The Official Show of the Australian Tap Dance Festival.

Australia’s best tap dancers fly in to Melbourne to perform in one jaw-dropping tap show for the Australian Tap Dance Festival. Australia’s Got Tap will feature performers from Tap Dogs, Happy Feet 2, Bootmen, Hot Shoe Shuffle, 42nd Street, Got to Dance UK,  Australia’s Got Talent, Nigel Lythgoe’s Superstars of Dance and select Tap Festival participants.

Experience classic and famous routines, original choreography and live music.

Australia’s Got Tap
Friday 13th July  7.30pm (one show only).
Irving Theatre, 38 Huntingtower Rd, Armadale VIC.

For more information visit www.TheTapDanceShow.com / www.AustralianTapDanceFestival.com.au

Win a Double Pass to Australia’s Got Tap!

Just email info@danceinforma.com with subject: “WIN TICKETS” and tell us Why Your Love Tap Dancing.
Dance Informa’s Editors will pick the best responses to win.
* All valid entries must include your full name, postal address and date of birth.

Competition open until July 8.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance in Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources, dancewear and fashion and more.

By Dolce Fisher.

The Concourse, Chatswood, Sydney.
June 2012

It has been years since the English National Ballet toured Down Under. The company’s last Australian performances were the epic tour of Derek Deane’s Arena production of Swan Lake in 1999.

This year, touring with a small team of just 22 dancers, English National Ballet performed a gala in Sydney to coincide with Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee.

Opening the gala was American classic, George Balanchine’s Apollo. The title role was danced by Vadim Muntagirov and the muses were performed by Daria Klimentova, Anais Chalendard and Adela Ramirez. The cast tried so very hard to look like a bunch of Balanchine dancers and executed the choreography well, but years of American training to pull of the style perfectly can’t be matched.  The four dancers were technically strong and each of the characters were well portrayed.

Act two, Celebrations, gave the audience a line up of pas de deux.  First was Trois Gnossiennes choreographed by Hans Van Manen. Originally choreographed in 1982 it still came across as a very current piece, despite being 30 years old. It was an extremely sultry dance and ballerina Adela Ramirez captured the intensity so well that one really had to force oneself to look at her partner Fabian Reimair. Set to the music of Eric Satie, the mix of dance and music was quite intoxicating.

Then it was onto some very English ballet with Kenneth MacMillan’s Manon. Dancers Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas performed the pas de deux from Act 1, scene 2, where Manon and Des Grieux are caught up in their passion. MacMillan’s choreography encapsulates the crazy young love that makes one think that they can conquer the world. If one does not know how the story ends, seeing the pas de deux stand on its own is very enchanting.

Closing Act Two was the classic Black Swan Pas de Deux. Odile was danced by Daria Klimentova and partnered by Vadim Muntagirov.  The role of Odile was played convincingly. Klimentova was very strong in her solo but showed that dancers are still just humans when she had to quickly recover in the middle of the coda’s 32 fouettes. Muntagirov, although technically wonderful, lacked that charisma that one expects from a prince.

Act Three closed the evening with Serge Lifar’s Suite En Blanc. Finally the audience saw the dancers present as a company. With an array of solos, duos and trios, this work showed the company off as a whole.  Lifar’s choreography is demanding on the dancers’ stamina and technique! This time Klimentova nailed her 32 fouettes!

The gala was a wonderful celebration of dance, music and of course Her Majesty’s Jubilee. Even though the company is titled ‘English National Ballet’ the dancers themselves are very international with only two English dancers on this tour.  Let’s hope that we don’t have to wait so long to see the company back in Australia this time.

Photo: English National Ballet’s Anais Chalendard and Vadim Muntagirov in Suite en Blanc.

By Renata Ogayar.

Opera Theatre, Sydney Opera House
June 14 2012

Opera Warriors, produced by Shanxi Huajin Dance Art Troupe and choreographed by Xing Shimiao, had a successful opening night at the Opera House last Thursday night, 14^th June.

The cast consisted of over sixty highly talented and extremely flexible dancers from China, including celebrated artists who danced at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics Games in 2008.

The story of Opera Warriors is set in northern China at the beginning of the 20^th Century. It is about the journey, life, loves, fears and death of three very talented Peking Opera protégés, and their challenges to bring pure beauty to the stage under the strict training of their theatrical master. The Peking Opera is well known for its artistry and distinctive performance styles. However, such perfection, derived from the Chinese traditions and extremely disciplined training methods, is only experienced by the selected few. After their intensive training, they successfully gain entry into a theatrical group and their lives are driven by destiny.

