To watch a clip of Xing click here
In 2006 Gus wrote the music for Redspan Dance Company’s Xing, which explores the circulation between the five traditional Chinese Taoism elements of wood, fire, earth, water, and metal.
The five elements, also called Wu Xing represent the processes that are fundamental to the cycles of nature. The Chinese term xing means the process of one thing acting upon another. In relation to the five elements, the cycle of processes known as Yin and Yang can be represented as:
Each dancer, whilst never becoming literal representations of these elements, embody through the performance, subtle detailed shifts – temporary moments of balance, harmonization of occurrence, growth, development, symmetry and change.
The original music for the piece has been written, performed and recorded by Gus Macmillan, and reflects the interchangeable nature of themes of Xing, with new sounds or instrumentation introduced as each performer’s journey commences, developing in parallel to the structure as the performance plays out. The process of composing and developing the music was strongly inter-linked to the choreographer’s rehearsal processes and practices.
The re-staging of the piece includes a live performance by singer Christine Mowinckel, who sang on the recording of the previous score.
Xing was developed as part of the VCA School of Dance, Master of Choreography Program.