Symbiosis: Living for the dance… or many dances, more like
If you look up the definition of ‘symbiosis’, you’ll see it means “a mutually beneficial relationship between different people or groups”. In the recent Fringe World production, Symbiosis, this definition extends itself to mean three dance colleagues and an artist friend collaborating to present some whacked-out dance moves and artwork. One thing’s for certain: it teaches us there are countless ways to express ourselves.
Our trio of dancers start with some simple freestyle dancing – think hippy-style in the 1960s meets punk circa late ’70s. Then we see even more freestyle – including robot moves, moshing, vogueing and even what looks like a bit of krumping.
Finally, there’s a bit of choreographic relief with the trio moving in sync – and it is in this style that the dancers’ talent really lays – never missing a beat and moving in slick coordination.
At times, Symbiosis feels like you’re simply watching a bunch of ravers at a club, high on their second or third Ecstasy tablet – and it almost takes me back to scenes of house parties in the early 1990s where fluoro fashion was de rigeur and dancing any way you want to was the key to a fun time. Only instead of bumping into one another like we might have on dancefloors of raves gone by, the performers in Symbiosis hardly ever touch one another and certainly don’t trip over themselves. And that, I must say, is the most impressive factor of this 50-minute production.
If going nightclubbing is a thing of the past for you, feel as though you’re there again watching this group of groovers working in and out of proximity, and in and out of sync, to celebrate the simple joy of dance.
Antonino Tati
‘Symbiosis’ is on until February 13 at The Girls School, East Perth as part of Fringe World 2022. Tickets are available at www.fringeworld.com.au.
CREAM MAGAZINE 
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