Act One opened with the introduction of grand sets, stage lights, orchestral music and various performers creating live photographs in the village of Xishun. A theatrical group commenced their daily training where the three protégés, brothers Wang, Smart Wu and Heidou, were introduced to the story.

The three talented dancers demonstrated their strength with highly technical jumps and tricks, all of which required extreme flexibility. At one point during this scene, there was a rope hanging from the ceiling. With one foot on the ground and the other looped through the rope in the air, one of the brothers began his technical training. He took his leg into an attitude forward, then to a rond de jambe to the side and continued backwards, landing in the splits with one leg still in the air, demonstrating his elastic-like flexibility.

Act Two followed with a choreographic section based on strength, balance and control.  Upstage left was a traditional Chinese theatre house with a balcony. A group of five ladies with traditional Chinese costumes and extremely high platform wedges entered, walking along the 10 centimetre wide rail of the balcony. The choreography demanded delicate footwork, balance, control and flexibility, whilst successfully holding a ponche. This was a challenging task for the dancers, and it showed with a few nervous wobbles. However, to everyone’s surprise, there was a reveal that shocked everyone. These ladies were actually men!!

Come Act Three, the theatre was crowded, full of noise and excitement, and the audience was enchanted by Smart Wu’s performance. Suddenly a gun was fired; chaos broke out and the scene erupted in sword fights and dramatic moves underpinned by expression and emotion.

Acts Four and Five continued with the clever use of props, more balancing acts and further surprises. At this point in the story, several years had passed and Heidou had a new life in the wilderness with only Yan-Er and monkeys for companions. Through enlightenment and new life experiences, he revolutionised the face of Chinese performing arts and became the famous ‘Monkey King’.

The highlight of the evening was the skill and agility the dancers all brought to the stage including the effortless landings of all their jumps. The talented performers were rewarded with a standing ovation.

Opera Warriors was a wonderful visual spectacular combined with intricate costumes, extravagant sets, dancing, lighting and music and was the perfect way to celebrate the closing of the Year of Chinese Culture in Australia.

By Rain Francis.

State Theatre
June 9, 2012

The best dance companies from all over the country assembled at Arts Centre Melbourne for The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary gala, and it was an absolute treat. The variety of offerings truly showcased the depth and breadth of artistry nationwide; there really was something for every audience member – unless your thing is tutus, because there wasn’t one in sight.

The evening kicked off with the West Australian Ballet’s, Ombra Leggera, choreographed by Artistic Director Ivan Cavallari. It was performed by Daryl Brandwood and Andre Santos, two very different dancers who worked together beautifully. Quick, playful and a bit cheeky, this light-hearted duet was a superb display of technique.

By contrast, Don’t by Brisbane’s Expressions Dance Company was dark and powerful; an “exploration of the emotional power of words”. Dramatically lit and costumed in monochrome, it depicted three couples and their struggles to communicate. From the opening solo under a dappled spotlight, to the electrifying partner work, Don’t was engaging from start to finish.

Tasdance presented a short film, Momentary by choreographer Anna Smith. I was excited to see this offering from our friends across the Strait, although this perhaps wasn’t the best setting for the film. It was hypnotic and mysterious, but I think some quality was lost somewhere along the way – projecting onto the big screen did not seem to do it any justice.

Unsurprisingly, it was Australian Dance Theatre that brought the most innovative present to the party. They performed an excerpt of Be Your Self – an exploration of the human body and the concept of the ‘self’. Whatever combination of methodologies they are getting into over in Adelaide these days, it is a winning one – these performers are verging on superhuman. Having now seen two excerpts of this incredible work on the State Theatre stage, I hope Melbourne will be honoured with the full shebang sometime soon.

Dancenorth presented a brand new work, Fugue, choreographed by Artistic Director Raewyn Hill.   Inspired by Spanish bullfighting and the “dancing plague” of 1518 (where people allegedly danced themselves to death), Hill set out to “embody both a feeling of relentless and a communal experience.” This was achieved through the use of unison; the cast of eight moved in a constant swarm – which is no mean feat, especially in a piece so athletically challenging. The Sass & Bide costuming, although glamorous, seemed to swallow the dancers up and detracted from the intricacy of the movement. Ravel’s masterpiece Bolero, with its gradually building energy and repetitive structure was a fine choice to express the themes of the dance.

