HÜMAN
A woman smiles at the smell of new sneakers, another caresses her stilettos, and a man handles his removed boot with unexpected fervour. This is fetish. This is HÜMAN.
Exploring and defending fetishism through dance, last year’s award-winning show returns to Adelaide Fringe. The three women and two men move sensually around each other, on the stage and through the cabaret-seated audience. There is an impressive costume reveal from tracksuit to leather jacket and fishnets, and then to swirling ballgown; a man who writhes smoothly over dozens of flowers, their petals and stems rubbed all over his body; another who dances exquisitely with a chair like he’s taking it home to bed.
There is the expected rubber, food, hot wax – but more surprisingly, prose. The spoken explanation of fetish and its sexual and non-sexual varieties reinforces what the supremely talented and impossibly seductive dancers show us, giving us a chance to catch our breath – until we realise the spoken word is just another kind of fetish.
What HÜMAN achieves through its flowing movement and body-grinding music is making us comfortable with what might not be for others; reminding us that diversity is normal. It’s an intriguing and exciting performance – and it may inspire you…
Mark Wickett
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