Flesh Vessel
by Jayden Lewis Wall & Melissa Yvonne Pham
An intimate mapping
Through, around, and between, Flesh Vessel is a hypnotic flow of physicality. Demanding acute awareness, interconnection, vulnerability, and kinetic calculation of three performers (Jayden Wall, Melissa Pham and Ashley Mclellan).
A movement piece testing physical intensity, precision, and intuition, Flesh Vessel generates states of both tranquility and focus for audiences in a celebration of the full potential of the body.
“Creators Jayden Wall and Melissa Pham, along with dancer Ashley Mclellan, deliver an exhilarating evocation of the artform. With its blend of virtuosity, restraint and pure energy, it offers both the unadulterated thrill of movement and the subtler satisfactions of design, architecture, and conceptual play.” – Dance Informa
Direction & Choreography: Jayden Lewis Wall & Melissa Yvonne Pham
Performers: Jayden Wall, Melissa Yvonne Pham, Ashley Mclellan
Sound Design: Alisdair Macindoe
Lighting Design: Giovanna Yate Gonzalez
Costume Design: Geoffrey Watson, Lorraine Roscoe & Posture Studios
Jayden Lewis Wall is a considered independent dancer and choreographer based in Naarm/Melbourne who is nationally recognised for his passion and versatility. Jayden is devoted to exploring movements of the body with current practices focused on improvisation within contemporary and house dance. Jayden enjoys working closely with technique, understanding that foundation gained can allow for further freedom in the chosen dance. He has a creative pulse that has been displayed across many styles of dance. Of recent, Jayden has worked and collaborated in an array of projects including: 10 Duets On A Theme of Rescue by Strut Dace & Crystal Pite, 4/4 by Chunky Move & Antony Hamilton, Sense Now by Stephanie Lake Company, NON_TA_Reponse by Chunky Move, Drenched by Caetlyn Watson, Yun Lung by Chunky Move, and Goddess by Caetlyn Watson & The Dream Dance Company Opera Australia’s Turandot & King Rodger
Melissa Yvonne Pham is a Naarm/Melbourne-based artist who studied full-time dance at Brent Street. She has been a featured dancer in several music videos for Australian artists such as George Alice, Jennifer Loveless, Kite String Tangle, Tash Sultana, Gretta Ray and Isaiah Firebrace. Currently, Melissa is touring with Stephanie Lake Company’s Manifesto and Chunky Move’s 4/4. Other works include NON_TA_response by Antony Hamilton, Drenched by Caetlyn Watson and Okage Sama De by Julie Minaai. Lastly, Melissa co-choreographed alongside Jayden Wall, receiving a commission from Stephanie Lake Company, for their work ‘Sense Now’.
Ashley Mclellan graduated from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts in Perth, with an Advanced Diploma of Performing Arts (Dance) in 2010. She spent four years performing with the West Australian Ballet (throughout and post training) under the directorship of Ivan Cavallari. Ashley then moved into the Independent Dance scene in Naarm/Melbourne before taking on 6 years full time with Dancenorth Australia in Townsville, under the directorship of Kyle Page from 2015-2021. Currently based in Naarm she is working with Lucy Guerin Inc. Stephanie Lake and Melanie Lane to name a few, whilst teaching and choreographing her own works.
Alisdair Macindoe is an independent multidisciplinary choreographer living on unceded stolen Woi Wurrung country (Melbourne, Australia). With an interest in extending the boundaries of choreographic practice, Alisdair’s work spans dance, sound, electronics, coding and text. Recent works have seen him explore automated dance and Artificial Intelligence; new technology for music expression; trans-humanism; waste and climate change; and identity in the age of narcissism.
Alisdair’s independent and collaborative work has been commissioned and presented widely, including FORGERY (2021, Australasian Dance Collective & Brisbane Festival); PROGRESS REPORT (2023 & 2021, with co-director Alison Currie for Vitalstatistix & Frame Biennial @ The Substation ); SYSTEM ERROR (2021, co-created with Chamber Made & Tamara Saulwick for Arts House); REFERENCE MATERIAL (2021, Darebin Speakeasy); NONCOMPETE (2018, The Substation); MEETING (2015, with co-creator Antony Hamilton, commissioned by Arts House, presented across 35 international seasons) and BROMANCE (2010, Next Wave, Arts House & Performance Space).
Lukas White is a Melbourne based Photographer who specialises in portraits, fashion and dance. Prior to studying photography at RMIT Lukas worked in the medium of dance. This is why most of his photographs explore movement, shape & emotion. Lukas has been working In the studio for the past 4 years in commercial photography, advertising and film. Cementing himself in the industry working for brands such as Champion, July, Sans beast, Salt murphy, Sportsgirl, Cotton on, Dotti, Toni Maticevski, Scimm Dance company, Boss dance company; just to name a few. Lukas is excited to continue sharing stories through Images & can’t wait to work with you
This project has been supported in development by Lucy Geurin Inc.
A short iteration was commissioned by Stephanie Lake Company at the inaugural ESCALATOR (August 2023).