About
Counterpoise, an international collaboration with Korean and Australian artists.
Counterpoise traverses’ continents to bring together an exciting creative team. Restless Dance Theatre’s award-winning Artistic Director Michelle Ryan, 29Dong Dance Theater’s, Artistic Director Sunyoung Lee and the Korean Music Project’s Composer and Producer Sngkn Kim, and 8 dancers with and without disability to create a distinct dance theatre work. With so many opportunities for connection and exposure to different cultures, our separate identities have started to blur at the boundaries. The ease in which we can communicate, has helped to highlight our similarities and our differences. Counterpoise asks the question, what is our universal culture? Are we heading to a tipping point of a vastly similar human experience, irrespective of the lines that divide us?
Counterpoise | Creative Development
The Counterpoise Project is a testament to the unifying power of art, technology and human persistence. Amidst the global challenges presented by the pandemic, this project connected four eminent international entities: Restless Dance Theatre, the University of South Australia’s Connect2Abilities project, 29Dong Dance Theatre, and the Korean Music Project (KMP). This collaborative force was further enriched by the cinematic expertise of Australian film director Matthew Byrne and the Korean documentary company, The Third Person Point.
Counterpoise | Showing
Counterpoise highlights the noise of life outside, and the quiet place within. It is a raw and compassionate moment in time, showcasing how we balance the forces of quiet loneliness and the human frenzy that press on us daily. Counterpoise asks the question, what is our universal culture? Are we heading to a tipping point of a vastly similar human experience, irrespective of the lines that divide us?
Dancing Against the Odds | Documentary
Alongside the dance theatre work, the team have created a documentary film Dancing Against the Odds and Counterpoise a dance video both of which are eagerly anticipated to grace global film festivals. This cross-continental endeavour not only showcases the resilience of the creative spirit but also heralds a new era of international artistic synergy.
2020: Online: Creative Development
2021: Artists Talk: Online & in person at Bob Hawke Centre
2021: Digital Presentation: OzAsia Festival
2022: Online: August, Creative Development
2022: Adelaide: December, Creative Development (First time the teams met in person!)
2023: Seoul: Presentation, Artists Talk & Workshop
2024: Nominated Asia Pacific Arts Awards
Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity. Robert Alan (American writer, artist and social activist; 1922-1978)
