Friday, August 5, 2016

Fringe Festival 2016: "RUNE"

Day: 1

Show: 1

Title: RUNE

Category: Something Different

By: Vox Medusa

Created by: Vox Medusa

Location: Intermedia Arts

Summary: A dance piece exploring traditional Sami (the native people of Norway) culture and the journey of a Noaidi (Shaman) into "the Norse Otherworld."

Highlights: This piece is lovely and evocative, combining dance, live music, recorded sounds, and video images. I didn't quite "understand" everything that was happening, and wouldn't have known it was about Sami culture if I hadn't read the description. But I don't think that's important; I was still swept away on a journey and felt like I had visited another time and place. Choreographed by Kristin Freya (the piece was inspired by her own journey among the Sami people in Norway) and Julie Marie Muskat (the lead dancer), the dancing is modern and unique, but with a tribal, traditional feel. The costumes are lovely (both cool, loose, white Sami-inspired costumes and drapey red modern costumes). Four musicians accompany the dancers, with hauntingly lovely singing/chanting, as well as drumming. It's billed as "something different" but I would classify it as dance, and it's a beautiful and moving one at that.