| When | Where | Admission |
|---|---|---|
Dance performances | University Square, Leicester Street, Parkville Google maps |
Free Bookings via Fringe Book now |
Watch what happens when a group of dancers runs into a pile of compost.
Break Down is a performance that merges into something entirely its own through contemporary dance and Butoh, a Japanese dance theatre style originally named Ankoku Butoh, which translates to "dance of darkness".
As the seemingly different styles of movement converge, bodies, boundaries and binaries dissolve. Mirroring the micro-creatures that turn organic matter into compost in the dark, the performers explore what it means to break down body and mind and celebrate renewal.
The dancers work with and through each other, finding that nothing is wasted and no gesture is lost. What seems to be the end is just the beginning.
This project is presented through a collaboration between MPavilion Parkville and UMSU’s 2026 Artist in Residence program.
This show is presented as part of Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Visit
Performance times:
Thursday 15 October, 6pm
Friday 16 October, 6pm
Saturday 17 October, 4pm
The performance runs for 40mins.
Spaces limited. Secure your spot now.
Bookings via Fringe
Book now
About
MPavilion Parkville is the University of Melbourne’s open-air space for art, ideas and experimentation. Visit University Square for workshops, pop-ups, installations and unexpected encounters throughout the semester.
Presenters
Gregory Lorenzutti is a dancer, photographer and urban farmer currently undertaking a PhD with the VCA Dance Faculty. His practice moves between contemporary and Brazilian dance, performance photography and embodied movement practices, all grounded in an ongoing dialogue between the body, creativity and the natural world. Greg is the 2026 UMSU Artist in Residence, an initiative that invites a thoughtful, dynamic professional artist to UMSU Arts and Culture to collaborate, experiment, and create alongside UniMelb students.
Born in Japan, Yumi Umiumare is an established Butoh dancer, choreographer, and creator of Butoh Cabaret, integrating ritual practices including the Japanese tea ceremony. For over 30 years, she has developed a distinctive practice that evokes visceral emotion through narrative, abstraction, ritual, and humour, exploring cultural identity across traditional and contemporary life. Her internationally acclaimed works have been presented across five continents. She is Artistic Director of ButohOUT!, a recipient of a Creative Australia Fellowship, multiple Green Room Awards, and the Melbourne Fringe Living Legend Award, and a significant contributor to the contemporary global Butoh scene.