Black - A Triple Bill — Expressions Dance Company and Guangdong Modern Dance Company

Overview

It's not every day that one of Australia's most renowned contemporary dance troupes joins forces with some of China's most talented performers. Black – A Triple Bill marks the coming together of Expressions Dance Company and Guangdong Modern Dance Company in what's far from an ordinary show. In fact, as the name suggests, it's actually three exquisite dance pieces in one.

In Sumeru, GMDC choreographer Liu Qi transports audiences to the titular mountain, all in search of a mustard seed. Then, in Don't, Expressions' artistic director Natalie Weir examines the impact of words in an expressive work that has never been seen before in Brisbane.

Finally, there's Black, aka the main attraction. Here, dancers from both companies explore the mysterious colour in all its guises. Mesmerising movement is just part of the piece, with the performers using materials and textures seen in their lives to create a dream-like collage. How else do you capture the darkness of night, the shade we see when we close our eyes, and the hue associated with infinity, after all?

Image: Lin Xiaoyi.