In 2005, I moved back to a beach suburb, after a year living in the Barossa Valley. I had missed the beach so much, that I decided that Move Through Life's next show would be a tribute to the beach and ocean. We began work on it in 2006, and it in 2007, 'mOcean' premiered at the Adelaide Fringe Festival at Marion Cultural Centre.
mOcean was a full length collaboration between several choreographers. The choreographers came up with ideas for dances according to the theme of The Beach and Beneath the Ocean. It was also a project with an environmental purpose, designed to raise awareness of the fragility of the marine and coastal environment, and the threats to the delicate eco-culture that support the Aussie love affair with the beach, ocean, and coast.
The performance featured yoga, surfing, sunbathing, walking, and cricket on the beach, a beach bonfire sing-a-long and beach party. It highlighted the fragility, beauty, and threats to leafy seadragons (endemic to South Australia), fish, sea birds, and sand dunes.
The experience was made particularly special with a film component by film maker Jasmine McAllister (with underwater footage supplied by the SA Department of Environment and Heritage), and a surf art exhibition by Nev De Boar from Mid Coast Surf.
Program
PART 1: THE BEACH
Yoga, by Jo McDonald
Morning, by Jo McDonald
Sunbathing, by Melissa Hill
Drift, by Melissa Hill and Kirsty Duncan
Surfing, by Leigh Hodgkiss and Jo McDonald
Heading up the coast, composed and performed by Paul Richardson
Beach Party, by Dan Turbill
PART 2: BENEATH
Pollution, by Charmaine Kuhn
Leafy Sea Dragon, by Jo McDonald
Schooling Fish, by Jasmine McAllister
Sea Birds, by Karen Humphries
Enganglement, by Kelly Moritz
Shifting Sands, by Deborah Searle
Make a better place, by Jo McDonald
Project credits
Artistic Director
Jo McDonald
Associate Artistic Director
Kirsty Duncan
Choreographers
Jo McDonald, Melissa Hill, Kirsty Duncan, Dan Turbill, Charmaine Kuhn Jasmine McAllister, Karen Humphreys, Kelly Moritz, Deborah Searle
Dancers
Kirsten Alexander, Bianca Barbon, Cathy Chittleborough, Kirsty Duncan, Michelle Edlington, Melissa Hill, Leigh Hodgkiss, Karen Humphreys, Charmaine Kuhn, Jo McDonald, Ken McGill, Kelly Moritz, Stef Rossi, Dan Turbill, Brooke Williams
Guest Performer
Paul Richardson
Funding
The project received funding from
- the Natural Resources Management Board,
- Fosters Community Care
- City of Marion.
Consultation
The environmental themes were developed through consultation with
- CoastCare
- The Conservation Council of SA
- The Wilderness Society
- ReefWatch
- SA Seabird Rescue & Project Dolphin Safe
- Southern Ocean Divers Social Club.
Inkind Support
- Mid Coast Surf for the surf art exhibition,
- Media partner Dance Informa.
Filmed by
Jasmine McAllister
Graphic Design
Kirsty Duncan