Presented by InPlay Dance Collective, Situations In Play, is wholly engaging from top to tail. This triple bill is immersive and accessible for any given audience member. Choreographed and performed by recent graduates of the New Zealand School of Dance, this performance is an astounding glimpse into what the next generation of upcoming artists holds in store for us.

As the audience is ushered into the space, we are immediately greeted by performer Braedyn Togi’s charm and witty humour. Three other performers are also visible in the space, standing, sitting and lying in complete stillness. The set is minimal, consisting of two chairs and a pile of plastic material. Through some nifty lighting tricks, designed by Mattias Olofsson, the audience is left guessing at the size of the space. Is the back wall a hundred meters away? Or merely 10?

The lights dim, the humour continues. This first piece, Thank You For All The Boredom (choreographed by Alessia Augello), begins with a supressed laugh in complete darkness. Dancers Alec Katsourakis, Bjorn Aslund, Vourneen Canning and Jasmine Susic slowly begin to move as Braedyn Togi moves about and around them constantly engaging and disengaging with audience members. Unease ebbs and flows as a feeling of disjointedness is introduced. Over the next twenty minutes questions of loneliness, exclusion and social norms but also togetherness and trust are raised. Although comprehensive Augello’s piece seems to end on an unanswered question, making it apparent that this piece is for your own interpretation.

Bjorn Aslund’s piece Plato’s Atlantis is a duet, a lovely contrast to the previous group performance. Aslund dances in his own otherworldly creation along with performer Barbara Paterson. An invigorating performance, this piece is a feast for the senses. Paterson’s seemingly non-sensical singing is beautifully strange and brings Aslund’s dancing to life. The dynamic between the two performers is ever-changing, leaving space for images like a mother-son relationship or mortal enemies to come to mind. A particularly impressive moment is given by Aslund as they move in heels the size of my forearm. An incredible feat of balance, especially when the audience is shot after Aslund takes careful aim with his leg as a rifle. Gender and androgyny are explored with beautiful expression in this ground-breaking piece.

Situations In Play concludes with a work by Alec Katsourakis entitled Play As You Go. The title does not disappoint as Jasmine Susic, Braedyn Togi, Bjorn Aslund, Vourneen Canning and Tessa Redman play and mess around on stage. As with any child’s play, disagreements and disconnects occur. Braedyn Togi addresses the audience yet again, this time on a more sombre tone. Togi’s incredible expression becomes evident in this piece, looking into the audience’s eyes with genuine tears in his own. Play As You Go is layered with text, sometimes chaotic and unintelligible and at other times clear and succinct. Overall this piece is multifaceted with queries of the human condition expressed not only through movement. But as the performers let us know it’s actually ‘just a stupid dance’.

This performance is supported by an incredible sound score curated and written by Current Bias (Jack Jenkins) and Reuben Topzand. The lighting design (Mattias Olofsson) ranges from subtle to intense but never out of place, enrichening the performance at every moment. Introspective and curious, Situations In Play is a stunning array of performance, suitable for people from all walks of life and I urge everyone to see it before this short season has concluded.

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