Russell Dumas

One of the fascinating outcomes of the infusion of Mabel Todd’s ideas into dance is that they not only provided a means for thoughtful care for the dancer’s body but also aroused the development of a new dance aesthetic. The work of the dance performer/choreographer Russell Dumas is an inspiring example of that aesthetic which came to fruition in the post-modern era.

The Larousse Dictionnaire de la Danse 1999 characterized Dumas’s dance style as “sensuous, non-decorative, pedestrian classicism.” The current Wikipedia article about his life and career deemed Russell Dumas “… one of Australia’s most respected and influential choreographers.” That article’s characterization of his choreography also hints at the influence of his studies of Todd’s ideas with André Bernard:

With its deceptive simplicity, this aesthetic, present in all Dumas’s choreographies, requires a prolonged and rigorous work with dancers. Each dance and each performance grows out of this work. The dancing, free of narrative, psychological or other theatrical overtones is a testament to kinaesthetic intelligence and an ode to the simple, always surprising, sometimes humorous beauty of human bodies-in-action.

Undoubtedly, the best way to learn more about the artistry of Russell Dumas is to visit his website:
https://www.russelldumasdance.com/

— Pamela Matt (2024)