Inside new dance work 'Mythosoma'

This May, YIRRAMBOI Festival in Naarm/Melbourne will debut Mythosoma– a new work from artistic duo Kelly Nash and Nancy Wijohn, who form Body Island NZ. Mythosoma is an exploration of the body as a living landscape, where healing, creation, and reciprocity unfold in real time through an interplay of indigenous mythologies, street dance, and contemporary practices.

About the makers

Longtime artistic collaborators on stage, in choreography, and in life, Nash and Wijohn also own a brand of Contact C.A.R.E in Tamaki Makaurau, a physical modality focused on relieving impact trauma in the body. Together with the integration of art, healing, and consciousness of wellbeing formed the foundations of Body Island to create a space where artists can collaborate – as Nash says, “Art is one way to have conversations but also dive deeper and share a practice that can upskill different communities.”

Originating during COVID-19 after receiving funding for an online collaboration with friends in Finland, the name Body Island speaks to connection in isolation, each of us existing in our own “islands”, transforming movement into medicine, stories into sacred ritual, linking ourselves with the body.

Connecting the work they did as artists with that of Contact C.A.R.E, they explore how the body holds memory and physical trauma, creating possibilities for transformation and relief.

“We work with the idea that bones should move,” says Kelly. “When you’ve had impact, they become solid and hard. They’re strong for a time, but then painful because they’ve been holding on for so long everything is compensated... This creates strength in people, physically, and can create dynamic, interesting partnering in art, and bring new depth to storytelling.”

Diving into Mythosoma

When the opportunity arose to develop a new work, Mythosoma emerged as the intersection between mythology (Mytho-) and the body (-soma). Initially a collaboration with street dance collective CONJAH, they landed on this connection point between the two creative worlds.

“CONJAH work with very character-based personas, more imaginative, storytelling, spiritual mythologies... whereas our practice is the opposite, we’re telling the truths of the body and its experience.” Kelly noted, “An art making space is connected to an imaginative, mythological space where things are possible, we can suspend reality... versus the body – you test things differently. Can those supernatural worlds and the rational, biological reality of the body coexist?”

The piece ripples as a series of rings, each with different frameworks that provide boundaries for different perspectives to exist. At its core is a sculptural heart – a living, pulsating presence that will transform the stage into a body. Influenced by the work of filmmaker David Cronenberg, Mythosoma embraces the mystery and absurdity of the body, and positions the audience in an ecosystem of memory, experience, connection and imagination.

Bringing together an eclectic cast of artists, including Nancy Nancy, cutting-edge dance artist Ooshcon, multi-disciplinary artist Moana Ete, Australian First Nations performer Jada Narkle, and the mentorship of award-winning actor and director Scotty Cotter, each bring diverse experiences and expertise to the work. "Working with a multiplicity of ages, different bodies and voices all reflect different parts of ourselves as audiences too”.

As a director, Kelly comments, “I like to give a lot of openness in the space, everyone is within their own artistic practice looking within their own worlds. There’s so much richness in that sharing of ‘this is me, and this is what I’m into’”. Nancy adds, “I’m always thinking about understanding, I want to bring more depth into how we can read something or give meaning to the audiences. How can we tell a story multi-dimensionally?”

Although Kelly and Nancy are accomplished performers who have toured nationally and internationally with leading dance companies, Mythosoma marks a milestone for the pair as their first independently produced work to travel overseas. “It’s scary! But also so exciting,” Kelly admits. “It’s such a huge honour for us.” The work resonated instantly with YIRRAMBOI leadership Sherene Stewart (Festival Co-Director) and Sage Wright (Creative Producer), and Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts Co-Directors Tama Waipara and Dolina Wehipeihana.

The name YIRRAMBOI means “tomorrow” in the local Boon Wurrung and Woi Wurrung languages, resonating with the Māori concept of Ka mua, ka muri – walking backward into the future. This kaupapa of honouring ancestral knowledge and pushing artistic boundaries aligns strongly with YIRRAMBOI and Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts.

“It feels familiar and really good to be a part of those cultures, company cultures of people with good morals and ethics.” Nancy comments, “It’s also about giving space to alternative thinking, and practices.” Kelly adds, “This is a really unique opportunity for us to take risks, try different ideas, and still be safe and supported... there’s lots of appreciation and historical recognition in this opportunity.”

Through movement and storytelling, Kelly and Nancy ask audiences – Where is the soul? How can you reconnect with your experience of yourself as a soul? Is it within us? In the ecosystem, the self, the soul, our consciousness? They invite audiences into an experience that is beyond intellectual, rather one that is felt and embodied.

Whatever the answer, Mythosoma promises a stunning interplay of art and connection, taking audiences on a journey of the body, the land, and the stories that connect us.

Presented in partnership with YIRRAMBOI Festival, Chunky Move, and Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, and support from The Peacocke Dance Trust and Unitec Contemporary Dance Programme.

ARTicle by Hannah Flacks