Dance and architecture combine in this innovative dance-theatre work revealing the story of a couple and the household embedded memories.

Poetical Inhabitants is an innovative dance-theatre work that invites you to consider what makes a house a home. Is it the people living there? Or the echoes of those who have lived there before you, seeped into the walls and never forgotten? In an exciting collision of dance and architecture, the skeleton of a house is placed within a rainforest under the night sky and within, dancers reveal the story of a couple, their relationship and the memories embedded within their house. Choreographer Melissa Lanham (LJ Projects) collaborates with architect Samantha Taylor (Project Fort Awesome) to construct a dwelling within a dwelling, inviting reflection on your perception of ‘home’ and the stories held within

Venue Format
Theatre, Hall, Outdoor
Technical Rating
D, The production can be modified to suit most venues
Touring Party
4
Considerations

If the show is to be performed out doors, then for best effect the space needs to be in darkness or hardly any light bleed from other sources. Also, access to 2 ten amp. circuits for tech and security if placed in a public space, which can be worked into the budget.

LJ Projects is a dance theatre company established in 2014 on the Sunshine Coast by choreographer Melissa Lanham whose works have a strong theatrical sensability of wit and invention. Initially working as a independent artist for over 20 years both in Australia and the UK, LJ Projects was founded as a way to encompass all of her diverse projects from Community driven and youth dance to education and Professional works. Since returning to Australia, Melissa now teaches and choreographs constantly and extensively throughout Australia and has continually facilitated projects throughout S.E Qld. Including large scale but bespoke Youth Dance Projects in casts of 100 or more. She has just completed a 4 year tenure on the board of the Regional Arts Development Fund and is regularly engaged to speak on Dance and the Arts.
Melissa's work 'Vincent' premiered at the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2016 to rave reviews and the Fringe Best Dance Award before touring to Newcastle, Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast. After receiving 3 year Seed Funding by RADF and Arts Qld she was able to expand with many projects in the pipeline including her latest work Poetical Inhabitants.

Company Website
ljprojects.org

Unique Selling Point

Poetical Inhabitants is a unique hybrid of dance-theatre and architecture. The 'bones' of a house becomes the backdrop for the story of a couple and the memories embedded within the walls. With echoes of past inhabitants, this dwelling can be viewed from 360 degrees through out the performance. The work can also be placed in any site specific space from a tennis court, to a rain forest and can be left to walk through also as an installation piece during the day. The versatility of the show means that the performance itself can also be placed in a proscenium arch venue.

Marketing Materials

At the time of submission, Poetical Inhabitants was due to be premiered at Horizon Arts Festival as an artists commission on the Sunshine Coast. With the cancellation of the Festival due to the Pandemic, and therefore the show, we do not have the complete marketing suite as yet. But we do have some content such as rehearsal footage and images, marketing copy and promo footage and set design images. The work is due to be premiered now in 2022 where the completed marketing Suite including reviews and quotes, trailer, main Hero shots and Production stills will be done.

Community Engagement

The 'house' offers an opportunity for councils to utilise the show as an adjunct to galleries where architecture, design and the arts can be fused, by offering workshops in visual arts and design, repertiore workshops focusing on performance in a site specific area. The show can also 'tour' school ovals to work along side education units of work.
As Poetical Inhabitants explores the 'home' as deeply textured and layered, the work leaves behind the exploration of what our sense of identity is, who we are and where we come from.