Sensing the world to recreate it.

POESIS is a new choreographic work by Prue Lang created in collaboration with performers Tara Jade Samaya and Benjamin Hancock. Developed through the concept of counterpoint, the piece draws inspiration from biomimicry, physical intelligence, mythology, and philosophy.

At its core, POESIS explores the evolution of perception—how the sensory worlds of animals and humans shape our kinaesthetic experience and understanding of reality. Dance, as embodied intelligence, becomes a means to heighten perception and foster new encounters with the world.

Through a series of choreographic acts, the work investigates poesis—the act of bringing something new into being—foregrounding the unseen and amplifying how motion can deepen sensory awareness. The performance unfolds across shifting states of intensity and attention, ranging from subtle to fierce, and from intuitive to conceptual.

Grounded in the belief that expanding human perception toward that of other species is a vital act of ecological consciousness, POESIS invites audiences to experience a dynamic dialogue between movement, sensing, and environment.

Choreographer: Prue Lang
Performers: Tara Jade Samaya & Benjamin Hancock
Music: Chiara Costanza, Tchaikovsky, Recordings Whale Song
Lighting designer: Lisa Mibus
Costume Designs/Construction: Prue Lang, Andrew Treloar, Benjamin Hancock
Producer: Viviana Sacchero

Photos: Pippa Samaya

POESIS has been commissioned by The Keir Foundation, supported through a Studio Residency with The Australian Ballet, and presented by Dancehouse Melbourne. Studio support from Chunky Move, Lucy Guerin Inc. and Dancehouse.