GO! the second work Reed has created on the company, after Misguided in 2007,  was quite an emotional piece with many highs and lows. It had moments of joy followed by moments of deep sadness. The atmosphere of the open stage, with everyone milling around waiting for something to happen, was electric. The dancers took to the stage and it was a privilege to be so up close and personal with the all the movements. It was raw and the dancers’ technical abilities were exposed under the spotlight. I really enjoyed many of the lifts performed.  They were so intertwined from one to the next, and it often looked like the dancers were never separated. The dancers had me admiring their strength and agility. Then it was off into the theatre...

Sid’s Waltzing Masquerade began with dancer Bradley Chatfield lowered in a giant chair from the ceiling in a very theatrical manner, as Chatfield mimed the lyrics. The whole work was very character driven. Many dancers performed choreography that was unique to them, shaping their character. This choreography was then sometimes repeated by the ensemble. Featured dancers Bradley Chatfield, Reed Luplau and guest artist Ian Robinson, were all spectacular. Ian Robinson, from the USA,  was Barton’s collaborative assistant on the piece and has worked with many renowned choreographers, working with Barton since 2005.

Barton’s work was enjoyable and easy to watch. It certainly entertained the audience and was refreshingly light hearted; there were laughs throughout the show.  There were comical moments that were like little rude jokes, all in good humour.  A scene where a dancer tried to cut in on another’s partner was quite funny, as the facial expressions displayed were fantastic. I also enjoyed the trio performed in front of the curtain to a spoken version of Waltzing Matilda. Throughout the scene there were explanations of our Aussie slang, which was very entertaining.
It was wonderful to see the dancers really use their faces to create characters and portray stories. The style of dance and movement quality changed throughout the work, keeping the movement interesting. Some steps had a jazz, almost Jerome Robbins quality to the movement, at other times the movement was very balletic in style, then extremely contemporary. I enjoyed watching Chen Wen and Reed Luplau perform, as they both displayed a beautiful flow of movement.

In her first design commission for a dance company, the costumes were created by Australian Michelle Jank.  The men looked impressive as they were dressed in full suits for the majority of the show. However, they must have been very hot and restricted.  A few of the dancers changed shirts part way through the evening as they were soaked through with sweat  - neither attractive or comfortable.  They did extremely well to perform in such attire. The female dancers had several costume changes, with all outfits interesting and elegant. One costume in all black was very slick and stylish and could translate well off the stage.

The set by Gerard Manion was quite simple, with some large steps across the stage. It would have been nice to see the steps used a little more, as when used, they created another element to the work.  The lighting by Trudy Dalgleish was just enough. It wasn’t technically amazing but it completed the work well and was perfect for the piece.

In conclusion, Sid’s Waltzing Masquerade was an enjoyable, comical and light hearted evening of high quality dance. Like Bonachela’s  360 Degrees, the work highlighted the company’s ability to diversify its style and abilities. Sid’s Waltzing Masquerade had me leave the theatre with a smile upon my face.