This sensual and intense dance work by celebrated choreographer Meryl Tankard explores the conflicting forces of nature and man, masculinity and femininity, violence and nurturing, strength and vulnerability.

Inspired by the sometimes disturbing human forms in Scandinavian artist Odd Nerdrum’s work, The Oracle is set to Stravinsky’s seminal composition for the infamous 1913 ballet The Rite of Spring, which caused riots at its Paris premiere.

The intensity of the subject, the power of the complex, rhythmic musical score and the stark and brooding aesthetic, created by visual and set designer Régis Lansac, deliver an atmosphere of coiled-spring emotions and conflict in this haunting and critically acclaimed work.

The Oracle is a vehicle for the astonishing talents of Paul White, acclaimed as one of Australia’s greatest dancers. Meditative and sensual, disturbing and wise, he is the oracle, the interpreter of signs we cannot afford to miss. What sacrifice will nature require to renew a harmony squandered by greed and indifference?

“One of the most dazzling highlights of the dance calendar this year….  It is an extraordinarily demanding, bravura solo for dancer Paul White who is explosive in its powerful, blistering intensity… The work has incredible impact and the standing ovation at the end was richly deserved.” Arts Hub Australia

“Expect the unexpected. This is a brief, intense and virtuoso performance, devised by Meryl Tankard, designed by Régis Lansac and delivered by dancer Paul White, first performed in September at the Sydney Opera House. It is hard to separate the roles in a performance that is clearly a creative collaboration between these three artists. Disturbing, even shocking, the dance and the video projection that accompanies it, probes the unconscious mind and its roots in prehistory, and moulds a work of art from the human form.” Australian Stage

“You don’t just watch a Meryl Tankard work, you experience it.  While the dance theatre director’s fierce intelligence and attention to detail are to the fore, her work is anchored in the visceral. The Oracle is a true work of art in every aspect. Its mood and context are defined by each element in the production.” Courier Mail, Brisbane