Tidefolk Fictions is a new contemporary dance work by emerging choreographer James Welsby (www.jameswelsby.com). The forty-minute, site-specific piece is being presented in partnership with Melbourne Aquarium in the breathtaking Oceanarium. The primary theme of the work concerns human relationships with the oceans, as their gradual warming is one of the key issues of our time. Collections of fantasy stories about transformation into sea creatures punctuate the suspenseful, ethereal, and at times humorous dance work. Drawing choreographic inspiration from the early dance works of renowned American choreographer Lucinda Childs and author Richard Flanagan (Gould's Book of Fish), the work explores ongoing transition informed by the movement of the tides. Counting systems, pattern displacement, and improvisation are key choreographic elements. The goal of the work is to entertain and entrance an audience in the hope of greater consideration for marine life.

Featuring dancers Sarah Aiken, Chafia Brooks, James Welsby, and Jessica Wong and sound design by Joshua Hogan.