Arts Review: Asia TOPA, Samsara

Showing as part of Arts Centre Melbourne’s acclaimed annual arts series Asia TOPA, Samsara is a beautiful exploration of the self that draws on classical and folk dance traditions from both China and India.

The 60-minute performance is the result of a fateful collaboration between international dance artists Aakash Odedra (UK/India) and Hu Shenyuan (China). Each talented and distinctive in their own right, the fusion of Shenyuan’s graceful and contortionist movement with Odedra’s masculine yet soft dance styles is captivating to experience.  It left myself and the entire audience entranced throughout the entire performance and will do the same to you.

It’s incredible that the performers do not actually share a common language. In creating the concept and choreography of Samsara, Ohedra and Shenyuan communicated via interpreters. In the resulting performance, their undeniable chemistry and passion for their art is unmistakable.

The stories within Samsara are inspired by concepts and imagery of Buddhist philosophy and the classic Chinese novel Journey to the West, which focuses on pilgrimage and discovery of your higher self. Being a performance piece, it was at times difficult to understand narrative progression, however as the music, lighting and dance sequences transitioned over the hour, themes of change, connection and conflict were clear.

The live music that accompanied the performance was minimal. The use of drums and Nicki Wells’ bold, loud vocals, somewhat reminiscent of powerful, Western Asian traditional music, was captivating and effective in invoking a solemn mood. Together, with carefully crafted lighting, the show was wrought with emotion and beauty. At times, the performance felt haunting as the dancers and sound portrayed representations of loss and grieving.  

Samsara is a beautiful performance, and truly is a work that transcends language barriers. See it at Arts Centre Melbourne until March 7th.

For more information and ticketing click here.