Lina Limosani Contemporary Dance & Choreographic Works Adelaide

What truths do we overlook, and what patterns of harm do we perpetuate—toward others and ourselves? What Lurks on the Edge is a visually striking contemporary work that examines the resurgence of coercive power and the ways individuals become entangled within it.

This is Australian choreographer Lina Limosani’s most ambitious work to date. Known for her narrative-driven choreography, she joins forces with Melbourne magician Elio Simonetti to craft a dynamic fusion of dance, stage magic and black-art. Drawing on the 17th-century tale Bluebeard, the work traces cycles of dominance, secrecy and female agency with bold theatricality.

Performed by four women, the piece reveals the subtle, enduring systems—social, psychological, and internal—that shape how people learn to obey, resist, or stay quiet. Rather than transporting audiences into a nightmare, it situates them inside a world where control operates in plain sight: quiet, familiar, and often unquestioned.

Through striking imagery and inventive dramaturgy, What Lurks on the Edge invites viewers to witness power dynamics unfold physically and collectively, prompting reflection on how courage and complicity can coexist. It does not simply retell a folktale; it opens a space to consider who is permitted to speak, who is expected to submit, and how these roles take hold.

In a global moment marked by resurging authoritarian behaviours and tightened personal freedoms, this work responds with urgency and imagination. By reframing an old story through contemporary bodies, it encourages audiences to recognise the forces that shape behaviour while illuminating the strength that rises when those forces are questioned. It is time to move beyond cautionary tales and rewrite the narrative. ‘Be bold, be bold, be too bold.

"The attention to choreographic detail at all stages of creation kept me on the edge of my seat as I lost myself in a world of illusion that shocks, delights and taunts. Each section is filled with surprises that unravel, reveal or suddenly trick the eye - and I was surprised over and over again by the effects of the clever crafting'. Amanda Phillips - Dance Hub SA

Filmed by: Felicity Arts