Melbourne Palais Theatre, St Kilda
April 14 2012

By Rebecca Marin.

New York’s Les Ballets Eloelle (L-O-L, get it?) pirouetted into Melbourne with its cast of male “ballerinas” to show local audiences that men can be swans and do pointe work too.  This is no Matthew Bourne contemporary take on ballet, however.  This is pure ballet, with the (mostly) original choreography taken from selected classical ballets performed by men.  In tights.  En pointe.  In tutus.  On this particular outing, the programme included Act 2 from Swan Lake (hilare!) and excerpts from Le Corsaire (virtuosity!), closing with a mash up of Don Quixote (amaze!) and Paquita (astonish!).

The appeal of companies such as Ballet Eloelle and the Trockaderos can be limited.  Are the men dancing the female roles with seriousness when not obviously being frivolous?  Are the men good enough to pull off difficult variations en pointe, not to mention the fouettes in almost every pas de deux coda?  And for the general audience, will they get the humour?

Fortunately, the answer to most of those questions is yes. While mainstream audiences may miss the subtleties that only a ballet lover can pick up on, there is much laughter and awe to be had for everyone in this production.  There is slapstick, visual gags, feats of awe (are you sure they are really men?!), and some genuinely good dancing.  As any female that has squeezed their feet into a pair of pointe shoes can attest, pointe work sure ain’t a walk in the park, but the dancers of Les Ballets Eloelle pull it off with ease (and a flourish of the wrists).  Despite all that, some of my favourite moments from the show were non-balletic, such as when a swan breaks out into a bit of krumping, and when the token “male” dancer turns to the back of the stage and tightly squeezes his butt cheeks to the glee of the audience…

Les Ballets Eloelle managed to gracefully side step the trap of leaning on sight gags to entertain the audience.  The humour was clever, the performance was hilariously entertaining, and the dancers were impressive.  I can’t wait for the company to return to Melbourne with the next programme.  This time I’m bringing tissues for the tears of laughter.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events, dance reviews and resources for dance teachers.

Theatreworks, Melbourne
April 12 2012

By Paul Ransom.

There are many ways to review a show but most involve name dropping, encapsulation and a measure of what we might call analysis. Ultimately however, reviews are simply one person’s considered and (hopefully) informed opinion. This is no different. But for me at least Collide was.

Not that the two short works contained under that umbrella were ground-breaking in any way. Indeed, a dance cynic may well dismiss the programme as nothing more than standard issue, over wrought contemporary writhing. However, to do so would miss the point entirely.

Choreographer/director Paul Malek once told me that he was “a very intense person” and that shines through with Collide. Both these works (Freya List’s stunning debut Half Full and Malek’s passionate and conceptual Evolve) burn with introspective drama. Both are like a brooding Bronte sister novel; melancholy, dark, existential. Even a touch erotic.

Stepping away from the details though, Collide reminds us why anyone bothers to dance at all, for right there in front of us the dancers give us their blood by diving headlong into the moment and immersing themselves. Perhaps it is a kind of self-absorption – but it’s also utterly absorbing. And in the pews, everyone imagines themselves dancing.

Sometimes, the astonishing alchemy of music and movement transcends technique, and makes critique redundant. For this reviewer – on that night, in that theatre – the collision was pure elevating, emotional magic. By daring to feel, the dancers allowed us to do the same. By having the gall to dream up such intense (and gloriously minimal) vignettes, Paul Malek and the driven young people he works with remind us that everyone is a dancer.

Well, that’s enough of my middle age gushing. Go see the show … or at the very least keep an eye out for their next one.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events, dance reviews and resources for dance teachers.

Lennox Theatre, Parramatta Riverside Theatres
March 28 2012

By Linda Badger.

SuperModern: Our obsession with small shiny things, life in the fast lane, what’s in, what’s not, the constant hum of options, gadgets, social media, and multi-tasking that fills our world – the latest and greatest.

What a fantastic debut for a full length work for choreographer Anton.  Anton has been working as a dance artist, director, teacher and choreographer in the industry for the past 16 years.  His work SuperModern: Dance of Distraction premiered at the Parramatta Riverside Theatres on March 28.  Working with some of the best independent artists in the industry, this collaboration is the culmination of a development period that has been fuelling his creative practice for the past five years.

