Choreographer, producer Molly O’Hagan bring SOLEIL to Darwin Fringe Festival

A Top End dance group has been rehearsing ahead of its performance for a Top End festival. Find out what inspired their choreographer.

Top End performers will perform 'SOLEIL' at Brown's Mart Theatre for the Darwin Fringe Festival on July 15-16. Picture: Supplied

Choreographer Molly O’Hagan wasn’t sure what she was getting herself into when she moved to Darwin last September.

“I’d actually never heard of Darwin before,” said O’Hagan, 25, a producer and performer from New Zealand.

She was already set on moving to Australia at some point, she said, so when a job audition opened up in the Top End, it was an easy decision.

She has since made herself at home in Darwin.

“Honestly, the best part is not having to pack a hoodie or anything,” she said.

“It’s just jandals and then I can go out.”

O'Hagan (pictured) said she enjoyed the Northern Territory. Picture: Supplied

O’Hagan has started a performing arts group that will perform at the upcoming Darwin Fringe Festival.

The show, titled ‘SOLEIL’, will be performed at Brown’s Mart Theatre at 5.45pm on July 15-16 by 10 local performers.

SOLEIL is a 45 minute commercial and contemporary dance piece that “illustrates” O’Hagan’s journey from New Zealand to Darwin.

It explores the heat, burning, rain and night life of the Top End, through a blend of commercial and contemporary dance, with physical theatre and improvisation woven throughout.

O’Hagan said it would not have been possible without the dedication of her fellow dancers.

“We’ve all bonded through dance,” she said.

“Everyone has been in a dance studio for various amounts of time through their lives, so we’ve all really bonded over that.”

“We do four hours of rehearsal every Sunday, and we’ve been going since the end of April; I think it works out to be about 65 hours of rehearsal all up.”

O’Hagan said the group was passionate. Picture: Supplied

The passion of the group was what made it special, O’Hagan said.

“They’re all so keen to just take on any idea and run with it … they all collaborate which is pretty special to me,” she said.

Another thing that made the show special, O’Hagan said, was the relatability of the show.

“Being a transient community, I think a lot of people can relate to moving to Darwin and being like, ‘Oh my gosh’, to how different the culture and weather is here,” she said.

“It’s a story that rings true for quite a lot of people.”

Tickets are available at darwinfringe.org.au.

Originally published as Choreographer, producer Molly O’Hagan bring SOLEIL to Darwin Fringe Festival