I subtly creep into the mysterious silos that are filled with surprisingly fresh air and some fresh new choreography created by emerging choreographers and makers, Kerryanne Mayhew and Renee Richards. This dance show is “different” as it isn’t your normal front-on theatrical stage but an array of different silo spaces that gather various human thoughts and mind-intriguing movements that fulfil the title of the show, Vacant 6. This show contains two emergent dance works, Vacant. choreographed by Kerryanne Mayhew in collaboration with dancers, and 6, choreographed by Renee Richards in collaboration with dancers. Both choreographers are graduates from the University of Auckland Dance Studies Programme.

Vacant is a display of three human bodies (Taitanyk Toniu, Jerrika Samuels, Phoebe Lee Chur), observantly playing with a clear sphere full of stars. The stars are some sort of energy source for the dancer’s bodies to react to and the entirety of the dancer’s movements brings me to visualise gods deciding the fate of life here on Earth. The constant passing of the sphere brings memories of struggle that a human drives through in life, making me feel uneasy but also bringing a sense of satisfaction pushing its way through the darkness. Taitanyk Toniu summons the sphere of stars to be his own proud possession through his fluid yet stagnant movement, feeding on energy from the two female dancers to collate the essence of each god’s thoughts on how the enigmatic sphere should be handled. They leave me pondering: Where are the gods now? What is the purpose of the sphere? And who is next to explore the spirit of the sphere?

At the conclusion of Vacant. two women clothed in cream holding lights lead a pack of performers to start a brand new journey into the next dance work.

6 brings a whole range of animated movements with an aesthetic of contemporary dance layered and manipulated throughout. 6 is filled with unrelenting physical activity that uses various groupings, trios, duets and solos to portray each woman’s voice. This dance work creates a satisfying concept of Woman and showcases how women are drivers of peace. With a cast of 6 strong dancers, 6 pushes boundaries of how the human brain thinks and how the human body moves towards a system of gender equality in society today. The movements performed are of personal experiences and shared stories of being a woman and the identity of womanhood is clearly established. As the dancers run from Silo to Silo, my heart rushes and I experience feelings of pain and anguish. These feelings are portrayed through their choreography and through their abilities to hold a powerful presence. The togetherness of the dancer’s movements transforms the dark feel of the silos and bring to light a breath of sanctification and purity. Moving with natural breath, the dancers reference the soft and delicate feel of a mother and the history of a woman. I am positively lifted by the presence created in the silos. Chas Samoa is the pinnacle dancer of 6 and I commend her for her willingness to engage whole-heartedly with the choreography and the knowledge of womanhood that she shares through her movement, with the audience.

The soundscapes (Walkabout Hunger Devious Where by Cristobal Tapia De Veer,  Medley, Dirk Gently Ost by Jessica Hyde, Dreams by Nuages, I fell in love by Gidge, Flickers Instrumental & Easy by Son lux, Ten walls walking with Elephants) for both Vacant and 6 give the movement an uplift of clarification and reality, helping to unify the concepts, choreography and the dancers.

Vacant 6 is a dynamic movement exploration of two concepts that do coincide with each other: giving life to the reality of establishing a healthy and new beginning (Vacant) with womanhood and the continuing voices of peace (6). With further research and exploration of the concepts, both Vacant and 6 will be controversial and daring if the choreographers choose to showcase their works in the future.

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