Another high point of the evening was Queensland Ballet’s excerpts from Cloudland, choreographed by Artistic Director Francois Klaus. The two pas de deux were performed flawlessly by Rachael Walsh and Keian Langdon, to Almost Like Being in Love and No Moon At All. Normally not a fan of choreography to music with lyrics, I was not bothered in this case, perhaps because I was swept up in the romance and pure beauty of the dance.

An excerpt from Rafael Bonachela’s 2 One Another, Sydney Dance Company’s contribution to the programme was, as expected, technically exquisite. The work explored human interaction, although the stimulus had been abstracted to a point where this fact became largely unrecognisable. Still, the combination of phenomenal dancers, innovative choreography, powerful music and beautiful costumes, lighting and staging made this another winner from Sydney Dance Company.

Tim Harbour’s new work for The Australian Ballet, Sweedeedee, painted a sentimental picture of a family. It was performed with grace and charm by beloved former Principal Artists, Justine Summers and Stephen Heathcote, as well as two Australian Ballet School students, Lennox Niven and Mia Heathcote, Stephen’s daughter. The stage was set (by Benjamin Cisterne) with an oversized washing line complete with white sheets, which were worked effectively into the choreography. Harbour’s movement in this piece was refreshingly uncomplicated, with clean lines and a gentle pace. Funny, sad and sweet, the stories it told were enriched by folk songs played live, with the Musical Direction of Chong Lim. Lexi George’s costumes were a standout, as was the magnificent lighting by Cisterne.

In his programme note, Artistic Director David McAllister cited David Bowie as the inspiration for the naming of this gala. Let’s Dance confirmed that dance is very much alive and well in this country. And judging by the spectrum of creativity and skill in the industry, it seems that Australian dance is set, like Mr. Bowie, to continue to reinvent itself, and only get better with age.

Top photo: Sydney Dance Company presents 2 One Another.

Sadler’s Wells, Peacock Theatre, London
June 2012

By Lara Bianca Pilcher.

The theme of this British-Asian musical is “Britain meets Bollywood”. You could translate “Wah! Wah!” as how some Indian audiences express their joy at something they see or watch instead of clapping.

The musical as a whole still has a lot of development needed to be a raving West End success. The Indian classical choreography was the show’s strongest feature. The musical’s most captivating sections were when the story was looking back in time and using the traditional Indian dance styles.

The choreographers, Javed Sanadi and Gauri Sharma Tripathi have, with a team of creatives, pioneered something new for the stages of London. After the success of Bollywood films with large, colourful dance sequences, I’m sure this musical can continue to develop and be a greater success in the future. The general consensus is that it’s not quite there yet.

The storyline in summary, is that Bindi (Rina Fatania), an East Londoner, humorously sits down to watch television. On the TV (a scrim screen), a Bollywood dance begins, and the story emerges of a struggling Indian dance club run by Soraya (Sophiya Haque). Sophiya Haque was delightful to watch and clearly has dance training. She was a dancer that poured passion and fire into the choreography and was captivating as she moved seamlessly. However, the proportion in the cast of trained dancers to non-trained dancers was few and I would have liked to see more skill in the lines and shapes the company created as a whole. This is a difficult task to fulfil due to the cast needing to be Indian Asian looking, with professional singing and acting ability and the skills to dance Indian Classical and Bollywood dance styles. This is particularly difficult when the forms of dance involved in this show are deemed non-technical by western standards, but they need to please the western dance educated audience of Sadler’s Wells. I feel that Wah! Wah! Girls needs a sharper dance work as a whole that demonstrates a higher technical level within the dance styles on display by using more skilled dancers in the cast.

The story continues with the character Sita (Natasha Jayetileke) arriving from Leeds and falling in love with Soraya’s son Kabir (Tariq Jordan). 17-year-old Sita is on the run from her controlling big brother, and hides in the dancing club run by Soraya (Sophiya Haque), a former mujra dancer (traditionally a courtesan who dances for wealthy patrons). Soraya begins to battle it out with the new ways of dancing presented by Sita. This ‘dance off’ between the two was full of street dance mixed with Bollywood and Indian Classical, and although highly entertaining, could be further developed.

I would love to see this musical revive itself in future years, having implemented the constructive feedback reflected in the many reviews across London. It wouldn’t be the first British musical to not have a hugely successful first run but still go on to do hundreds of shows in its second run.

Photo source: www.sadlerswells.com/show/Wah-Wah-Girls

By Rebecca Martin.

