STEPHANIE LAKE COMPANY - "'Manifesto"

An electrifying, exhilarating, deliberately optimistic dance, in perfect harmony with a powerful soundscape—a striking piece that celebrates not order, but insurrection. In just a few years, Australian choreographer Stephanie Lake has established herself on contemporary stages with her sharp vision and explosive movement style. Manifesto, created in 2022 for the Adelaide Festival, exemplifies her choreography: physically demanding yet meticulously precise. The stage setup is remarkable: nine drummers dressed in black are positioned on a curved ramp above the stage, in front of a large bright pink velvet curtain. Their unamplified strikes progressively trigger and unleash increasingly complex movements from nine dancers in white costumes. As the piece intensifies, both performers and audience are swept into a dizzying vortex of sound, light, and gesture. Where percussion and group dances traditionally evoke military precision, Manifesto flips the script: in collaboration with audiovisual artist and composer Robin Fox, Lake stages a joyful and collective rebellion of the body. From calm unisons to frenetic solos, the choreography unfolds in a crescendo of human energy, culminating in an exceptionally intense finale. Creative Team & Performers Choreography: Stephanie Lake Musical Composition: Robin Fox Lighting Design: Bosco Shaw Costumes: Paula Levis Scenography: Charles Davis Dancers: Rachel Coulson, Marni Green, Tra Mi Dinh, Darci O’Rourke, Melissa Pham, Harrison Ritchie-Jones, Robert Tinning, Kimball Wong, Jack Ziesing Drummers: Robin Fox, Maria Moles, Rama Parwata, Rohan Rebeiro, Alex Roper, Jen Tait, Rachel Trainor, Mathew Watson, Tina Xuan Nguyen Production Director: Lisa Osborn Executive Producer: Beth Raywood Cross Lighting Supervisor: Rachel Lee Sound Engineer: James Wilkinson Extras: • Post-show artist talk • Dance & Percussion Masterclass: Friday, Nov 20, 6:00 – 8:00 PM • Barre Warm-up: Sunday, Nov 22, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM