‘Awkward Con-nections’ coming to Melbourne

Fresh from its sell-out success at Perth Fringe World Festival, Awkward Con-nections is an exciting choreographic addition to Melbourne Fringe 2016, arriving at Dancehouse in North Carlton on September 22-24 at 7 pm. This award-winning double bill features It’s Getting Awkward, a collaborative work by Sarah Chaffey, Scott Elstermann and Ezgi Gungor, and How to Con-nect, choreographed by Rikki Bremner.

Including original musical composition by Dane Yates, Awkward Con-nections is a refined production that questions how and why we relate to those around us. Amongst soft embraces and tense encounters, the physical versatility of these dancers provides an evening of stellar contemporary dance.

It’s Getting Awkward opens the bill, bringing humour to the familiar micro-panic of how to appropriately greet someone. Created around the three common options of a handshake, hug or kiss, it amusingly expresses the creators’ feelings of hesitation but also explores their journey to seek genuine exchanges with each other. A constant shift in dynamics, with frequent stops and starts, the work captures the anxieties being explored for the audience to experience.

How to Con-nect expresses a yearning for a deep, authentic connection with another human being. Brené Brown says, “In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen – really seen.” The idea is that while there are many things in modern life that interrupt the process of deeply connecting, if both parties come willingly and openly it’s possible to make a truthful connection. With athleticism and sensuality, this piece embodies longing in both an emotional and physical sense.

For further information on this double bill that won the Dance and Physical Theatre Award at Melbourne Fringe 2016, head to www.facebook.com/events/1727991560797761/. Watch a video preview at vimeo.com/173339118.

Photo by Daniel Macbride.