Through a digital haze, dance asks who we really are
Performing artist Gemma Treehearn explores identity, social media, AI and being human through dance in 'e.ID: A Fugue' at the State Theatre.
In the digital age, social media allows us to present curated versions of ourselves, but algorithms and AI can also generate content at will. This constant online presence can lead to a sense of impersonality, with users only showcasing their best moments. Performing artist Gemma Trehearn, 31, acknowledges this dichotomy between physical and digital worlds, calling it a form of new digital existentialism.
Her new interdisciplinary dance production, e.ID: A Fugue, explores identity, mortality, and the blurred line between humans and their digital existence. The piece is part of the Kucheza Africa Dance Festival, running at the State Theatre from 19 to 23 August. Trehearn, a millennial, grew up with both analog and digital technologies, but recalls life before everything became an app or timeline.
As a dancer, she appreciates dance's raw, physical nature, contrasting it with the limitations of ballet. The production, which features dancers carrying lights on stage, delves into what parts of ourselves are truly ours and what has been shaped by culture, society, and technology. The dancers seek to remember their true identity and decide what aspects they want to keep or let go of.
The emotional and spiritual connection experienced on stage is a powerful aspect that words cannot capture, offering an experience that transcends the digital realm.
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