Counterpoint of Chaos

Counterpoint of Chaos is a solo dance-theatre work that aims to explore the relationship between a woman and artificial intelligence.

The set initially promises a great deal. Stage right is occupied by a desk and stacks of boxes, while stage left features a bench and vanity screen. It immediately establishes a recognisable workspace and introduces a strong central concept: the gradual integration of AI into everyday life.

The performance begins with a manic office worker desperately searching for physical files and becoming tangled in the cord of an old landline telephone. When a mysterious package arrives containing a computer, an AI voice enters the story. This is where the piece became confusing for me. At times we hear the AI voice, then the performers externally, while at others the performer appears to voice appears to be thoughts. It was never entirely clear whether these spoken passages were dialogue, internal monologue, or the AI speaking through her.

One sequence sees the protagonist ask AI to make her more appealing, leading to an onstage costume change. Because the scene is presented as taking place in her own home, there is no intended sense of vulnerability, which is fair enough, but it also makes the moment feel somewhat flat. This is particularly noticeable because a later costume change is staged behind the vanity screen, creating a distorted silhouette that is visually far more interesting. I found myself wishing these moments had been reversed.

More broadly, the piece never fully explores its relationship with AI or the implications of the technology. Even the original score by Ryan Onestak feels like a missed opportunity. The music is deliberately repetitive, with few clearly defined acts, developments, or climactic moments. While I appreciate the desire to champion human artists, it might have been more interesting to have the score gradually incorporate AI-generated elements, eventually becoming predominantly AI-created before returning to a human-AI hybrid. Such an approach would have mirrored the themes the work claims to investigate.

Ironically, after much of the performance appears to denounce AI’s influence, the protagonist ends by purchasing a new outfit online and emerging as what might be described as a “vanilla girl” one of the highly standardised aesthetics that recommendation algorithms actively promote. This contradiction is perhaps the most thought-provoking idea in the entire work, although it is never fully acknowledged.

Maria Caruso is undoubtedly a talented performer, but this production rarely gives her the opportunity to demonstrate the full extent of her abilities. The stacks of boxes suggested the possibility of climbing work or more inventive physical interactions with the set, yet they remain largely decorative. The bench is used mostly as a bench, aside from a brief section performed on her back, and there is similarly limited use of floorwork.

The choreography suffers from many of the same issues as the score. There is little sense of progression or escalation. One manic sequence featuring flash dances of 1980s-inspired hand movements stands out, but otherwise the movement vocabulary feels safe and familiar. Contemporary dance is, of course, highly subjective, but I struggled to identify clear choreographic motifs or any meaningful development of movement ideas. In fact, I often found the theatrical elements more engaging than the dance itself.

The greatest weakness of Counterpoint of Chaos is that AI feels secondary to the work rather than central to it. The concept seems shoehorned into what could just as easily have been a piece about heartbreak, self-reinvention, or personal transformation. Aside from occasional voice over, there is little exploration of machine logic, automation, or the physicality of technology. The choreography relies heavily on movements commonly found in contemporary dance training and rarely incorporates anything robotic, algorithmic, or mechanical.

Ultimately, Counterpoint of Chaos presents an intriguing premise but never develops it beyond the surface. Despite strong production values and a committed performance from Caruso, the work feels more like an academic study or early workshop exploration than a fully realised professional production.

One of the strongest elements of the evening comes after the performance itself. Caruso actively encourages questions and discussion, creating an open dialogue with the audience about the themes and ideas behind the work. This willingness to engage, listen, and reflect adds an extra dimension to the experience and demonstrates a genuine commitment to the conversations that Counterpoint of Chaos seeks to provoke.

Photo Credit Jay Kuntz