State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne
May 30 2012

Ballet has certainly evolved in recent years, with classical companies employing more modern works and using edgier marketing techniques in an attempt to broaden ballet’s appeal.  Leading the renaissance is Rasta Thomas’ Rock The Ballet, which has returned to Australia, much to the delight of audiences nationwide who raved about the performances from the company’s last visit.

I was equal parts excited and apprehensive about viewing Rock The Ballet on their current tour.  I liked the idea of ballet set to rock and pop songs, I liked the idea of scantily clad men taking ballet to another level, and I liked the idea of ballet becoming more appealing to the general public, but I feared that the production wouldn’t live up to expectations.

Rock The Ballet started with a bang, featuring the Bad Boys of Ballet dancing a combination of jazz, contemporary, hip hop and ballet to the Black Eyed Peas’ I Gotta Feeling.  The song choice was a bit trite but the dancing was superb.  The men were masters of technique and had extraordinary energy.  And when Rasta himself burst on stage, the audience (including myself) went wild.  Justifiably so, as he is one of the best male dancers in the world and has shown great bravery by leaving the classical world of ballet and forging a new direction with this company.  The second piece was hilarious, clever, and showed that ballet can be so much more than tutus and tricks.  The men performed with blow up dolls which they partnered through many humorous scenarios in perfect unison.  One has to wonder how that idea came about…

Unfortunately, Rock The Ballet ran out of ideas soon after that.  The dancing remained brilliant and the music continued to be inspiring and entertaining, but the production could have been so much more.  Rasta’s wife and the sole female dancer in the ensemble, Adrienne Canterna-Thomas could have been utilised more in partnering work with some daring lifts and throws.  Although a strong dancer she seemed out of place and not integral to the overarching production.

Rock The Ballet is undoubtedly an entertaining night out and a revelation for not only ballet, but dance itself. The encore alone was enough to satiate even the harshest critic.  I just hope that the company’s next outing develops the ideas presented further.

Australia’s very own Tap Dogs first appeared at the Sydney Festival in 1995. The tapping feet of this internationally acclaimed dance sensation has now reverberated around the world in 330 cities, 37 countries, and been seen by more than 11 million people. Now they are coming home – stronger, faster, louder and more outrageous than ever to tour Australia from July to August 2012.

The 2012 winter tour commences in Canberra 3 to 8 July, then Newcastle 10 to 15 July, followed by Adelaide 17 to 22 July, Hobart 16 to 18 August, Albury 21 to 23 August and finally Wollongong 24 & 25 August.

Created by Olivier Award winning choreographer Dein Perry, this global dance phenomenon combines the strength and power of workmen with the precision and talent of tap dancing and is part theatre, part dance, part rock concert.

The adrenalin pumped touring cast includes the best tap dancers from around the world. Leading the pack is Sheldon Perry (brother of Dein) along with fellow Aussies Matthew Papa, Nathaniel Hancock, Jesse Rasmussen and from the US Anthony Russo and Richard Miller. In addition to the macho line-up, Tap Dogs now has two beautiful female percussionists, Cat Hunter and Lyndsay Evans joining the testosterone fuelled action on stage.

Tap Dogs was originally created and choreographed by Dein Perry and directed and designed by Nigel Triffitt. In the last 15 years Tap Dogs has won 11 major international awards, including an Olivier for Best Choreography.

Win a Double Pass to Tap Dogs in Adelaide or Canberra!

Just email info@danceinforma.com with subject: “WIN TICKETS” and tell us Why Your Love Dance Informa.
Dance Informa’s Editors will pick the best responses to win.
* All valid entries must include your full name, postal address and date of birth.

Competition open until June 20.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance in Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources, dancewear and fashion and more.

By Rain Francis.

This month, Australia’s preeminent dance companies will unite for a very special occasion. As part of The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary celebrations, Arts Centre Melbourne will host Let’s Dance, for 11 performances only. This is a unique opportunity for dance lovers to see the very best of the best, from every corner of the country.

“In our 50th year I wanted a program that recognised that dance is a thriving part of our cultural landscape. From stages to school halls, thousands of people are dancing across Australia every day,” says Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister. “It was also a chance to bring the Australian dance family together to celebrate and to share the wonderful companies of our nation with lucky Melbourne audiences.”

