Bone Smoke

by Melanie Lane

[Recommended for ages 16 and up]

In April 1815, the volcano Mount Tambora erupted on the Indonesian archipelago. The eruption was so violent that the upper third of the huge mountain disappeared overnight. The volcanic ash obscured much of the sun for over a year and rumors spread that the sun was dying. In her new creation for Dance Theatre Heidelberg (DTH), Javanese-Anglo-Australian choreographer Melanie Lane reflects on fears and fantasies of the extinction of humanity.

"Bone Smoke" is a poetic thriller in which ten dancers attempt to counter the inevitable with a conciliatory ending - they discover the beauty of decay and dream beyond the limits of the body. Accompanied by a new composition by Spanish cellist Yamila Rios, the piece creates a world in which utopias and dystopias collide.