‘Status Room’ is a contemporary dance piece devised by emerging West Australian choreographers, Daisy Sanders and Shuling Wong, mentored by Alexandra Harrison. The routine has been developed with support from the ‘Department of Culture and the Arts’, ‘Propel Youth Arts WA’ and ‘Healthway’ to promote the Drug Aware message.
This 50-minute, energy charged, Jenna Mathie production can be seen at The Blue Room Studio, Perth Cultural Centre, 53 James Street, Northbridge each evening at 8.30 until Saturday 1st November.
The seating is parallel and facing the central performance area. The room is painted pitch black. There are full-length, metre-wide mirrors at each end of the room.
The members of the audience had to complete a short questionnaire (three questions) regarding their mood and likes. This was ‘posted’ in a box before entering the theatre space.
As we entered the auditorium, the line of patrons passing through the door was recorded on a video camera. The two young performers, both WAAPA graduates, Daisy Sanders and Shuling Wong wore casual clothes – Daisy had Doc Martin footwear to dance in, and yet could trip the light fantastic without any problem.
The unique music of Florence and the Machine started pounding and the two dancers began a wild robotic dance, starting slowly and speeding up to an exhausting rate. Although synchronised in their dancing, the girls could not be any more different in character. Shuling asked a few questions of the audience, offering to answer any question honestly – should one be forth coming. Nothing too searching for her, before she goes off clubbing. Changing the atmosphere, doing press-ups and contemporary dancing, she expresses her moods.
Poet Daisy is more introverted, enjoying her romantic feelings in the privacy of her bedroom. Dancing to Laura Marling with a slow, intimate, slinky movement. Meanwhile, Shuling reveals her deepest thoughts in mime. Their two personae being revealed for all to see, whom will you see as a reflection of yourself?
Dancer and choreographer, Jo Pollitt, has worked in most of the states of Australia. For this energetic show, she was the inventive director.
Both the lighting and sound design was by the imaginative Joe Lui and operated slickly by stage manager, Troy Leenards.
An unusual, powerful contemporary dance event, with some novel sequences.