Dancers Kristina Chan, Timothy Ohl, Robbie Curtis and Sophia Ndaba, along with composers of the original score (Jai Payne, Nick Wales, Timothy Constable), and a fantastic creative team, brought together a work with so many layers that was refreshingly pure in its presentation.  The work did not rely on sensory overload, or elaborate sets, technology, costumes or props to communicate, it was the brilliance of the creative minds that brought it together.  The choreography was allowed to communicate for itself.  It is interesting that so much choreography today pushes the limits of what the human body can do. You can walk away wowed at amazing technical feats, but a true artist who is walking a carefully crafted, well-worn path in their journey will leave you with so much more, not purely a superficial layer.  Having watched both Kristina Chan and Timothy Ohl over the past few years it is so rewarding to see them sit really well in their ‘skin’ as dance artists, not just great technicians or performers (of which both are).  They have a maturity that the best training cannot produce – it has to be developed over time and with much dedication.  Robbie Curtis and Sophia Ndaba both performed excellently and it will be exciting to see where their journey takes them in the future.

Humorously presented for the most part, the work was very metaphorical, and each audience member would have had a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ experience with the work.  So many thoughts were presented, and with so many layers to those thoughts.  The work could be interpreted in so many ways, depending on what your relationship is to technology, your hectic or not so hectic schedule and what drives you. SuperModern could be watched multiple times with the observer always getting something fresh.   To me the show seemed to say that we are puppets of our own making. We are slaves to our own created technology. Are we controlling it or is it controlling us? Technology is laughing at us and playing games as we try to be a part of something that becomes increasingly a point of exclusion – the social media trap.  Constantly trying to fit in, go one better, presenting ourselves in all manner of ways, we lose our identity.  It’s such a great distraction from reality, to the point where even our own train of thought seems disjointed at times.

Use of “precise body articulation” as described by Anton, was a huge component. There was such detail to the choreography at times and then in some moments a real simplicity. At times the movement almost created a sense of illusion – where does the machine end and human begin?  Where does the idea of this invisible but tangible thing we call technology begin and human control get lost?  Anton uses the words “corporeal hyperbole” to describe it.  Yes, that is a great way to describe it.  What was so fascinating in his choreography is that the sense of watching an optical illusion at times was very strong, purely through the choreography, not through any technological trickery or effect – quite ironic considering the subject matter.

All production elements of the work were entirely complementary, including the input of lighting designer/production manager/co-costume designer Guy Harding, whose vast experience with dance and theatre is ever expanding and always impressive.

SuperModern could be enjoyed by the seasoned dance audience to those new to the world of dance and theatre.  The beauty of it was that it was so connective and relatable.  I send out a huge congratulations to all who worked on this project, including all the organisations who supported the work from its inception, particularly Ausdance and Critical Path. This work is not one to be missed!

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events, dance reviews and resources for dance teachers.

Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
April 4 2012

By Marc Clayton.

Easter theatre going audiences of all ages were thoroughly entertained by The Queensland Ballet’s Alice In Wonderland. The ballet follows the classic story of Alice and her adventures in Wonderland, when she chases the White Rabbit down its hole.

Artistic Director Francois Klaus created a ballet geared towards children, as were the original stories by Lewis Carroll. The music chosen was very unusual and quirky with scores form Alexander’s Ragtime Band (Irving Berlin) through to Flight of the Bumble-Bee (Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov).

From the first appearance of Wonderland and the White Rabbit, played by Tamara Hanton, we saw a modern take on this traditional classic. The White Rabbit was scurrying back and forth across the stage in bright red sneakers and playfully rode a skateboard. Hanton made the role look effortless with her high energy performance throughout the show – she was just like the Energizer Bunny! The Cook (Keian Langdon) and Duchess (Katherine Rooke) performed well together. Their pas de deux was fun with characterization oozing out of both performers. Blair Wood as The Mad Hatter was a very bold performer. His acting, energy, and dance kept drawing my eye every time he was on stage. The enthusiasm of the March Hare (Nathan Scicluna) and the well-executed characterization of the Dormouse (Gemma Pearce) also pleased the audience.

Gareth Belling and Iona Marques in Queensland Ballet's Alice in Wonderland. Photo by Ken Sparrow

The role of Alice was danced by three of Queensland Ballet’s Junior Extension Program students; Caity Armstrong, Emma Langfield and Bianca Scudamore. At this performance it was Langfield’s day to shine and that she did. It is amazing that a child was able to keep up with and in some cases dance rings around some of the seasoned professionals. Langfield was a very professional young woman with great promise, lots of energy and endurance. As Alice she rarely left the stage during the performance.

