17 October 2024
Two films celebrating the dedication and tenacity of Korean and South Australian performers with and without disability will hit the big screen as part of the Asia-focused arts festival OzAsia.
Counterpoise, which features nine artists from Adelaide-based Restless Dance Theatre and the Korean 29Dong Dance Theatre, is a contemporary black and white dance film created at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Directed by Larissa McGowan and Matt Byrne, the 20-minute dance film highlights the noise of life, as well as quiet loneliness within ourselves. Counterpoise’s detailed choreography melded with electrifying music by KOREAN MUSIC PROJECT using a combination of traditional and western instruments embedded with digital technology.
Dancing Against the Odds, a documentary directed by Adelaide filmmaker Matt Byrne, follows the innovative and inclusive journey of making Counterpoise over three years. Produced by University of South Australia arts management experts Dr Boram Lee and Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM, the 60-minute film embraces diversity, inclusion and self-expression.
Both films will screen on 29 October as part of the Adelaide Film Festival and OzAsia.
The project began in 2020, when dancers could only collaborate virtually due to COVID-19. It wasn’t until 2022, when members from the three companies – Restless, 29Dong Dance Theatre, and KOREAN MUSIC PROJECT – could meet face-to-face in Adelaide for the first time and continue the bonds formed online.
In 2023, Restless Dance Theatre had the opportunity to travel to Seoul, reuniting the team for a public preview of Counterpoise and workshops with Korean artists with and without disabilities. This journey not only expanded the project’s reach but also nurtured community connections, inspiring a deeper appreciation for inclusive arts.
Dr Boram Lee says the project connected people across Australian and Korean borders to help foster a network of inclusivity and diversity through the arts.
"After a three-year saga of overcoming international borders, language barriers, and perceptions of disability, we’ve transformed the impossible into a breathtaking reality,” she says.
“This collaboration showcases the incredible power of public initiatives, made possible by the steadfast support of the Korean and Australian governments and our diverse partners.
“With multiple layers of collaboration among dancers, musicians, academics and filmmakers, we’ve fostered deep people-to-people connections, and we’re excited to share our learning with communities around the world.”
Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM says the project embraced diversity, inclusion and self-expression to help shift stereotypes around the capabilities of artists with disability.
“These films present disability in a new light. They showcase what the dancers can do rather than focusing on what they can’t do,” she says.
Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds is supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and KOFICE as part of Kore·A·Round Culture 2023, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program, Australia-Korea Foundation, and Arts South Australia.
Screening of the two films Counterpoise and Dancing Against the Odds
When: Tuesday 29 October, 5:45pm
Where: Palace Nova East End, Adelaide
The screening will be followed by an artists’ talk moderated by Prof Ruth Rentschler and including selected dancers in the film, and Dr Boram Lee.
More information available on the Adelaide Film Festival and OzAsia websites.
Images
Trailer
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Contacts for interview:
Dr Boram Lee, Senior Lecturer in Arts and Cultural Management, UniSA E: boram.lee@unisa.edu.au
Professor Ruth Rentschler OAM, Professor in Arts and Cultural Leadership, UniSA
E: Ruth.Rentschler@unisa.edu.au
Media contact: Melissa Keogh, UniSA Media M: +61 403 659 154 E: Melissa.Keogh@unisa.edu.au
