Glass Houses

DANCERS: Brianna Salmon & Serena Finlayson

CHOREOGRAPHY: Ming-Bo Lam

MUSIC: Glass Houses No. 11, created & composed by Ann Southam; arranged by Greg Harrison & Jonny Smith; played by Greg Harrison (marimba) & Jonny Smith (marimba) 

FILMED BY: Paul Florentino

CREATED FOR: Din of Shadows, Quinn Jacobs

"When I first listened to Glass Houses, I was struck by the beauty in the flood of notes; I loved the energy, how the notes run along like they're playing little games of tag. As I continued to listen, I was able to better appreciate and recognize the patterns that come and go, alternating between a sense of chaos, of unravelling, and melodic sections that return with a gentle nudge, as if to remind you they never truly left. The pieces brought to mind the relationship between light and water. How the ocean can toss the sunshine back to you, or let it shine down into its depths. I thought about how sometimes these elements can align so perfectly, like when the sun is setting on the ocean and the whole surface appears to be liquid gold! With these visions in mind, I worked with the dancers to create some games - shifting between unison and a back-and-forth dialogue. I sought to explore how one could shine on the other, resulting in reflection or distortion. This is the result of our playtime. I must express my immense gratitude for the talented Brianna and Serena, for taking my suggestions and fragments of movement and helping to craft such physical pieces.

I invite you to come along on [this little dance journey] with us and simply witness that which is. It is okay to allow your mind to wander, to try and guess which parts are made up on the spot and which ones have been practiced for hours! Watch the movement as you would a painting - look for layers, relationships, complementary elements, and see if anything touches your heart."

- Ming-Bo Lam, programme notes, Din of Shadows