Chunky Move — a critically-acclaimed, genre-defying company — are taking their latest performance piece 'Keep Everything' on a national tour. A fusion of dance and performance art that combines one of Australia’s most innovative choreographers, Antony Hamilton with ARIA award-winning musicians, Kim Moyes and Julian Hamilton. Splicing choreography, electronica, spoken text and improvised movement to trace human evolution from primates to robots and back again, this is a unique and extraordinary show that champions the absurd and embraces spontaneity.
Antony Hamilton has truly created a sense of magic with his choreographed moves.
“'Keep Everything' is a musing on the folly of humanism — our prevailing, yet flawed belief that there is some great plan, some moral order for life on earth, when in fact there is none.”
What is your role and how did it come about? I conceptualised, directed and choreographed the work. I was invited to create the work by Chunky Move's previous Artistic Director Gideon Obarzanek
What excites you most about creating new works and choreographing? The thing that excites me, and keeps me interested in continuing to make new works, is stepping into the unknown. I love not knowing what is going to happen before we begin the creation. It's all about not knowing.
Fav. moment in this production and why? The end, because in my mind it is totally depressing! I quite enjoy going to the depths of suffering as part of a healthy, emotionally-balanced life. Happiness is fine, however extremely overrated.
Can you explain how this piece was built and created and evolved? It was created to begin with, using fragments of ideas and material from previous works that never amounted to anything on their own. These fragments became the raw materials to create a strange sort of jigsaw and order out of chaos.
Any funny/ weird/ crazy behind-the-scenes stories? One of the dancers, Lauren, kicked one of the other dancers Alisdair in the eye, fracturing his skull a couple of weeks before we opened the show. Quite a painful moment for him.
What does dance and performance and art mean to you? Dance, performance and art are just about the only reason to go on living. Without them, we may as well all go and do ourselves in.
If someone was to play you in a movie, who would it be and what would the title of the film be? Lassie. 'The Life and Times of Antony Hamilton (as a dog, played by Lassie)'.
Advice to up-and-coming performers/ artists/ creatives? My advice would be that this path is not a talent or popularity contest. Don't worry about what others think. Follow your own truth as it's the only one that matters.
What have you learnt about yourself from being involved in this production? Many things. One of them is that you can make a good work while under great pressure. My wife gave birth to twins while our first boy was one and a half, right in the middle of the creation of this work. To say my life was busy at that time would be an understatement.
Anything else readers should know? The life you have left is a finite period in front of you. So fill it with interesting things — like coming to this show!
'Keep Everything' Tour Dates
July 16-19, Vitalstatistix (Adelaide)July 23-26, PICA (Perth)
July 31-Aug 2, Brisbane Powerhouse (Brisbane)
August 6-9, Salamanca Arts Centre (Hobart)
August 13-16, Performance Space (Sydney)
August 20-24, Arts House (Melbourne)
