Jayden Hicks & ODC wow audiences with SENSEI

This week Origins Dance Company took the stage for their final season of 2019; SENSEI. This powerful and athletic work is a collaboration of contemporary dance and Japanese martial art form Aikido, and featured a cast of 25 young artists 12 to 21 years of age.

Inspired by the individual meaning of the Aikido kanji (Unifying, Harmony, Path) this unique production wowed audiences young and old during it three day run.

Artistic Director Jayden Hicks writes

“This season has proved to me that we truly bring together the most passionate, dedicated, courageous and inspiring dancers in Melbourne. To create Sensei we collaborated with local Aikido Sensei, Peter Koussoulis, to expose our company members to the teachings of the Art of Harmony. This involved understanding the history of the Japanese martial art form, the spirituality of harmony and embracing a brand new way of two dancers moving together. Saying this season was a success means so much more the work of Sensei. This season has inspired me and helped me understand the purpose of this company.

Origins Dance Company doesn’t just teach dance, we teach creativity and trust that binds us through the cast, choreographers and collaborators. This cast is made up of dancers aged 11 to 19 years old, dancers of all different backgrounds and levels of training and through this process we have managed to unite and create an outstanding work.

This process has helped me design what the future of youth dance at Transit Dance will look like and I thank every participant for what you brought to Origins Dance Company 2019”