Aqua Flow: meet Jess Devereux

“My passion for dance is about the creative process – choreographic thinking and making”, says Jess Devereux. This coming Sunday at the Nightcliff Pool Party, see Jess' creativity expressed on an aquatic dance floor. By Dontea O'Neal.

"I like the idea of telling stories 
 with vocals and movement"

As Jess Devereux speaks her arms and hands dance to the rhythm of her voice. To the listener, the movements seem choreographed. They create a show. I believe her when she says “Having grown up with dance in my life, it's a part of my identity." 

This will be Jess’ second time choreographing Water Play for the Pool Party. The performance showcases six dancers simulating a quasi-synchronised swim team. Jess says “beautiful crazy choreography” will flow from dancers in marvelous swimming suits. The light-hearted, quirky performance will make you want to get in the water.

The show has an over-the-top 1950s beach party theme, complete with intricate costumes, pink flamingos, and deck chairs. 

This party is a tribute to the late, great American swimmer, Esther Williams. 

Dontea: What do you love most about dance?

Jess: When I feel most alive and most inspired, it’s when I’m actually creating things – either for myself as a dancer or for others – and seeing those [things] being played out. The flow and expressive possibilities in moving  come with having a career in dance; all of that keeps me engaged.

Dontea: What got you involved with the Darwin Festival?

Jess: Since I arrived in 2009 I’ve been involved in the Tracks performances each year. Sometimes it's been as a choreographer, sometimes as a lead performer, or sometimes as a mentor. As a solo artist, I was invited by Edwina Lunn, who is the Artistic Director at Darwin Festival. She had seen my performance work in Melbourne and she asked me to be involved with the festival to choreograph the closing night pool party. She loved a piece I made called Cossie; it was a short solo piece about young women in their 1950s bathing suits. She asked me to expand it and make it bigger. It was great because I always dreamed of making a dance piece for a pool.

Dontea: What else are you doing as part of the Darwin Festival?

Jess: In 2013, I’m involved with two projects: Zombies in the Banyan Tree with Tracks Dance Company. I’m one of the choreographers. I choreograph the butterflies in the show and draw on my experience in Bali learning 'Legong' and bring that out in the cast of dancers.

The other project I’m involved in is the closing night pool party that happens at Nightcliff pool. I choreograph six dancers in swimming dance routine.

Dontea: What are you excited about?

Jess: Professionally, having made my first full length solo piece last year, I feel really excited now to move from my dancing, which has been my focus for a really long time, into more choreographing and directing. Also, [I've been doing] dance photography, which is my side passion. I’ve been photographing lots of dancing around the water, on the water... I have this fascination with water.

I would also like to focus more on mentoring the next crop of artists. I'm working on choreographic development in Darwin: getting lots of people to think about making more dance so we can grow the independent dance scene.

Dontea: What makes you different?

Jess: When I create work I draw on my music background – singing and clarinet. I feel like I draw on that musicality. I like the idea of telling stories with vocals and movement. It’s something that people are doing in physical theatre and dance theatre but I feel like it can be explored even further. As my work evolves and I continue to create, [those elements] will come up for sure.

Also, when I perform there tends to be a lot of unintentional humor that makes people laugh. What comes out is a really strange eccentric women who doesn’t stop moving. People love it and it manifests in the work without me meaning for it to do so. 

What: 

Nightcliff Pool Party

When: 

Sunday 25 August 2pm-6pm

Where: 

Nightcliff Pool

Tickets: 

Pool Party Full $20/ Concession $15/ Family of 4 $50