One of the standout dancers was Yu Hui as the Caterpillar. This fun and captivating role required a lot, from working with many arms and working with a mushroom prop, to becoming a breathtaking butterfly with huge wings, all the while interacting with Alice.

The mischievous dancing twins Tweedledum & Tweedledee, played by Robert McMillan and Rian Thompson, were my favourite characters in the show with both dancers performing to their fullest potential. Their wit, characterisation and tricks, including a double tour while wearing a fat suit, were something to see and performing with Alice made it an interesting trio. Bravo for your wonderful performance!

Humpty Dumpty and Walrus were both entertaining characters perfected by guest artist Joseph Stewart. Stewart’s acting and dance really took on the actions and imitations of what you would believe of these characters.

Designed by Richard Jeziorny the costumes were all bright, colourful and creative with the Caterpillar to Butterfly transformations and the Walrus as definite standouts.

There was talking included in the program, which was slightly off putting. I believe that dancers can portray their characters to the audience through dancing, action and movements, with no need to speak lines such as “White Rabbit, White Rabbit” or “Off with her head”. This really did not add to the production at all but took our focus off the dance.

Queensland Ballet’s Alice In Wonderland is a fun, delightful performance and is one for all the family to enjoy.

Top photo: Queensland Ballet’s Alice in Wonderland. Tamara Hanton and dancers.  Photo Ken Sparrow

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events, dance reviews and resources for dance teachers.

By Belinda Adams.

Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts,  Brisbane
23 – 30 March 2012

Ten dancers, two choreographers and eight production team members, all from two very different countries, produced one very special performance.

Scripsi Scriptum was created out of a cultural exchange between Expressions Dance Company (EDC) from Brisbane and Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble (CSDE) from Basel, Switzerland. Both companies have performed together previously in both Basel and Brisbane. They initially met during CSDE’s tenth anniversary season and ten years later have come together once again to create a program of new choreography with one theme.

The creative process began when the ten dancers shared hand-written letters to introduce themselves. From there EDC travelled to Basel to create and perform with CSDE. Scripsi Scriptum was born and was initially performed in late 2011 in Basel, receiving a very positive response from Swiss audiences.

The performance was created by Natalie Weir (EDC), Cathy Sharp (CSDE) and dancers from both companies. The outcome of this collaboration was two distinct works from each company that were bought together by not only the theme, but also by a short joint section created by everyone involved.

Scripsi Scriptum translated the written words of human emotion into dance. The performance took the audience on a journey through various forms of written and digital communication discussing how they reflect on our lives and hearts alike. Movement ranged from sharp and percussive through to velvety smooth lines. Overall, the dance itself was well executed and the movement played nicely into each dancer’s unique forte.

EDC shone, as always, with their strength, unsurpassed technique and emotive portrayal of the story behind the dance. All five EDC dancers were inspiring and evoked their characters’ true presence and persona. Standout dancer, Riannon McLean displayed her unwavering power as she seamlessly performed some complex lifts and partner work with the male dancers. David Williams also displayed great talent. He has a peerless ability to form exquisite lines with his powerful physique.

The CSDE dancers brought a very different feel to the choreography in comparison to EDC, but their performance was very enjoyable. The technique displayed by CSDE was very liberal but still rigid in its execution. The dancers tended to tell their own individual stories rather than give one unified performance, whilst still being able to stick with the theme. It was a very unique display that captivated the audience in its complexity.

Credit must go to both Natalie Weir and Cathy Sharp for bringing these companies together and also to the entire team for the wonderful production. Scripsi Scriptum was an engaging and captivating performance that was a unique mix of two very different dance companies. Brisbane audiences can only hope that this partnership of dance continues for many years to come.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

Mrs Macquarie’s Point in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney
March 22 2012

By Kristy Johnson.

Thursday 22^nd of March, media were treated to a rehearsal of Opera Australia’s La Traviata. Set at Mrs Macquarie’s Point in the Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney, the ultimate romantic opera tells the story of the ‘fallen woman’ or more figuratively, ‘the woman who goes astray’.

An impressive infrastructure installed on Sydney Harbour captured the huge production of Handa Opera’s La Traviata. Guests were invited to view spectacular sets, beautiful costumes, fireworks and a 9-metre chandelier sparkling with Swarovski Elements, suspended above a purpose-built shimmering stage on the waters of Sydney Harbour.

