ITS ALIVE! → Adelaide Fringe

 IT’S ALIVE! Asks the question - what happens when you have contemporary dancers improvise to a live jazz-funk band? The answer: a groovy, pulsating showcase that cleverly blends two genres that rarely meet. 


The work is curated by award-winning choreographer Alix Kuijpers, Thomas Byrne and Mark Lurker who bring together a highly talented bunch of local and interstate dancers and musicians. 

What I appreciated most about IT’S ALIVE! is that this concept is an accessible entry point for all audiences, whether you are a fan of contemporary dance or not. Because set to the backdrop of the funky jazz band, you are instantly lost in the rhythm of the music and dancers alike. 


Mesmerising to watch, the beats and rhythms of jazz guide the dancers to move in abstract ways. You see them explore a myriad of shapes and movements - isolating body parts that are overcome by the propulsive rhythms and unique musical accents from the sax, synths and the rest. There are moments when the dancers are lost in their own flow of movement, contrasted nicely when they connect together to match and explore each other’s shapes. Each dancer’s individual artistry shines despite being connected by the same pulsating energy. It is truly mesmerising to watch unfold! 



The audience is also lost in this trance, there’s a lot of head-bobbing and foot-tapping from us all! When you just can’t sit still any longer, you are finally invited up to join them in a joyful moment of connection. 


A show that strips back the art forms of music and dance to their most raw state without too much flash is a rare find. IT'S ALIVE! thrives in that rawness, letting instinct, rhythm, and movement take centre stage.

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