“Dance has that very exclusive possibility to express something physically, something that other forms aren’t able to express…watching a body go through some kind of negotiation, experience or sensation, which as an audience you can share”
Melanie Lane is emerging as a powerhouse of contemporary dance. Based between Melbourne and Berlin, Melanie’s work is diverse and exciting.
After studying at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 1999, Melanie moved to Germany as there were increased performance opportunities available in Australia.
Melanie has performed with a range of companies and artists worldwide, including Lucy Guerin Inc (interviewed in season two), Kobalt Works, Arco Renz (B), Club Guy and Roni (N), Tino Seghal (G), Antony Hamilton (AUS) and Chunky Move (Aus).
Melanie was appointed as the resident director at Lucy Guerin Inc, in 2015. In 2016, she was commissioned to develop Re-make at Chunky Move part of their Next Move program and has just been announced as one of the commissioned artists for Sydney Dance Company’s New Breed program.
I met Melanie after a long day in the rehearsal room, in the lead up to her premiere of Nightdance which explores the night economy; from exotic dance, lap-dancing, and club dancing, to examining how complicit the audiences are as voyeurs and consumers.
“Dance has that very exclusive possibility to express something physically, something that other forms aren’t able to express…watching a body go through some kind of negotiation, experience or sensation, which as an audience you can share”
The season of Nightdance opens at Arts House Melbourne on the 24th of August in a season of works that include Delving into Dance donor and interviewee Stephanie Lake. She is performing Pile of Bones, which opens on the 15th of August.
The Sydney Dance Company New Breed Season, opens on the 30th of November, where Melanie’s work will be performed alongside emerging choreographers: Tyrone Robinson, Petros Treklis, Cass Mortimer-Eipper and Nelson Earl.
A selection of works:
Tilted Fawn (2012)
Igor-hush hush (2013)
Merge (2015)
Titles (2015)
Choreography for UK electronic musician Clark’s live show
Re-make (2016)
Wonderwomen (2016)
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