La Traviata is perfect for first-time opera-goers and was a visual treat, despite the poor weather conditions at hand. Due to an onslaught of rain, the production was delayed quite considerably, and when the rain finally eased off, the audience were only able to view a select few acts. Wearing black tie didn’t seem to matter much, when blue ponchos emblazoned with the Mazda logo were being thrown out left, right and centre. Considering the amount of money spent on the production, one would think that some form of shelter, even for the performers, would have been provided. Whilst my guest and I found it quite humorous to be watching Opera in the rain, one could not help but feel sympathetic towards the performers whose costumes seemed to already be ruined by the end of the first short act.

For what we did see of the dancing, Stephen Baynes delivered what you would have expected – great choreography. It was obvious that the dancers were required to possess solid technique and training in classical and contemporary styles. Having seen the dancers rehearse prior to the night, at the studios of Opera Australia, it was a delight to see the finished product.

Emma Matthews, who played the role of Violetta and Gianluca Terranova in the role of Alfredo Germont, did not disappoint either. The vocals were simply incredible.

Overall, despite the poor weather conditions, all had a great night. Delicious catering of gourmet pizzas and champagne ensured guests were kept happy and entertained.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance auditions, dance news, dance events, dance reviews and resources for dance teachers.

State Theatre, The Arts Centre, Melbourne
March 2012

By Grace Edwards.

The Peony Pavilion is a love story that takes place within a dream. Du Liniang, a beautiful woman from a wealthy family, falls asleep by a peony pavilion and dreams of a handsome scholar whom she has never met. Unable to find him in the real world, she dies of a broken heart and ends up in the Underworld. Her story moves the Infernal Judge to release her ghost back into the land of the living to find and marry the elusive scholar. The ballet ends with an unusual wedding ceremony fitting for the union of phantom and mortal.

The performers are a joy to watch and the strength of the corps de ballet is noteworthy. The principal dancers demonstrate their fine-tuned technical and dramatic abilities admirably, and the fluid execution of the first act pas de deux between Liniang (Zhu Yan) and her lover (Li Jun) captures beautifully the artless passion of first-time love.

Some aspects of the production are inevitably lost in translation. The sexual metaphor of taking off shoes in Chinese culture, for instance, comprises one of the most enduring images of the production, and these sexual connotations are underlined by the use of Debussy’s L’apres-midi d’un Faune, bringing to mind the daring and erotic Ballets Russes production of the same name choreographed by Vaslav Nijinsky in 1912. However, it is unlikely that the majority of audiences will make the connection between these two elements.

Similarly, the concept of using three dancers to portray one character is potentially confusing for the uninitiated. The role of Kunqu, the operatic vocalist, who represents the heroine’s moral restraint, is particularly difficult to place without referring back to the programme. Unlike the Flower Goddess, who represents the heroine’s passion, Kunqu’s movements do not explicitly link her to the heroine and her unfamiliar lyrics, sung in Chinese, are of no help to western audiences in making such leaps of imagination.

The second act, including both the Underworld and wedding scenes, is structurally far clearer than the first, which possesses a quality of sameness that does not match the drama of the plot.

Despite the size of the State Theatre, the stage feels crowded with dancers in several scenes of the first act; whilst the principal dancers manoeuvre past each other admirably, one unfortunate corps de ballet member proved the victim of circumstance on the opening night and fell during one of the ensemble’s opening sequences in the first act. The production, however, is evidently very well-rehearsed and no doubt greater familiarity with the stage will prevent such a mishap in future performances. The second act, meanwhile, proved lucid and engaging.

The final wedding scene is the show’s stunning highlight. It takes place in front of a translucent, grey-white backdrop – a liminal space somewhere between Heaven and Hell – as figures from the two realms circle the young lovers performing repetitive gestures in a bizarre ritual. The pace and volume of the ceremony intensifies until finally, red peony petals fall from the sky in a rousing climax. The sustained and streamlined build-up of this scene in terms of orchestral and ensemble strength and pace is at the heart of its effectiveness.

Ballet clichés were somewhat overused throughout. Whilst this may have been a result of an attempt to incorporate the essentialism of Chinese operatic convention – for instance, in emphasising demure nature of the heroine characteristic of the zhengdan (tragic or serious heroine) – it nonetheless detracted from a full realisation of the choreographic potential of the storyline. Though choreographer, Fei Bo, possesses a background in contemporary dance, there is little evidence of this in the ballet, which is fairly traditional in its movement vocabulary.

