These are the images I took as an accredited event photographer at the dress rehearsal of ‘Animalising: Becoming Animal’ showing through the Midsumma Festival on Wednesday 7th February, 2024. Two dancers, Tony Yap and Jack Riley, with a 40-year age difference, showcasing striking contrasts and surprising similarities. These contrasts arise from differences in age, traditional cultures, and dance styles, whilst their similarities lie in their shared intensity-focused aesthetics and involvement in queer subcultures. The performance of 'Animalising' delves into the themes of sexlessness and nakedness, combining them with a captivating trance-like intensity. Midsumma Festival is (so-called) Australia’s premier LGBTAIQ+SB arts and cultural festival.
A human wearing a black shirt and khaki pants leans against a decaying wall, there is smoke billowing behind the human. This is Tony Yap.
A human in a black suit, without a shirt, leans mid motion, there is smoke spreading out behind them. This is Jack Riley.
Close up of an arm clad in a black suit jacket reaching out, fingers spread wide, behind a crooked leg in khaki pants.
Jack kneels behind Tony as Tony reaches behind Jack midmotion.
Tony lies on industrial scaffolding, his head bent over the edge, whilst jack grabs a handful of Tony's shirt.
Jack is behind Tony, his arm snakes around Tony's neck.
On his back, Tony lies on the scaffolding with arms akimbo whilst Jack stands over the top of him, taking off his jacket.
Tony and Jack hold hands. Tony is shirtless but still has his khaki pants on. Jack is naked.
Seen from the ribcage up, Tony is naked and stands with hands raised near his face whilst in the foreground Jack is blurred and leaning backwards out of the right side of the frame.
Both Tony and Jack are naked. Tony is in front and bent over, two fingers pointing towards the ground. Jack leans to his left, away from Tony.
Seen from the stomach up, Jack has his eyes closed and kneels on the floor clutching his diaphragm as he breathes in deeply.
Jack is now clothed and crouches over Tony's body, holding him across his lap, above the ground.
A close up of Jack bent over Tony's bare torse, his hand lightly resting on Tony's stomach.
Jack standing and grimacing, pulling his suit jacket out away from his body.
Jack and Tony lie on the floor, Tony on his back, Jack on his side. A white whip is being dragged over the two humans by Master Agus (who is offscreen).
Seen from the side, both Tony (in front) and Jack (behind) sit up, leaning back slightly on their hands. Master Agus is partially offscreen in the background.
Master Agus wears a black t-shirt. He massages Jack's shaved head as Jack rests on the Master.
Jack lays on the wooden floorboards, arms out, eyes closed. Tony lies on his back, head resting on Jack, looking away from the camera. Master Agus's legs and whip are seen cropped in the background.