What is the most that can be achieved with the least? This is the question posed by Dance Territories, a sequence of four solo dances from Switzerland and Australia that explore the possibilities afforded by a minimalist choreographic language. Sparsely rendered, precisely performed and possessed of an undeniable elegance, these performances are at once both commanding and graceful, decisive arguments in favour of a stripped-back gestural aesthetic.

In the first instalment of a new biennial event, Melbourne’s own Dancehouse brings together two choreographers of international renown and two of Australian dance’s brightest stars in an intercontinental journey to the frontiers of modern movement. Over the course of two shared programs, Swiss masters Cindy Van Acker and Perrine Valli find themselves paired with Australia’s Matthew Day and Sandra Parker to create new and unexpected dialogues between two very different cultures of dance. United by their interest in restraint and minimalist movement, these four choreographers together build a space of artistic exchange and resonance – a captivating treatise on the universal nature of dance.

Perrine Valli Ma Cabane au Canada & Série *
Sandra Parker Transit
Cindy Van Acker Fractie *
Matthew Day Thousands
* Australian Premiere

View the show program here.