The headliner of this un-missable gala season is the premiere of Tim Harbour’s Sweedeedee. Also presenting new works are Raewyn Hill and Natalie Weir, Artistic Directors of Dancenorth and Expressions Dance Company, respectively. Performing works never before seen on a Melbourne stage are Australian Dance Theatre, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company. To top the evening off, Tasdance will present a short dance film.

To find out more about what is in store, I spoke to each of the companies involved in Let’s Dance.

Mia Heathcote, Steven Heathcote & Tim Harbour. Photo by Georges Antoni

Company: The Australian Ballet
Title: Sweedeedee
Choreographer: Tim Harbour

Australian Ballet devotees are in for a rare treat with Tim Harbour’s brand new ballet. Sweedeedee sees a return to the stage of beloved former principal artists, Justine Summers and Steven Heathcote. Himself a former Senior Artist with the company, Harbour has shared the stage with the pair, but this is the first time he has choreographed on them.

“Justine and Steven formed a partnership that was particularly cherished by audiences”, Harbour explains. “They both have a deep resonance on stage that I want to tap into. While neither is at the height of their virtuosic powers any more, they are both still beautifully vivid movers.”

The notion of the “Australian dance family” described by McAllister became the starting point for Sweedeedee. Playing the children of Summers and Heathcote will be two students from The Australian Ballet School – one of whom is Heathcote’s actual daughter, Mia.

Harbour has aimed to create something that is fun for cast and audience alike, as well as being a vehicle for this particular, unconventional cast. “I knew I wanted to create something that two dancers in their forties and two mid-teen children could deliver,” he says. “Steven, Justine and myself are all parents now and that has informed the piece too.”

Sweedeedee will be performed primarily to a collection of folk songs, including numbers by Woodie Guthrie and Leonard Cohen, played by a live band. With sets and lighting by Benjamin Cisterne, costumes by Alexis George and projections by Lily Coates and Gavin Youngs, this promises to be a sensory delight fit for a 50^th.

Dancenorth "Fugue"

Company: Dancenorth
Title: Fugue
Choreographer: Raewyn Hill

Inspired by Spanish bullfighting, performed to Ravel’s legendary Bolero and costumed by Sass & Bide, Fugue is sure to be quite a spectacle. Raewyn Hill describes it as “a relentless, trance like experience”, with seven dancers moving as one and pushed to their absolute physical extremes.

Hill researched extensively for this new work, and notes that “the bullfight is often referred to as a metaphor for a fight between mankind and death.” She has aligned this concept with the story of the ‘Dancing Plague’. This mysterious event allegedly occurred in Strasbourg in 1518, when people spontaneously began to dance and continued for days, some even to their death.

“The dancers have really embraced the challenge, and they give phenomenal performances,” says Hill. Be ready to be mesmerised by this exciting premiere!

Company: Expressions Dance Company
Title: Don’t
Choreographer: Natalie Weir

Natalie Weir’s brand new work Don’t is developed from a piece called Scripsi Scriptum, which explores the art of communication and the written word. “I thought the duet was very powerful”, says Weir, “and wanted to work further with the idea of a singular word and its emotional resonance.”

As with all of Weir’s work, which tends to explore “human emotion and connection”, the ideas presented in Don’t are ones to which we can all relate. As the choreographer notes, “sometimes we wish we could take back the things we say to each other. We forget the power that a word can have, its impact on others, and how easy it is to interpret or indeed, misinterpret.  The concept behind Don’t is very simple, but beautiful and quite sad at times.”

Australian Dance Theatre's "Be Your Self". Photo by Chris Herzfeld

Company: Australian Dance Theatre
Title: Be Your Self (excerpt)
Choreographer: Garry Stewart

Be Your Self is a work that has been informed broadly and from vastly different viewpoints. Amongst their eclectic training and development schedule, ADT often engages in meditation practice. Initial sessions were led by a Buddhist monk, who discussed with the company the nature of ‘self’ according to Buddhist principles. Garry Stewart also consulted with a professor of physiology about the ways in which emotions are connected to the body and “how the hormonal system interacts with the brain neurologically and chemically when we experience certain emotions.”

The resulting work is an “exploration of the human body as the starting point for defining the concept of self.” ADT performed a snippet of Be Your Self at the Australian Dance Awards in 2009, and Melbourne audiences were, of course, blown away. Though we’re yet to be treated to it in its entirety, I bet we’re all looking forward to getting another glimpse of this incredible creation.

