Slow Twitch Collective is performing ‘Body Acousmonium’ at the 2019 Melbourne Fringe Festival. Dance Writer enjoys a chat with Amanda Lever, co-creator of this innovative work.

Cousins Amanda and Gillian Lever are joined at the hip. They finish each other’s sentences, complete one another’s creative ideas and now work together to form part of the Slow Twitch Collective. 

Every work I have ever conceived and created has been scored by Gillian. She [Gillian] has an ear and an understanding of sounds. I look at a work through a more visual lens and have an understanding of how things move through space,” said Amanda.

With Gillian’s tertiary background in Spatial Sound at RMIT and Amanda’s in Dance at Victorian College of the Arts, these women are two pieces of one whole. Together, they have created ‘Body Acousmonium’, a new work that brings a new perspective on movement and sound.

‘Body Acousmonium’ is an improvised sound art and dance dialogue. It’s a work about maintaining presence and explores creative identity beyond physical boundaries in a shared space.

We were interested in changing the rules of our collaboration. She [Gillian] was looking at sound kinetically and I was looking at my body as a sound wave moving through space and we uncovered more about not only our own disciplines but also each other’s disciplines,” explained Amanda.

Body Acousmonium, by Slow Twitch Collective. Jesse Azzopardi Photography.

Amanda has been working with The Delta Project, which is one of Melbourne’s most creative ensembles comprised of deaf and hearing dancers. Director, Anna Seymour also forms part of the Slow Twitch Collective. ‘Body Acousmonium’ caters to all deaf patrons by incorporating Auslan interpreters. 

Amanda grew up in New South Wales and attended a local dance school until she was 18-years-old. Her teacher was her biggest influence, she encouraged Amanda and helped her put together her VCA application. On acceptance, Amanda began her training in Melbourne where she was exposed to a world of contemporary and classical culture. Embracing this, she used her scholarship money from VCA to fund her first work, ‘Hypnagogia’, which performed to a sold out season.

Unexpectedly, Amanda suffered knee injuries when she was hit by car while riding her bicycle in Melbourne. Out of necessity, she developed a new understanding of the relationship between dancer and music during improvisation. It was this strong connection to improvisation that led her to co-create ‘Body Acousmonium’. Developed with support from Lucy Guerin Inc’s residency program, ‘Body Acousmonium’ is the next experimental work that celebrates the arts.

Body Acousmonium

17-20 September, 2019 

Trades Hall, Melbourne 

Tickets range from $20.00-$26.00

50 minutes

The show on 19 September is Auslan interpreted.