The Type | Pink Matter

All bodies are beautiful. We say it, like it’s a easy maxim, like it’s a throwaway, but it’s actually true. We need to see more types of bodies on stage, exploring more styles of expression, to remind us exactly how true it is.

The Type is a contemporary dance show by local outfit Pink Matter the brings together “five badass women dancers from different cultural backgrounds and of all shapes and sizes… and takes aim at the cut-throat nature of the commercial dance industry.” And it’s a breath of fresh air, even for a dance newbie like me.

Images: Logan Preston

I’ve been exploring the dance world the last few years, and this feels like lifting the lid on a subculture I knew existed in Brisbane but hadn’t been given access to. This is street dance crossed with dance theatre and dosed up with hiphop and beat culture. The RnB and hiphop soundtrack was an absolute banger. I hope they release it as a playlist after the season. The whole show was dynamic and energetic, and managed to be super fun, fiercely staunch, mega hot, and serving home truths all at the same time.

An hour of ensemble vignettes includes opportunities for each to lead and explore their unique relationship to body image and dance culture, and how it’s built them up to who they are today.

Cause all bodies are beautiful. We say it as a kind of throwaway, but we know its true. Bodies that move without fear are beautiful. Bodies that are awkward in their grace are beautiful. Bodies that take up space with zero fucks given are beautiful. Bodies of all sizes, skills, cultures… beautiful. We say all bodies are beautiful, but we usually don’t mean it to apply to ourselves. As someone who experiences wild body dysphoria along with half (most?) the world, I need to see this kind of show on stages. We all do. It’s becoming a tired phrase but representation counts, seeing yourself on stage is important, seeing all sorts of shapes, sizes, talents, genders, cultures, is interesting to watch and fires the imagination and heals the self and helps you to carve your won shape in the world.

This doesn’t look like the vision of an overseeing choreographer or director. This looks like they made it themselves. And by that I don’t mean that it was at all lacklustre or amateurish, cause it most definitely is not. It looks like they created it in symbiosis, as an ensemble. Like the dances meant something to each of them, and they were backing each other up every step of the way. Like it was deeply important, and personal, and rich with meaning. I don’t know enough about street dance to tell you about if their technique was on point or their interpretation of the form was de rigueur, but I can tell you that I didn’t look away from the stage for the whole hour, not for a second.

I love seeing young women who are free. It makes my heart sing. I don’t think you ever regret making art like this - fun, determined and with all your mates and for the pure joy of it and cause it’s important and just because you want to move like this. That was the energy that shone through the whole performance and it was a great way to come back to the theatre after many months away.