Adelaide Festival 2020 review: Dance Nation
Like the moods of a teenager, it’s not easy to decipher what message Dance Nation is trying to send – but it is an unforgettable experience which will provoke thought and vigorous discussion.
Festival
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Dance Nation
Theatre
Scott Theatre
Until March 7
In her program notes, director Imara Savage says Dance Nation “has been an absolute mind-bending, hair-pulling, nail-biting, nausea-inducing, euphoric rollercoaster to rehearse”.
The ride for the audience is no less extreme, confronting, hilarious, outrageous, thrilling and shocking.
As US playwright Clare Barron draws us into the emotional, physical, psychological and societal pressures of life and its expectations for a dance troupe of 13-year-old girls, so we are shunted from sparkling tap routines to Carrie-like horror scenes of blood and comedic non-PC tirades.
Dance Nation is a bold, daring choice as the debut work programmed by new State Theatre artistic director Mitchell Butel, who also co-stars as win-at-all-costs dance teacher Pat.
Butel’s bleached-blond hair emphasises his character’s sure-footed but insensitive severity as he simultaneously sets out to make and break his young charges.
Savage navigates each sharp turn with aplomb as the action shifts from full-blown dance production numbers to locker room conversations and the characters’ inner desires.
Actors of all ages, sizes, shapes and racial backgrounds are cast as the teenagers and clearly channel their own memories and experiences, each bringing a unique depth and perspective.
Amber McMahon steals the show as Ashlee with her psychotic transformations from precocious flirt to hormone-driven hate monster, while Strictly Ballroom star Tara Morice’s quieter Sofia not only endures but ultimately embraces the inopportune arrival of her first period.
At the heart of the story is the battle between best friends Zuzu (Chika Ikogwe) and Amina (Yvette Lee), as they struggle to determine whether they will sacrifice everything for dance or discover a broader definition of success.
Choreographer Larissa McGowan outdoes herself with dazzling Dames at Sea style musical theatre numbers, edgy contemporary dance routines and an outlandishly comical “acro-lyrical” Indian pastiche tribute to Gandhi.
Jonathon Oxlade’s mirrored dance studio set is a two-way treasure trove of trophies with a locker full of lighting surprises, while Luke Smile’s whirring electronic dance music score drives the action and the audience’s senses to the brink.
Like the moods of a teenager, it’s not easy to decipher what message Dance Nation is trying to send – but it is an unforgettable experience which will provoke thought and vigorous discussion.
