Dusk/Night/Dawn is a mesmerising and textured pole dance show produced by Vertical Dreamscape, featuring two performers who continuously move through dreamscapes. It runs daily from 30th July to 10th August at Assembly Roxy.
This dark and dizzying production follows two characters travelling through three otherworldly dreamscapes: dusk, night, and dawn. The lighting and music shift unpredictably, reflecting the characters’ journey through the various scenes. In the red light of early morning, accompanied by the sound of sparks exploding, the characters gather strength with fixed movements like ancient Greek sculptures. Although there are no changes in sound or lighting at this point, the audience can sense the energy pouring out of the ground.
In “Night”, the lyrics “I don’t want to lose anything” and the falling sequins on the characters’ clothes create an ironic contrast. As the lights shift to warm colours, the characters fly upwards with the pole, accompanied by an inspiring melody. Regardless of the hardships and challenges we faced last night, when the sun rises, we all turn towards it.
Pole dancers Donna and Gina from the USA present this powerful and vibrant performance. Their form and control are exceptional, and they engage every muscle to make unrestricted movements in the air. They are like one person when they dance together on that pole.
Utilising strobe lighting plays a big role in creating the atmosphere in Dusk/Night/Dawn, which is one of the most common techniques employed in works that focus on body movement. In the scene ‘Night’, resistance, intimacy, fear, and greed are all presented in an exaggerated and almost raw manner. The atmosphere is painful but charming. A night of depression and sleeplessness is shattered into a million fragments by a blinding column of light. Sometimes, we must accept the challenges the world gives us, like a touch of black paint on the performers. But unfortunately, as the production lacks a clear plot, it also doesn’t make full use of the dramatic potential of intensified conflict that strobe lighting can provide.
Dusk/Night/Dawn is an absolutely stunning and masterly pole dance show.
