Ode to alt-J

I first heard Deadcrush by alt-J during a training session at HAPY Studio on the Gold Coast. I had a few alt-J songs before, but after hearing Deadcrush and instantly loving it, I was prompted to do a deep listening dive into their catalogue of music. I quickly discovered a new favourite band. I will rarely listen to an entire album by one artist, but alt-J is one of those bands.

I created my ‘Ode to alt-J’ routine ahead of the band’s performance at the Riverstage in Brisbane in November 2022. I was supposed to go with my best friend Meg, but the show was postponed to April 2023. I performed the routine anyway, at HAPY’s end-of-term student showcase night, as a tribute to my favourite band.

This routine was tough to create. The aerial hoop segment was a breeze, but I was seriously stuck with the hula hoop segment. There are quick changes to the music in Deadcrush, and it was hard to keep up with the fast pacing. Many training sessions were spent dropping and flinging the hoop and chasing it around the room. Weeks were passing, and I was not making progress. I just could not get the hoop tricks to flow. I was ready to give it up and just do the aerial hoop segment. But I was determined, so I took a step back, breathed, reduced the tricks, and simplified the sequences. Finally, things started to click. I made it to performance night with an alt-J routine. Meg was in the audience and saw me perform for the very first time. Not just for our shared fandom of alt-J, but HAPY is where our friendship really solidified, when Meg asked to join me for an aerial hoop classes.

After ten weeks of what is definitely the hardest routine I’ve ever created, this is the end result. Thanks again to Carlie and everyone at HAPY for providing this space to explore and expand creativity.