Burrow, Film
VFringe Screendance
Venue: Virtual National Arts Festival website
Next screening: 24/7 during the Festival
Review
By Andile Mbesa
Burrow, a 13-minute screendance, is a highly engaging and challenging piece, screening virtually as part of the National Arts Festival’s VFringe. Choreographed and performed by Alan Parker and videographed by Sonja Smit, the work seamlessly integrates dance, film art, and performance in an exploration of the complex intertwinement of the human body and animalistic processes, founded on Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of “becoming animal”.
Alan Parker is a seasoned thespian with numerous awards under his belt, like the Standard Bank Ovation Award (for Detritus in 2015), a Silver Ovation Award (for Sacre in 2016), as well as a Fringe Fresh Award in 2016.
The film leads the viewer on a fascinating journey, literally and figuratively descending into the subterranean depths of Makhanda’s iconic Monument. Parker’s transformation is presented in the film’s opening scene, his movements fluid and animal, akin to a beast in the process of becoming. This culminates in a dramatic plunge, a visual descent into the earth, taking the viewer along with him and further into his transformation.
Sonja Smit’s camera work is inherent to the work’s success, as the camera takes on an active role rather than that of a passive observer. Its subtle focus on Parker’s body and its effective use of light and dark are particularly commendable in the third scene. Here, Parker’s body is expertly manipulated as a silhouette as it becomes a riveting shadow-like figure that morphs smoothly through several animal faces. This seamless merging of action and film craft is a potent reinforcement of the “human-animal hybrid” conceit.
Parker’s performance is a masterclass in embodiment from beginning to end, his control and expressiveness unlocking a wide range of animal-like traits with breathtaking verisimilitude. The utilisation of the changing architecture of the Monument – from the expanses to the tight corridors – cleverly contains his fluid movements, and the space itself is an essential element of the performance. The strain generated by the contrast between the brute, animal savagery and the more familiar human form is simultaneously as captivating as it is unsettling.
The work finishes with an emotive final sequence to upbeat, funky music, during which Parker’s movement becomes increasingly human-like. This change in tone suggests a synthesis and that the animalistic properties investigated are not otherworldly but firmly entrenched in our humanness. Burrow is testimony to dance’s potential to introduce complex philosophical ideas through movement and visuality. It’s a must-see for dance fans, experimental film lovers, and anyone wanting a reflective look at ancient human ties.
