Making Space: More Than a Shoe Brand

At first, a few solitary notes linger in the air. Then a voice loops, echoing around the room, and next, the tremors of a piano. Thom, cigarette in hand, begins a series of sensual, gestural movements, a summoning of sorts, as more dancers, sinuous and enigmatic, dressed in underwear and shoes, file past them with measured intention to a rhythm of rumbling sewing machines.

A PERFORMANCE IN NEW YORK BY CHOREOGRAPER ZOÏ TATOPOULOS

BODIES GYRATE, ARCH AND MARCH.

Taking inspiration from the rehearsal diaries of Raimund Hoghe, a German choreographer and the dramaturge for Pina Bausch’s dance company Tanztheater Wuppertal we collaborated with director and choreographer Zoi Tatopoulos, aka Ztato. Ztato is a VMA nominated creative, who’s worked with FKA Twigs, and is renowned for her visceral and challenging interpretation of movement, that feels like a subversive multi-disciplinary remix of global culture.

Clothes are taken from human-sized boxes, soundtracked by a hypnotic drone that pricks with a slow, growing pressure. Small groups take formation in a regimented catwalk swagger, as others in contrast dynamically roll and slide across the floor. Valeria is lifted aloft by Caitlin, Maija and Cara, who rolls a woollen bolero jacket from her chest onto Valeria’s body.

THERE'S AN ART TO DRESSING.

And in the exchange of clothes, characters are developed as they are undressed and remade into something new. Another group forms, Ida, Dana, Aiyr, Caitie, Athena and Nicolette lift Amanda from the floor and onto shoulders, a layer of skirt removed. Then they turn to place Emma into a headstand as they pull onto her a raw-edged leather belt.

A crazed improvised saxophone plays, as Thom whirls around Ida, Amanda, Valeria, Maija and Athena who stretch and convulse over chairs, then the saxophone fades to looped birdsong and a faster beat, as feet lift over heads, creating sculptural forms. Then, the chairs are pushed back, as dancers come from every angle of the room, windmilling arms, before returning to their seats, where they pull their shoes from their feet. Ida, shoeless, high kicks, she moves in a graceful staccato that feels like something between a martial art and body popping. Encircled by Dana, Amanda, Athena, Valeria, Nicolette and Caitlin they kick their legs as they slide backward into an intense climatic sequence.

Emma Mather; Cara Diaz; Athena Andrade; Dana Liebezeit; Aiyr Pitchford; Nicolette Petriello; Thom Kitt; Carmella Taitt; Valeria Yamin; Caitlin Marks; Maija Knapp; Jess Hu; Catie Whalen; Ida Saki; Amanda Mitchell.

The soundtrack ripples and eases. Shoes are returned to the boxes whilst the dancers remain with their clothes on. Slowly, the dancers push and position the boxes into the centre of the room, revealing their text:

MAKING SPACE. MORE THAN A SHOE BRAND.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved.

TO ZOI TATOPOULOUS FOR THE CHOREOGRAPHY.