Contra Collective’s perspective on the viral pandemic that has swept the globe is abrupt and no-nonsense in its delivery of this controversial topic. Themes of grief, community, protest, and fragility are expressed through movement within 30 minutes by the three dancers, Nicole, Ayden and Lulu, forming cohesion and chaos throughout the piece. The dancers are wary of each other in the beginning, entering the space in a pedestrian manner, eyes downcast. The gaps of social distancing becoming ever more present between them, as their walking patterns grow more frantic until they break out into staccato movement in separation from one another. Each dancer physically represents the emotional battles we all faced during that time of nationwide lockdown, illuminated in solitary spotlights, they move, restricted by the parameters of the light. The music shifts from pedestrian city life to heavy beats and the dancers drop into clear unison phrasing, and the lighting moves into a strobe. This change lasts a little too long for the audience’s comfort, and there wasn’t warning of strobe effects before the show, so it is alarming to the senses, but the dancers move tightly together and then exit the stage for the next section.

They re-enter, moving across the stage with cardboard signs that reflect the protests about ending the lockdown so people could go back to work. This section of the work is conflicted, as the lockdowns we went through saved many lives, and I am not sure what message they are trying to send here, other than being satirical. It is almost comical, eliciting laughter from the audience at the peculiarity of the choice, and the silly physicality of the performers as they cross the stage and mingle with each other. The music is back to murmuring city soundscapes, and Nicole breaks off to exit the stage, and Lulu and Ayden perform an entangled duet, playing with their cardboard signs and comedic timing. Tension builds between the two and eventually Lulu leaves Ayden by himself, and Lulu and Nicole return wearing black face masks and carrying a roll of bubble wrap. This representation of the fragility we all faced during these unprecedented times strikes a chord in the small audience, as we all recall the discomfort of our heavy lockdown periods. Lulu and Nicole place the mask on Ayden and wrap him in the bubble wrap. While protected, he is also restrained. This then moves into all three dancers tying themselves into the reel of bubble wrap together, and twisting, struggling with the material and the tension between them as they navigate the space. Another representation of the two-metre distance we had to maintain recurs in this scene, the reference strong and clear. They shortly free themselves, exit the stage a final time, and return holding a new sign that states “Be kind. Wash your

Whilst the performers of Contra Collective deliver their material with confidence, the messages and themes are too obvious, and clichéd. I consider this a first iteration of this work.  Lulu’s physicality is a standout, and the other two dancers bring their own flavours to this piece. This balanced them all as individuals and a cohort. The transitions of technical aspects of sound and lighting could be smoother, but perhaps these dramatic shifts are intended to be jarring, much like the last twelve months have been for the whole world. Overall, delivered to the articulate intentions, however, the messages require more development.

Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer