Attractor | XO State (Asia TOPA)

A giant inflatable lotus flower blooms out the front of Arts Centre Melbourne to signify the Asia TOPA (Asia-Pacific Triennial Of Performing Arts) takeover, a festival that celebrates Australia's connections with contemporary Asia. This evening marks opening night of the Dusk program at XO State — a performance club situated on State Theatre's stage — and our very own Dancenorth and Lucy Guerin Inc team up with musical duo Senyawa to present a festival commission: the premiere season of Attractor.

Just inside the foyer, a lady holds up a sign that reads, "Attractor Participants", which further piques our interest/terrifies as we hurry toward the escalators.

We enter onto State Theatre's stage and we're directed toward bleachers that face the house curtains behind which the audience would normally sit, which are closed. The performance commences with Senyawa and the dancers facing us, seated on chairs placed in a semicircle configuration. The music of Senyawa is primal: Rully Shabara's vocals are rhythmic, often demonic; Wukir Suryadi's hand-made electrified stringed instrument, which is shaped like a bamboo spear, is equally capable of conjuring beautiful melodies, galloping rhythms or terrifying plucks (which sound as if the instrument itself is being tortured). As the dancers react to the music, it's as if they're compelled, rather than instructed, to move. Unison groups within the ensemble constantly shift: pairs become two trios and a single pair before careening off to their next pattern; our eyes drawn to the motion created by choreographers Gideon Obarzanek and Guerin (in conjunction with these extraordinary dancers).      

Senyawa focus intently on the movement, keeping time with the dancers as they twitch to each strum or frenzied chant. As well as sharing a stage space, boundaries between musicians and dancers are blurred when the musicians are incorporated into the choreography; sometimes even carried and dragged around the space, leaving sweat trails. When chairs are relocated and there's unison tutting around faces, we're absolutely enthralled. Samantha Hines' standout solo is accompanied by vocal percussion and evokes an exorcism. Her instrument presents endless possibilities and she stops on a dime, achieving perfect balance on one leg after frenzied, multi-directional chorey.

During quieter moments, the dancers' collective stomps or exaggerated exhalations help maintain their timing. Movement oozes, initiated from a wide variety of body parts and liberated by the unlimited movement vocabularies of these dancers. In some sections the impetus is violent, as if dancers are being shoved against their will. Other parts see the dancers gliding along en masse like birds travelling in morphing flock patterns.   

Each Attractor performance incorporates 20 completely unrehearsed volunteer audience members (who are prompted through in-ear monitoring). Some of these participants are supplied with percussion instruments, which they play on cue. So what happens when these non-dancers actually enter the stage space? You'll just have to go along and find out for yourself.

Without Senyawa, Attractor couldn't exist. And without the contributions to choreography from this specific set of truly remarkable dancers, there would be no Attractor. Congratulations to all involved in the creation of this extraordinary, exhilarating piece.   

Arts Centre Melbourne presents Attractor, Fri 24 & Sun 26 Feb, at XO State, Arts Centre Melbourne.