“Smells detonate softly in our memory like poignant land mines, hidden under the weedy mass of many years and experiences. Hit a tripwire of smell, and memories explode all at once. A complex vision leaps out of the undergrowth”. A Natural History of the Senses - Diane Ackerman
We all have our own aromatic memories. The smokiness of smouldering embers, the leathery smell of new shoes, the zest of juicy lemons and mandarins, or the pavement after summer rain trigger unique and individual remembrances. A perfume is like a liquid memory or emotion, mute and difficult to describe with words alone.
In June 2021 we will be presenting our new dance production, PARFUM. Using the structure of Michael Edwards’ ‘Fragrance Wheel’ the performance will move through various scent families and dancers will bring to life the memories evoked by these fragrances.
In the fragrance wheel each family consists of a prominent scent, while the subfamilies are blended versions of these fragrances. Scent families are broken up into four main groups: Floral, Oriental, Woody and Fresh. These represent the four main olfactory groups with each having distinct characteristics. Aromatic Fougere is a family of scents that usually contain fragrance elements from each of the other four families.
More often than not, a person will gravitate toward one scent family over another. Have a look at the descriptions below and think about your favourite smells and the memories associated with them. Which scent family do you feel most attracted to and why? Let us know in the comments section below.
The floral scent family is one of the most common families and is used in many well-known perfumes. Floral scents are most often used in women’s fragrances, although they are occasionally used in men’s as well. They usually smell like fresh-cut flowers or have a powdery note to them.
Floral (Floral + Fresh Notes) Main notes include fresh-cut flowers. Roses, jasmine, lily, frangipani…
Soft Floral (Floral Notes) Main notes include aldehydes and powdery notes. Soft, powdery, sweet, musky, creamy…
Floral Oriental (Floral + Oriental Notes) Main notes include orange blossom and sweet spices. Orange blossom, made smooth, sweet and subtly spicy with incense and amber…
The oriental fragrance family consists of rich exotic scents. When you think of oriental scents think herbs and spices or dry, powdery, resin notes. Opulent and heady, these notes are often times softened with amber or sweet notes. It’s common to describe this family as exotic and seductive.
Soft Oriental (Oriental + Floral Notes) Main notes include incense and amber. Smooth carnation, incense, warm spices…
Oriental (Oriental Notes) Main notes include oriental resins such as frankincense, and vanilla. Musk, cinammon, cardomom - opulent, sweet, warm…
Woody Oriental (Oriental + Woody Notes) Main notes include sandalwood and patchouli. Add a splash of spice and maybe something sweet enough to eat…
Woody perfumes are usually warm and opulent, mixing incense-like fragrances like sandalwood and patchouli with drier notes like cedar. To tone down the warmth of these notes, fragrances will sometimes incorporate some fresh notes like citrus or floral. Notes in this family can be described as coniferous or woody and bitter.
Woods Main notes include aromatic woods and vetiver, cedarwood, sandalwood, raw and simple. Freshly sanded floors and sawdust…
Mossy Woods (Woody + Oriental Notes) Main notes include oakmoss and amber. Sweet, smooth, sometimes earthy woody and mossy…
Dry Woods (Woody Notes) Main notes include dry woods and leather. The smokiness of smouldering embers, the leathery smell of new shoes…
Main notes include lavender and aromatic herbs. This universal fragrance family includes elements from different families: the freshness from the Citrus family, floral notes of lavender, the spicy-sweetness of a Floral Oriental, the ambery depth of an Oriental and the Mossy Woods warmth of sandalwood and oakmoss.
Clean, uncomplicated, fresh - blend of lavender and rosemary or basil teamed with the warmth of wood has sharp herbaceous and woody scent resembling of fern. Has base of lavender, coumarin and oakmoss and is predominantly men's perfume.
The fresh scent family encompasses clean bright scents. Herby, citrusy and oceanic scents all fall into this category. More often used in men’s fragrances than women’s fragrances, fresh scents are paired with spicy notes to create a more robust fragrance. Aromatic, tart notes can also be found mixed with zesty or fruity scents.
Citrus (Woody + Fresh Notes) Main notes include bergamot and other citrus oils. Zesty, tangy juicy lemons and mandarins, invigorating, energizing…
Fruity (Fresh + Floral Notes) Main notes include berries and other non-citrus fruits. Sweet, juicy, edible, tropical fruits, peaches, pears and orchard fresh summer apples…
Green (Fresh + Floral Notes) Main notes include galbanum and green notes. Freshly mowed lawns, crushed green leaves…
Water (Fresh + Floral Notes) Main notes include marine and aquatic notes, generally from the chemical calone. Fresh sea sprays, wet air after a thunderstorm…
PARFUM
ein Tanz zwischen Duft & Erinnerung
Samstag 12. Juni 2021, 19.00 Uhr & Sonntag 13. Juni 2021, 15.00 Uhr
Aula Rämibühl, Rämistrasse 56, 8001 Zürich
Abendkasse & Türöffnung: Samstag 18.00 Uhr / Sonntag 14.00 Uhr
Showeintritt: CHF 35 / Abendkasse CHF 40 / Kinder bis 11 Jahre gratis, Kinder Tickets 12-17 Jahre CHF 10
freie Sitzwahl
Verpflegung vor der Show, in der Pause und nach der Show.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO PERFORM IN “PARFUM” 2021?
Look out for our performance project workshops coming later in 2020 where you can learn a choreography which will be performed in PARFUM in June 2021. More info coming soon!