Wayfinder @ Festival Theatre, Adelaide 17/3/2024
It is easy to deduce why Dancenorth Australia is considered one of Australia’s leading contemporary dance companies. Within thirty seconds of Wayfinder commencing, I had audibly uttered, ‘Wow!’.
The amazement and awe continued for the remainder of the performance.
Wayfinder is described as a kaleidoscopic fusion of dance, visual art, and music. With concept, direction and choreography by Amber Haines and Kyle Page, a visual and aural spectacular of the highest calibre was rendered for their final Adelaide performance.
Eight dancers took us on a wayfinding journey, allowing movement to highlight connectivity with the earth. The dancers wore vibrant costumes (by visual designer Hirome Tango). They reminded me of my old 90s rave outfits and generated a smile of reminiscence. In fact, many scenes reminded me of the house parties I attended in my youth. My heart filled upon seeing this. But there was also curiosity afoot.
Despite the vivid, psychedelic colour palette on stage, scattered throughout the audience were white domes. I was in possession of one, with no idea why or what it would do. In time, their purpose was revealed.
In periods of darkness, the domes intermittently glowed and emitted a cacophony of sounds. It was their own perfectly choreographed routine. As odd as it sounds, this light and sound pairing married with the overall concept.
Where Wayfinder excelled was in this holistic approach. Haines and Page’s choreography was complemented by Niklas Pajanti’s lighting design, which in turn was supplemented by Byron J. Scullin’s sound art and design and composition by Grammy Award-nominated Hiatus Kaiyote. It was a complete production, with all pieces harmoniously aligned to create a blissful collective event.
From the vibrancy of the props and costumes, the immersive sound and music, and extraordinary dancing, Wayfinder was more than an enchantingly whimsical journey. It was a delectable joy to experience.
Adelaide Festival Review By Anita Kertes