Into the Woods

About

Into the Woods is a contemporary dance duet by choreographer Melanie Lane that examines the historical persecution of women accused of witchcraft across Europe, Indonesia, and Australia. Developed from a short work first commissioned for Lucy Guerin Inc’s Pieces (The Substation, 2022), RISING supported its creation into a 55‑minute, full-length piece for the inaugural Australian Dance Biennale in 2026. The production fuses live performance with integrated video design and animation by Tianyi Liao, transforming archival fragments into a visceral, speculative future. Design credits include costumes by Lane, lighting by Jen Hector (building on original lighting by Tom Willis), and production management by Siobhan Geaney, with creative producing by Freya Waterson. Performed by Lane and Marni Green, the duet unfolds with small amounts of spoken German, French, and Bahasa Indonesia, accompanied by English surtitles.