First impressions of ‘On Reefs and Eroded Lands We Danced’

We were lucky enough to glimpse a run of Paolo Mangiola’s new full-length work, On Reefs and Eroded Lands We Danced…

The work emits a powerful and raw element of humanity and relatability, in a piece otherwise constructed of abstract contemporary vocabulary, felt viscerally by our proximity to the ever-changing landscape composed in front of us. There is a juxtaposition between beautifully simple scores, which highlight this element of deep human connection, and complex choreographic structures; Paolo Mangiola’s choreography weaves between them seamlessly.

There are pertinent moments of silence and stillness, accompanied by the sounds of building breath and the rhythmic unison of bodies. A sense of competition is evoked, for survival or natural order. There is a heightened urgency created by the gradual build of encounters, and increasing frequency and volume of unified feet landing more and more erratically. These gentle encounters subtly shift towards hostility, dramatised and framed further by the prolonged stillness in the soundscape.

Amongst so much movement, there is an abundance of striking still imagery. 

At one moment, our perspective is radically changed, and audiences are brought physically into this carefully composed and newly created environment, amongst structures, images, lights, bodies and movement. The work, viewed by audiences from four sides, is already an immersive experience, and yet the landscape, and our perspective continues to shift. We physically move into their territory, and as spectators, we become enclosed by habitats created by Matthew Attard’s structures; They move around us, and we are taken on a journey through a transforming space, surrounded by movement and affected by human touch. 

There are strong ideas of renewal, cycles of growth, and decay, reflected in every level of the composition, both in individual movements, and overarching narratives of the choreographic structure, visual aspects, and musical arrangement. 

The work feels divided into three sections:

Explorations and encounters

Nostalgia and wishing

Survival and resilience

The audience is caught off-guard by the placement of Vera Lynn’s ‘We’ll meet again,’ with its connotations of war-time effort and struggle for the greater good. Our focus is entirely directed to the nostalgic soundscape as the busyness of movement on stage gradually settles, and there is an absence of physical objects and bodies in the space. 

‘On Reefs and Eroded Lands We Danced’ is summarised by a final chapter which retouches on the themes of struggle and nostalgia. Goya’s music reaches its intense climax, and with the introduction of a darker tone, the dancers are tentatively re-introduced to the space to begin a final score, one which unnoticeably builds in intensity, demonstrating extreme physicalities not yet reached in the work, and overlapped with urgent and poetic text. The off-load of a final line (title), which despite its desperate delivery, still makes reference to hope, spurs a moment which should be predictable, and yet is overwhelmingly moving when it finally appears, perhaps due to the way the anticipation, and the dancers exasperation is so prolonged. The dancers seem physically incapable of continuing further, their physical struggle apparent, yet on cue, they reach even greater limits of movement. Their movement is suddenly sparked with joy and and sudden release of gripping bodily tension; a moment that we wish will continue slightly longer. 

This collision of both desperation and joy, which has been slowly culminating throughout the work is overwhelmingly moving, and a beautiful end to a work which could have easily been left on a mournful topic of reflection.

The performance is a masterful arrangement of all collaborative elements commissioned, each positioned carefully and given adequate space, to enhance the others full potential. As viewers, we are taken on a momentous journey which appeals to our sense of empathy, pride in humanity, and bond to those around us.