As Moveo gets ready to unveil its third contemporary dance performance, choreographer Dorian Mallia speaks to Iggy Fenech about the train of thought behind The Other Door: What’s Wrong, Why Not?
Our society is divided into dichotomies and this binary opposition between two supposedly opposing things defines everything we do and everything that is considered normal.
A man is the opposite of a woman and with that comes the idea that boys like playing with cars and girls like playing with dolls. A gay person is the opposite of a straight person and with that comes the often unfulfilled promise that a gay man must be flamboyant and a straight man must be macho.
Indeed, this division will always bring about the idea of ‘the other’ because, ultimately, no two people are identical. I am a man, so a woman is my other; I am Maltese, so anyone who isn’t is my other.
The boxes we have placed ourselves into to feel comfortable, accepted, and defined, are often the same things we have used to erect walls between us.
That is exactly what The Other Door: What’s Wrong, Why Not? has set out to question. After all, you’re the other’s other and you dwell on the other side of someone else’s spectrum.
“Arguably, however, ‘the other’ has the potential to challenge the simplistic idea that people can be merely framed by male and female binaries and ‘the other door’ is the entrance to a space where one is not judged and where one has the possibility to remove the social layering of constructed dichotomies,” says choreographer and Moveo founder Dorian Mallia.
‘The other’, in this case, becomes the person who doesn’t conform to the norm in a very vague manner and who explores this space with the body, which has the potential to reveal transcribed texts that are more deeply embedded, creat-ing a fluid experiential amount of ambiguity.
In other words, the body of the dancers in this performance will give them the freedom to express themselves in a way that doesn’t define or limit them in their otherness.
So, by shedding language, which automatically divides us with the pronouns ‘he’ and ‘she’, dancers will tap into their idea of what ‘the other’ means to them without being hindered by socially constructed notions.
“The choreography represents ‘the other’ in a broad sense and explores the limitations, challenges and possibilities the body has in a socio-cultural context,” says Mallia.
“And, to make sure we didn’t influence each other’s idea of nonconformity, all the dancers performing in the piece were asked to consider this concept from their own personal perspective and to bring that to the table.”
Throughout rehearsals, those perspectives transitioned within the piece, and it was concluded that, by adding plural perspectives to notions of nonconformity, that the discourse within the piece became very fluid.
Maltese identity within dance is a very adaptable concept
This will be Moveo’s third performance at the Manoel Theatre, and their two previous productions, The Picture of Dorian Gray (2014) and It-Tfajla tal-Għonnella (2015), both sought to delve deep within society’s psyche as concepts such as youth, beauty and sexuality were explored through contemporary dance.
“Moveo’s productions are always challenging to me as, stylistically, we are always evolving,” says Mallia. “We try not to get stuck in one particular style and the relationship I have with dance is far more intricate than words can explain.
“Even so, the objective of Moveo is always the same: We are constantly studying the body in motion and working to capture an ambiguous notion in our performances.
“The body in performance is what intrigues us the most and within this there is a whole spectrum of possibilities that includes identity and cultural and social behaviors.”
One of the most striking things about Moveo’s productions is that the set and their costumes are always relatively simple and it is often their use of colour – or lack, thereof – that helps them evoke more emotion. The Other Door will once again use this formula to put its message across.
“The concept of the set is very simplistic in shape but meaningful in theory,” says Mallia.
“It has a lot of connotations with society and also a wall that bars it.
“Normally, we find it easier to put things in boxes and label them ‘male’ or ‘female’, or ‘weird’, ‘punky’, ‘fashionable’ or ‘trendy’, among others.
“But we wanted to steer away from that and, through deliberation and discussion, the Manoel Theatre team has always managed to turn my concepts into something tangible, so I’m sure they’ll manage again.”
This time round, the costumes are designed by Ritienne Zammit and Mallia is playing with the idea that, upon entering the space of The Other Door, even though we’re different from each other, we are all the same.
“None of us are judged and we all feel comfortable in our skins.”
Undoubtedly, once the lights of the theatre are dimmed and the spotlights are focused on the dancers, the stage will once again come alive with a medley of movements, colours and notions that create one, fluid understanding among audiences.
“That’s the beauty of contemporary dance: it’s abstract, but it’s understandable. And it’s great to see that the bequest that was built – and, in certain cases, is still being built – by Moveo’s precursors, is being pushed and explored in so many new ways.
“At this point, Maltese identity within dance is a very adaptable concept,” says Mallia. “Yet we do have a legacy and it is now time for it to truly take root. Moveo is aiming to achieve this and it is what drives me, and many others, to continue pushing the boundaries.”
The Other Door: What’s Wrong, Why Not? takes place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the Manoel Theatre at 8pm. Tickets are available online or by calling the Manoel Theatre on 2124 6389.
www.teatrumanoel.com.mt