Powerful dance piece 'Vincent' is returning to its home after a successful premiere and tour to Adelaide Fringe.
Presented by Melissa Lanham, the piece follows the life of Vincent Van Gogh, his relationship with his brother and his struggle of inner self.
The piece is being performed as part of Horizon Festival on the Sunshine Coast and here, Melissa makes a few lists relating to the show itself.
Melissa Lanham
5 Reasons Vincent Is Such An Inspiration
As a famous quote says, “he was able to transform the pain of his life into works of remarkable beauty”.
1. In the National Gallery in London sits one of his Sunflower paintings. I still remember being so blown away by the ‘life’ which resides on the canvas, even over 100 years later. Big solid brush strokes and a stunning use of colour that I've not seen by any other painter.
2. He was a man of titanic emotions, so tortured mentally and yet the sicker he became the more vibrant his works became.
3. Vincent was forever striving, pushing through and constantly trying to identify with life around him.
4. The letters that he wrote to his brother Theo were also beautiful works of art and elegantly written even though the sadness portrayed in them is palpable.
5. He only ever painted from sight, from what was in front of him and never from memory. Starry Night for example was painted from the view of a tiny window and behind the bars of the mental asylum where he was staying. How did he create such an incredible and vibrant painting in a place of such sadness?
5 Ways Dance Communicates Emotion
1. To me dance is a language, a form of communication, a way of expressing what sometimes cannot be said with words. The turn of a head, the intensity of a gaze, a breath as an arm moves through the air can all explain a certain feeling or understanding.
2. Dance has been used for centuries across the world in celebration, in mourning, in defiance, as a right of passage and in prayer.
3. Dance is fleeting – unlike a painting which can stand the test of time – Dance is there one moment and gone the next – like a moment in time.
4. “Our arms start from the back because they were once wings” – Martha Graham
5. Dance is THE Universal Language!
5 Things to Expect When You See 'Vincent'
1. From the moment you walk into the theatre and take your seat, you are immediately immersed inside the world of Vincent Van Gogh.
2. ‘Vincent’ is rich with intensity and emotion from beginning to end.
3. The original score is all-encompassing and monumental and will fill you with passion throughout the entire performance.
4. The set and lighting design create a stunning backdrop and a world rich in colour.
5. There are three dancers that carry the whole show – Vincent, his brother Theo and Vincent’s psyche, played by a female.
