C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 2 1998
C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 2, Obarzanek’s physical depiction of corrupted data in the digital age, led Dance Australia to declare, “Chunky Move is heading full-on into the 21st century.” Based on the definition of “corruption” in the context of computer technology—a defect or damage to data—Obarzanek explores the poetry of malfunction and chaos. The dancers perform “corrupted” movements (grotesque gestures and facial expressions, abrupt stops and starts, tentative steps) to a blaring techno score. Meanwhile, a huge, kite-like metal structure rotates over them, onto which are projected a myriad of ominous digital images. Obarzanek created Corrupted for Nederlands Dans Theatre in 1997. He then re-choreographed the piece for his company into two separate works, entitled C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 1 and C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 2. The latter work remains in Chunky Move’s repertoire.
C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 2 premiered in October 1998 as part of a triple-bill entitled Fleshmeet, which also featured The Rogue Tool and C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 1. Obarzanek's C.o.r.r.u.p.t.e.d 1 and 2 gave early hints at the choreographer's ongoing interest in the radical possibilities new technology offers dance-makers, featuring an errant digital file whose data corruption results in an eerie projected fever dream – a quicktime pantomime fleshmeeting a repairman in a scenario both blackly comic and viscerally disturbing.
Creative Team
Choreography Gideon Obarzanek
Original Music Luke Smiles/Motion Laboratories
Costume Creation Joke Visser and Anna Tregloan
Screen Creation Alan Robertson
Lighting Design Damien Cooper
Original Performers Brett Daffy, Luke Smiles, Byron Perry, Fiona Cameron, Kristie McCracken, Lisa Griffiths, David Tyndall
Artistic Director Gideon Obarzanek
Executive Producer Angharad Wynne-Jones
Premiere Date
21 October 1998 Melbourne
Touring Seasons
1998 Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, Montreal
1999 Charleroi, Aix-en-Provence, Manchester
2000 Dusseldorf, Essen, Cologne, Singapore, London
2001 Brisbane, Frankston, Hong Kong, New York, Michigan
2002 Enghien, Villeneuve D'ascq, Cergy-Pontoise, Noisy Le Grand, Orly, Le Perreux Sur Marne, Budapest
2003 Sydney, Moscow
2004 Seoul
2006 Yokohama
“This Australian modern-dance company from Melbourne brought blasts of choreographic excitement to the Brooklyn Academy of Music Harvey Theater when it appeared as part of the 2001 Next Wave Festival.” The New York Times.
“Strongly conceived and arrestingly choreographed and designed physical theatre” The London Times.
L-R: Kirstie McCracken, David Tyndall, Fiona Cameron Image: Unknown
