“I AM HARLEQUIN is a comedic fantasy production filled with mystery, magic and larger than life characters. With a toe-tapping soundtrack and dance numbers that will leave you smiling from ear to ear.”
Who is this Harlequin?
A man? A devil? Or just a mask?
“Harlequin as a character, as an archetype, has always been very interesting to me. It’s his infectious smile, his dancer agility and swagger, a character who could, and would, do whatever he wanted. An idea of freedom.”
- Daniel Ryan, writer/creator of I AM HARLEQUIN
PRODUCED BY
Ignite The Dark
STORY BY
Daniel Ryan
DIRECTOR
Daniel Ryan
CHOREOGRAPHER
Alfie Scalia
COSTUME & SET DESIGN
Alfie Scalia
I AM HARLEQUIN an Ignite The Dark production
IGNITE THE DARK was created by jazz dance theatre choreographers Daniel Ryan and Alfie Scalia in 2010. Jazz, specifically where is pertains to jazz dance, as well as its relation to theatre and art, is all about life, humanity and the human spirit. Together Daniel and Alfie wanted to develop works that explored the human condition.
With a jazz sensibility and a desire to create cheeky, compelling and often satirical works, as well as dark tragi-comedy. Daniel and Alfie wanted dance to say more. For dance narratives to be compelling, audience friendly, and to be seen as a viable form of story-telling. Something that an audience could hook onto and relate to without needing to have a deeper understanding of the art form to enjoy the performances. To make the work accessible.
Each IGNITE THE DARK performance commences construction from the written word, whether in prose, script, poem or supposition format. From this the sound, the look and, above all, the pacing of movement is formulated. We believe dance is a powerful storytelling device and look to demonstrate our brand of new and innovative, roguish entertainment that can speak to a range of audiences from young adults through to older, more refined tastes.
