The name of the piece comes from the fusion of two words, “atom” and “at home”. In their simplest expression, everything around us, is composed of atoms. From the smallest particle to the largest star, we have something invisible to the naked eye that unites us, defines us, despite apparent external differences. The duet, being composed of a female dancer of Laos-Vietnamese descent and a male dancer of French-Canadian descent, just by the presence of their bodies and their dynamic on stage, triggers a certain perception, expectation and reflection in the audience. We wish to question, deconstruct and play on these different ideas by exploring various bodily and relational approaches to instigate an alternative discussion and exchange on the themes of race and gender in a context blending beyond borders. Noutnapha, having grown up as a woman in Laos, liberated herself from the socio-cultural expectations and norms that surround her and express this liberation through art. Benjamin, the first and only foreigner in the Thai classical dance community, adapted through the practice and transformation of both his physicality and identity to find his own dance language in his new adopted country.
In a similar way, since all that is matter is composed of the same basic element, the atom, we also explore what defines our own individuality and how the different connections and links that unite us influence and impact each other in a hyperconnected dichotomous world, which advocates individualism. At the same time, the inherent need of belonging, to feel “at home”, is also an intrinsic aspect of the human experience. Both based in Southeast Asia and initially trained in traditional dance, sharing some similarities, namely Thai Khon and Laotian Fon, the dancers observe the transformation and upheavals of society where local traditional cultures are gradually fading and being forgotten at an increasing rate in favor of greater homogeneity with Western culture. How can one feel at home in a society that is constantly evolving and changing, pushed by the external and internal forces of modernity.