At least that’s the view of Elizabeth Old, the associate artistic director of Australian Dance Theatre.

The internationally acclaimed dance company is bringing a work called Be Your Self Redux to The Art House, at Wyong, on Wednesday, August 30.

Old said the combination of incredibly athletic and often aerial dance moves, coupled with an interesting premise, made for a very engaging experience for audiences.

“If you come along to an Australian Dance Theatre show and have no idea what contemporary dance looks like, this is a really good place to start because of the physicality of the performance,” she said.

“It is entertaining, just on that level alone. You can come and watch and not really care about what the show is about, yet have an amazing, entertaining and engaging experience.”

But there is a cerebral element to art director Garry Stewart’s work, too. And the payoff for audience members who buy into the show’s fundamental question is rewarding, Old said.

“Be Your Self is really about being human. On the outside, the view is often very beautiful and calm. But if you look on the inside, it’s a crazy world where bacteria are fighting, and hearts are pounding. And that can be a scary place,” she said.

Stewart reportedly had conversations with a Buddhist monk, neurologist, physiologist and literary academic, to get perspectives on the ‘who are we?’ question.

The show features an actor whose spoken words help audiences to go deep.

“The actor is there to communicate all of the complexities of being human that dance isn’t able to articulate. They add another layer to the work,” Old said.

At the show’s core, though, are some talented, young dancers.

“The dancers in this piece are extraordinary, and very skilled in acrobatics,” she said.

“The piece has been described as kind of funny, quirky, engaging and quite emotional at times.”