Company: Queensland Ballet
Title: Cloudland (excerpts)
Choreographer: François Klaus

A sell-out at the 2004 Brisbane Festival and loved by European audiences, Cloudland takes us back in time to the iconic Brisbane ballroom that was popular from the 1940s to the 1980s. “When I was creating the ballet we were overwhelmed by responses to our calls for information”, says François Klaus. “People sent in delightful anecdotes, photographs and even CDs relating to their experiences at Cloudland. This story was very important to Brisbane life for a lot of people.”

Melbourne audiences will be treated to two lyrical pas de deux: Almost Like Being in Love and No Moon at All. “It’s a lovely production with beautiful sets, costumes, and music”, says Klaus. “The themes of love and nostalgia have universal appeal – the story is local in one sense to Brisbane, but people anywhere can relate.”

WA Ballet's Daryl Brandwood & Jayne Smeulders in Ombra Leggiera. Photo by Jon Green.

Company: West Australian Ballet
Title: Ombra Leggiera
Choreographer: Ivan Cavallari

Inspired by the lyrics from the aria Ombra Leggiera in Meyerbeer’s Dinorah, the dance evokes a dialogue with a shadow. It was originally a solo created for Daryl Brandwood, who would interact with movements projected onto a screen. “It was to have been staged in this format at the Quarry Amphitheatre”, says Ivan Cavallari, “however once we were there, it became obvious that the complex projections would be technically unachievable. Thus it became, overnight, a pas de deux!”

Ombra Leggiera is just one instalment in a trilogy of works set to arias sung by the illustrious Maria Callas. “For the moment I have choreographed the first two arias”, says Cavallari, “but I’m still undecided about the third.” So watch this space!

Company: Sydney Dance Company
Title: 2 One Another (excerpt)
Choreographer: Rafael Bonachela

Prior to a Melbourne season of 2 One Another in November this year, Sydney Dance Company brings a segment of its most recent work to Let’s Dance.

2 One Another celebrates “relationships, interactions and the sheer beauty of the human form”. Developed in collaboration with the young Australian poet Samuel Webster, it was enthusiastically received by Sydney audiences in March.

The Daily Telegraph’s Vanessa Keys calls it “an awakening, a major turning point for Bonachela”. Jill Sykes of the Sydney Morning Herald agrees, naming it the choreographer’s “best since he became Artistic Director.”

Company: Tasdance
Title: Momentary
Choreographer: Anna Smith

“Momentary is truly a short moment in time, a glimpse from what has been and an instant of what might be”, says Anna Smith. The short film is a development of Quiescence, one of Smith’s earlier works, which was born of the Conceiving Connections Research project in 2000.

An investigation of the poem Gum Trees Stripping by Judith Wright, Momentary identifies eucalyptus bark as a reflection of human experience. “[The bark is] a skin that reveals a history that often outlives our own”, says Smith. “People have wrinkles, scars and marks on their skin because they have experienced the elements of life.”

Bringing to life the rich, colourful imagery of Wright, Smith hopes that the film reminds viewers to see the beauty and wisdom in growing old, and to “appreciate and take notice of what surrounds us.”

Let’s Dance runs from June 7 to June 16 at Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre.
Book through www.australianballet.com.au or call 1300 369 741

Top photo: Principal dancers Rachael Walsh and Keian Langdon of Queensland Ballet perform the Cloudland pas de deux. Photo by Ken Sparrow.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance in Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources, dancewear and fashion and more.

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

1. Eat more vegetables

I can’t stress the importance of this strongly enough.  Aim for at least 4 servings per day, and the more colorful your selection the better.  Vegetables contain important bioactive compounds such as phytonutrients like polyphenols, flavoinoids, carotenoids and lycopene. These are powerful cancer fighters.  Dancers can’t go wrong with eating more vegetables. Veggies are low calorie, low fat, high in fibre, and high in vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folic acid and selenium.

2. Eat more fruits

Fruits also contain the cancer fighting phytonutrients listed above. Fruit is the ultimate convenience snack. It is easily portable, tasty, and many varieties don’t need refrigeration. Throw an apple or orange in your dance bag today. Keep a bowl of washed grapes in your fridge for healthy snacking when you want something quick.  Fruit is delicious, easy, low calorie and packed with nutrients. Try to get your fruit from the whole fruit and limit or avoid sugary juices.