Overall, however, The Peony Pavilion is an enjoyable, high-standard production and a unique showcase for the world-class talents of the National Ballet of China. As a Chinese love story in the vein of Romeo and Juliet, it has a broad appeal despite the unfamiliarity of various elements related to operatic convention and Chinese metaphors used throughout, and ballet-lovers will find this production well worth their patronage.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

By Dolce Fisher.

Sydney Theatre
March 2012

2 One Another is the next contemporary dance installment from acclaimed choreographer Rafael Bonachela, but this time he collaborated with a team of varied artists. Samuel Webster was involved from the beginning, using poetry that was inspired by the dancers’ movement which later became text layered throughout the musical score.  The music was a compilation of artists with original music composed by Nick Wales. There was an eclectic selection with everything from beautiful strings to brash electro.

The costume and production design created by Tony Assness was full of contrast, but easy on the eye. Benjamin Cisterne’s lighting used a number of effects from a dimly lit stage to hits of stark white light. He only mixed in colour in the last section of the choreography.  A cyc replaced with a wall of LED lights covered with a thin layer of fabric softened the overall look.

Bonachela’s choreography held true to his style, despite him having a different creative team for this work. His use of raw movement developed from improvisation is something that many contemporary choreographers only dream of having enough time and funding to be able to delight in! Bonachela’s use of all the elements blended so well, allowing so much light and shade in the choreography.

Opening in silence with almost tai chi like movement, 2 One Another had a peaceful vibe to it. This was then cut by a surge of dynamic movement and light. The whole work ebbed and flowed with a series of solos, duos, trios and group work throughout, with each section having a life of its own.

This work displayed a few different partnerships that seem to be developing within the company. In one duet the contrast of height between dancers Natalie Allen and Andrew Crawford could have appeared as awkward, but it was very complimentary. Once again Chen Wen did not disappoint and his perfectly square arabesque line was enough to make any lover of technique go weak at the knees. His entire solo really showed off his abilities and had an edge to it that made him stand out. Some of the other male dancers seemed to lack the stage presence that is expected at this level of performance; something was missing.

There was a moment where it felt like the dancers were arriving at their destination and that all the elements were going to culminate to end the work, but then there was a new beginning. A whole new section started, with a duo introducing a pop of colour with red draped costumes, and the lightning changing from dim and white light to an array of vibrant colours.

2 One Another delved into relationships and human interaction, which is something we all experience every day. With this work the dancers’ interactions became their own lives recorded in the medium of movement.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

By Rain Francis.

Arts Centre, Melbourne
February 2012

The Australian Ballet’s 50th Anniversary celebrations have begun with a big, beautiful bang. Infinity is a triple bill of new works created by three of Australia’s most important choreographers, to three commissioned scores.

The evening opens with The Narrative of Nothing, from Australia’s beloved Graeme Murphy. After creating a string of lavish story ballets, including 2011′s Romeo and Juliet, Murphy opted out of the constraints of expressing a narrative, returning to a more neoclassical, purely abstract form. During the creative process, however, he found it impossible to NOT find meaning in the steps being constructed, eventually coming to the conclusion that as humans we need – have always needed – stories. The resulting ballet is a 30 minute exhibition of formidable technique, not necessarily always virtuosic in the sense of being grand and showy, but intricate, flawlessly executed and at times lightning-quick. As Murphy noted, in the various groupings of dancers, the audience is free to find its fictions and fantasies.

The Narrative of Nothing is set to Brett Dean’s Fire Music, dedicated to the victims of the 2009 ‘Black Saturday’ bushfires. Powerful in scope and elaborately detailed, the score is expertly rendered by the choreography. The dancers are dressed in unitards which are covered in minute mirrors – an innovative design of Murphy’s long-time collaborator, Jennifer Irwin.

Unexpectedly, the most traditional classical ballet choreography and costumes of the evening are to be found within a piece by one of our most eminent contemporary choreographers. There’s Definitely a Prince Involved is Gideon Obarzanek’s first major work since departing Chunky Move. It asks questions such as ‘what is ballet?’ and ‘what is love?’, drawing on answers collected by Obarzanek when conducting interviews as part of his research. Swan Lake, as the quintessential ballet, is deconstructed and given a realist’s revamp, shot through with candid, sometimes amusing, often nerve-touching narration. Created alongside the choreography, Stefan Gregory’s score manipulates Tchaikovsky’s famous original, thankfully retaining its faultless essence.

