Naked dance focuses on the body
Known for its nudity, Pilobolus is a US-based dance company with an aesthetic like no other. Founded in 1971, the group relies on the improvisations of dancers, focusing on the collaborative process in creating new work.
Because we are a repertory company, our shows often change from theatre to theatre, said Pilobolus dancer Darren Yap.
Pilobolus doesn’t have a specific dancer archetype when auditioning new dancers. There is a constant influx of new ideas, allowing the company to change and evolve with each new generation.
Diversity in dancers is one of the reasons Pilobolus is able to surprise and delight audiences. Their work has always challenged the traditional perception of dance.
Yap feels that the choice to include nudity in a piece isn’t about the clothes that are missing, but about being able to see the body in action.
The human body is a marvellous thing. In our piece, Day Two, it just feels right. To me it’s about ritual. There is a very primitive, tribal, sexual, raw energy to it, he said. I think a costume or clothes would detract from the world we’re trying to convey.
The company has performed in 62 countries with more than 100 shows a year including the Academy Awards and Oprah. This Sunday 26 April, Pilobolus will perform Symbiosis on So You Think You Can Dance.
Symbiosis is one of my favourite pieces. It’s very sensual, about two creatures with intertwined destinies that share a sinewy encounter, Yap said.
Sydneysiders will see five pieces when they premiere their work at the Sydney Theatre Company from Tuesday 5 May. Darkness and Light brings shadow play to the stage in a collaboration between puppeteer Basil Twist and Piolobuls’s Robby Barnett and Jonathan Wolken.
During the creation process of Darkness and Light, we didn’t want to limit ourselves at all. One of the Pilobolean principles is -˜generosity of ideas’ and the result is a mind-blowing collage of images using a few simple props and the human body, Yap said.
Often times during the creation process a piece will start out as something and one day take a completely different turn. We never know at the beginning what we’re going to end up with when the process is over. We want the audience to open their minds, lose themselves in what they see, and make their own judgement to decide if they see any themes. We never like to tell the audience what to see.
info: Pilobolus will play from Tuesday 5 to Sunday 17 May at the Sydney Theatre Company. Tickets start at $74. Bookings on 132 849 or visit ticketek.com.au.