3. Reduce your consumption of meat

Eating a plant based diet has been shown again and again to reduce risk for cancers, not to mention the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The American Dietetic Association states that vegetarian diets can be healthy for persons of all ages and activity levels and may prevent certain diseases.   It is entirely possible to eat a more plant based diet if you are a dancer or other athlete. Get important nutrients like protein, iron and zinc from a well varied diet that includes beans, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vegetables.  Dancers need slightly more protein and iron, but high meat intakes and excessive heme iron (from meat) may actually increase cancer risk.  Beans and leafy greens contain iron and these foods help fight cancer.  If you are a vegan you will need to supplement your diet with B12. Plant based diets also help reduce greenhouse gases and are better for the environment.  If you are interested, talk to a registered dietician about planning well balanced plant based meals.

4. Stop smoking now

Seriously, enough said.  Not smoking is one of the single most important things you can do for your health and the health of those who breathe the air around you.

5. Lose the extra pounds if you are overweight

Excess weight is a major risk factor for many different cancers.  The Center for Science in the Public Interest recently reported that putting on weight when younger (in your 20s or 30s) as opposed to later in life can increase risk for endometrial cancer.  Preventing or delaying weight gain can pay off in lower cancer risk.  Meeting with a registered dietitian can help you develop a plan that you can stick to long term. It’s not about losing a few pounds quickly, real health comes from lifestyle changes that you can live with over time.  Start off by limiting portion sizes and eating more veggies, then gradually add more steps until you reach your goals.

6. Eat more naturally and limit processed foods

I know we are all busy, but dancers have to be judicious about what they feed their bodies. Processed foods (including soft drinks) are not only more expensive, but usually pack a high calorie punch.  They can contain preservatives, additives, high-fructose corn syrup, and other unhealthy stuff that dancers don’t need. Buy foods in bulk, make big portions when cooking and freeze the extra. Invest in a slow cooker so you can throw some ingredients in and it will be all ready when you come home from a long day.

7. Get adequate vitamin D, but don’t mega dose

As dancers we all know the importance of vitamin D in strong bone density (preventing stress fractures). But you may not know that vitamin D has been shown to also be cancer protective.  For the dancers that I work with, I typically recommend getting approximately 800 IU per day.  That may mean having to supplement for dancers who are avoiding dairy. Getting 10-15 minutes of sun can be a good source too, but of course we don’t want to increase our skin cancer risk by baking in the sun for too long. If you supplement, be careful not to mega dose. Vitamin D can be toxic in high amounts.

8. Exercise regularly

Most dancers get plenty of exercise, but if you are recovering from an injury or if you are a former dancer it helps to schedule exercise just like you would schedule anything else.  Try something new or out of your comfort zone like a different style of dance, martial arts, yoga, or rock climbing. If you are currently dancing regularly; swimming or pilates can be great activities for cross training on days off.

9. Limit alcoholic beverages

New reports from the US National Institutes of Health state that women who have one drink per day can increase their breast cancer risk by 5%. Heavier drinking can increase risk by as much as 50%. Women who have a strong family history of breast cancer should avoid drinking altogether.  Another consideration for dancers is that even one drink can negatively affect athletic performance for several days after consumption.

10. Avoid BPA in canned foods and plastic containers, and don’t microwave food in plastic

BPA is a building block of plastics and exposure (especially in children) may increase cancer risk.  BPA can be found in some plastic containers and in the lining inside cans. The Center for Science in the Public Interest, The Environmental Working Group, and the Harvard School of Public Health all warn of the dangers of exposure to BPA.  Try using glass containers to store food, or look for “BPA free” if you must use plastic. We can all benefit from less plastic in our lives.  Plus eating fresh is always better.

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

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The Environmental Working Group: www.ewg.org
www.ewg.org/meateatersguide

Plant based diets and disease prevention: The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine www.pcrm.org

Scarborough P, Allender S, Clarke D, Wickramasinghe K, Rayner M.  Plant based diets and the environment: Modelling the health impact of environmentally sustainable dietary scenarios in the UK. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2012 Apr 11

Campbell T C, Campbell TM.  The China Study. Ben Bella Books, 2009.

ADA position statement on vegetarian diets: www.eatright.org/about/content.aspx?id=8357

Murphy MM, Barraj LM, Herman, D, Xiaoyu BI, Cheatham R, Randolph RK. Phytonutrient intake by adults in the United States in relation to fruit and vegetable consumption.  Journal of the American Dietetic Association. Feb, 2012.

Link A, Balaguer F, Goel A. Cancer chemoprevention by dietary polyphenols: promising role for epigenetics. Biochem Pharmacol. 2010 Dec 15;80(12):1771-92

Krishnan AV, Trump DL, Johnson CS, Feldman D.The role of vitamin d in cancer prevention and treatment. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2012 Feb;38(1):161-78.