The show-stealer of the second work is easily the contemporary Grand Pas de Deux, narrated by Madeleine Eastoe and danced by guest artists Sara Black and James O’Hara. The two bodies writhe and tumble with invertebrate fluidity, reminiscent of the fabulous dressmaker’s dummy in Dame Peggy van Praagh and George Ogilvie’s production of Coppelia.

For me, the piece de resistance of the evening is Stephen Page’s mesmerising Warumuk – In the Dark Night. Inspired by Yolngu families’ creation stories of the night sky, the work explores the ‘spiritual relationship between people, land and nature’. Various myths are interpreted, including those of the Milky Way, the lunar eclipse and the morning star. Dancers from Bangarra Dance Theatre and The Australian Ballet blend seamlessly, the latter embracing a more weighted movement vocabulary. Throughout, the combination of the dance, David Page’s score and Padraig O Suilleabhain’s lighting is nothing short of hypnotic, but it is Jennifer Irwin’s breathtaking costumes which blow my mind, particularly in the dance of the Seven Sisters.

Infinity is a well-balanced cross-section of the Australian dance palette. It incorporates various traditions and our unique Indigenous culture, whilst nodding to the new directions of our choreographers. Here’s to the next 50 years.

Photo: Graeme Murphy, Lana Jones, Gideon Obarzanek, Stephen Page. Photo Georges Antoni

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.

By Rain Francis.

February 26 2012.

Last month, Melbourne dance students were treated to a very special experience. The Australian Institute of Classical Dance held a workshop, led by master choreographer Graeme Murphy, and his wife and Creative Associate Janet Vernon. Held at the beautiful Australian Ballet Centre studios, this was a rare chance for the next generation of dancers to learn from one of the country’s most treasured creative teams.

The workshop began with a talk by Mr. Murphy. He discussed questions such as ‘what is choreography?’, inviting answers from the dancers as well as sharing his own ideas with us. He also talked about his most recent work, The Narrative of Nothing, which is part of The Australian Ballet’s Infinity season. Having seen the show only the night before, this was for me a fantastic insight into a brilliant work. Personally, I would have been happy to sit on the Tarkett for hours and just listen to Mr. Murphy talk. He was so personable, engaging and articulate, with a sense of humour everyone warmed to.

When we did stand up, we tried a few simple group exercises, under the direction of Mr. Murphy. He instructed us to find a horizontal shape, then to turn it to face the back, moving as a group. We experimented with different levels and speeds, and with the spatial arrangement of the group. Next, we learned a very short movement sequence, which we then had to decipher in retrograde. Spread out in a line across the room, we moved through the sequence in a canon, then reversed it, and again played around with tempo. These simple exercises illustrated the effectiveness of playing with the elements of movement, and the endless possibilities available to the choreographer.

After a brief lunch break Mr. Murphy talked about the importance of linking steps; about the pathway between one movement and the next. We were asked to come up with three separate movements in only five minutes. The next instruction was to find ways to link them together to form a phrase. After some time working on this idea, we were asked to present our phrases one at a time. This was quite a daunting task for many of the younger dancers in the room. I found that a good approach was not to think about the fact that I was about to perform solo in front of Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon. Both of them made observations on everyone’s phrases, giving feedback and asking for repetitions and variations. They were encouraging and sincere in their reactions, which was inspiring.

Although fleeting, this workshop was an unforgettable way to spend a Sunday. To meet Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon was in itself a treat, and to gain even a fragment of insight into their working methods was of great value.

Formed by Marilyn Jones OBE, the A.I.C.D. is a non profit organisation to assist teachers and students of classical dance in Australia. It is run by a devoted band of volunteers headed by Dame Margaret Scott, the founding Director of The Australian Ballet School. The programs the A.I.C.D. produce are designed for the particular needs of dancers in Victoria. Their next program is a series of adult ballet classes given in the studios of The Australian Ballet and taken by principal dancers of The Australian Ballet. All monies raised go toward funding a Choreographic Showcase to help promote new choreography.

Photo of Graeme Murphy by Lynette Wills.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine – everything dance in Australia – dance news, dance auditions & dance events.