The effort, danger and evolution of contemporary dance will be laid bare on the stage in the Australian Dance Theatre’s new work, Nought.

Choreographed by Daniel Jaber, Nought is a “dance about dance” which he hopes will destroy the idea that the form is intimidating high art.

Instead of music, the piece is performed largely in silence with some spoken text. The dancers perform in a complicated “Jenga” of movement.

“Through my piece I wanted to destroy the idea that contemporary dance is a high-art intimidating structure and the best way I can do that is by talking about dance to an audience,” Jaber says.

“It’s quite emotional. Usually there is a big façade with beautiful music, [and the dancers] make it look effortless, but my work exposes that.”

An earlier version of Nought was first performed at the Australian College of the Arts, with this new full-length performance to premiere next week at the Anne and Gordon Samstag Museum of Art.

It showcases the work of the dancers as much as the beauty.

“It’s hard for them – we are used to performing to a public, but this eliminates that possibility you have to be performing with each other,” Jaber says, explaining how the absence of music puts the focus firmly on the dancers and their interactions.

Nought is the first time the ADT has commissioned a full-length piece from a dancer. It was inspired by the writing of French philosopher Michel Serres, parts of which will feature in the performance.

“I like to use spoken text; this concludes with the text by Serres, which is very explanatory of everything you’ve just seen,” Jaber says.

“He wrote about dance. It was so beautiful and summarised how it feels to be a dancer at times, that was where the intrigue began and we formed the work from that.”

Unusually for a contemporary dance performance, Jaber wants to draw in more people by making the point of the work obvious.

“I think dance is such an abstract language and as much as you as a choreographer, or you as a dancer, believe what you are doing is showcasing the purpose of that movement, it is just movement and everyone will read a body moving differently, so I like to use text to make sure everyone is on the same boat.”

Jaber is involved in all aspects of the production, with local fashion designer Catherine Ziersch doing the costume design and sound by Swiss-born Thomas Jeker.

Artistic director Garry Stewart commissioned Jaber for the work, and said he had produced a beautiful piece. Jaber first came to Stewart’s attention in the ADT’s Ignition series, where dancers choreographed short pieces for a joint performance.

He has since worked overseas, as well as creating works in Australia, but plans to stay in Adelaide. He wants to start his own contemporary ballet company and give the city the exciting and engaging dance works he felt was missing when he was starting out.

“Also, you can feel your art contributes more here than elsewhere; places like Melbourne are so over-saturated with performance art, particularly contemporary dance, with so much independent work and companies that maybe your work doesn’t have the same impact as if you give it to this hungry audience that doesn’t get to see it too often and really wants it.”

Nought premieres on September 26 at the Anne and Gordon Samstag Museum of Art.