Photo: © Braden Gunem | Dreamstime.com

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources and more.

By Rain Francis.

A little over three years ago, household dance fans across the country sat biting their nails as they waited to see who would win the third season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia. But having made it to that stage meant that Jess Hesketh was already winning: her dream was about to come true. Crowned runner-up of the reality TV show, Jess was awarded one of the most coveted posts in the dance world – a contract with Australian Dance Theatre.

After a decade of adoring the Adelaide-based contemporary company, just knowing that the contract was available helped Jess propel herself through the competition. Even now, having worked with the company since September 2010, she says it’s “still a bit surreal”.

ADT is currently rehearsing to take its acclaimed work Be Your Self to Sydney, as well as performing an excerpt in Let’s Dance, a gala season that is part of The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary.

Jess in rehearsals with ADT. Photos by Chris Herzfeld

Be Your Self draws on investigations into neurobiology and Buddhist philosophy. These two positions in one sense are worlds apart, in another, they are two sides of one coin: the science of poetry – or the poetry of science. To use Jess’ own eloquent description of the work, “it cross-examines the vast complexity of who we are and what we’re made of. It really looks into the subject of selfhood. Not only the physical aspects, but the emotional aspect of what makes us human, and how the physical and emotional sides do work together to create us as humans.”

As with all of ADT’s works, Be Your Self, with its fusion of contemporary dance, breaking and tumbling, is incredibly demanding physically. However, Jess says that the emotional side of the work is equally challenging. In the research stages, Artistic Director and Choreographer Garry Stewart consulted with Professor of Physiology Ian Gibbons from the Flinders Medical Centre. The insights he shared into the neurobiological functions of the body have greatly informed the work. The result? An added depth and dimension to the movement, which Jess says she is “really attached to”.

To add yet another dimension, Stewart engaged leading design studio Diller Scofidio + Renfro to create a set piece. The cutting-edge New York-based firm are responsible for multi-million dollar architectural projects, such as the complete refurbishment of the Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, and the expansion of the School of American Ballet. With their backgrounds in the visual arts, DS+R like to, as Stewart says “keep one foot in the arts” and “were kind enough to lend their support to Be Your Self”. The resulting set piece seeks to reconstruct our perspective on the body.

Jess in rehearsals for 'Proximity'

Be Your Self is in fact the first piece that Jess worked on when joining the company. At that time, the work had already been created, however the whole second half was about to undergo a drastic revamp. This would be Jess’s first real experience not only as a professional dancer, but as a creative collaborator in the developmental stages of a dance theatre work – a role she still finds challenging.

“Creating and choreographing are areas that I haven’t really delved into a lot throughout my training,” she explains, adding that she is grateful to the familial atmosphere at ADT. “The other dancers are awesome. They’re so supportive and they’re always helping me and giving me tips. It’s almost like my own personal choreography lesson every time I have to make up a new solo.”

With the freshly developed Be Your Self in their arsenal, the formidable ADT embarked on a three-month European tour early in 2011. Returning home, they collaborated with visual artist Thom Buchanan and third year students of the Adelaide College of the Arts on a new multi-media project titled Worldhood. Next, they developed and performed Proximity, in conjunction with French video engineer and artist Thomas Pachoud. After the current season of Be Your Self, it will be back to Proximity for another European adventure.

“It’s just one thrill after another,” says Jess. “I’m living my dream. ADT is something that I’ve wanted to do for such a long time. Actually being here and being part of these amazing  productions is a heap of fun every day.”

And it seems she has fit well into her new home. Stewart calls Jess “a really beautiful dancer with incredible facility, remarkable versatility and the ability to do anything that she puts her mind to.” He adds that it has been “interesting with her coming up through the commercial field and through television, but that has given her a lot of ability to connect with a performative presence.”

Another thing that television exposure gave her, Jess says, is a diverse wealth of experience. She acknowledges that after full-time training, dancers and other artists often find it difficult to find work and transition into developing themselves professionally. “Having SYTYCD was the perfect bridge to close that gap,” she says. “It opened so many doors for me. The amount of choreographers that I was exposed to and I got to work with on the show was just incredible. It set me up for a great start – and the ball continues to roll.”

Australian Dance Theatre’s Be Your Self Sydney premiere season
31 May – 3 June
Sydney Theatre at Walsh Bay

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance in Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources, dancewear and fashion and more.