collective (DMC), the only collective-led dance company, which was formed a decade ago.
Within the company there is a core group of eleven dance makers and performers who co-create, co-direct and co-perform all the shows which they produce. To date they have had 74 works of different scales presented on stage.
A version of this show was staged 10 years ago called Big Dance In Small Chunks and this is a revival version, hence the 2.0 in the work’s title.
Talented dancers will be performing their own works which they have choreographed and directed. Each work has been conceived in isolation of each other from 9 dancers of different ages with differing creative ideas.
The promotional tagline for these works ‘9 dancers, singing, a boxing ring, a live stream and a snake’ clearly highlights the diversity and creativity in these works.
“The live stream work was conceived during Covid and there are dancers performing on a live zoom call with each other and there’s also a love piece which is very theatrical. The snake one is based on a wrestler from the 90’s. There’s definitely a good mix,” enthused Carl Sciberras, General Manager of the company.
“Think of it as a variety show, some of the works are only 2 or 3 minutes and others are longer, the longest in the program being 13 minutes. Some of them are quite abstract and others are not.”
When asked whether audiences who know nothing about dance may find it hard to comprehend what they are watching on stage Sciberras was quick to respond.
“I think this is a good show for people who don’t know how to look at dance because there’s a good spectrum of things that are really easy to digest and others which are a little bit harder to follow. But not getting it is what is good about dance as a form. The intention is that they’re exploring something and how that makes you feel is perfectly fine,” explained Sciberras.
Contemporary dance is the style of dance audiences can expect to see. It’s such a diverse form of dance but it can be defined as ‘dance of now’.
“It’s kind of modern ballet looking with very technical dancing but then there’s some stuff which is clearly dance theatre – there’s a spectrum.”
And what audiences would Big Dance 2.0 appeal to?
“Families and young people under 20 and I think that’s the nature of the artists. They are creating stories via dance which are relevant to that age bracket. I don’t know how elderly people would feel about it though!” laughed Sciberras. “There’s a real diversity in the program so I’d like to think there’s something in it for everybody. And wait till you see the costumes – some are wacky!”
