This short film gives an intimate look at a rehearsal of Douglas Wright’s solo in his home space, contrasted with the same section of movement performed onstage, against the backdrop of a magnificent hanging tree.  

In his lounge space, I am pleasantly surprised with how he can stay virtually on the same spot, yet be so expressive with his body and tell the story he wants to portray. The phrase is very gestural and several motifs are repeated throughout. Wright demonstrates his fluidity through wonderful twisting and interlocking limbs, as well as making use of incredibly precise gesture and hand placement.

At times the movement is conversational, at other times Wright takes on an almost feline or bird-like form, before returning to undeniable human expression. Each movement flows into the next efficiently and effortlessly, drawing the audience in.

Douglas Wright has been one of my inspirations as a dancer and choreographer for years. I first came across his work as a young dancer and loved his unique physicality, and his fearless approach to expressing controversial ideas or challenging the status quo in his work.

The Kiss Inside is, in its essence, a work about the search for ecstasy that burns within all of us. It is a choreography expressing human desires and the joy we feel when our desires are fulfilled.

I was lucky enough to watch this show live when it toured Aotearoa in 2015. It still stands in my mind as a dance work that is relatable to all to some degree in its conception, as well as being a simply beautiful, challenging and physically engrossing work.

RIP Douglas, your legacy lives on through the next generation of Kiwi dancers and beyond.

[Available here until 19 July]

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