Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane
April 13, 2013

By Belinda Williamson.

Queensland Ballet’s Cinderella recently entertained Brisbane audiences with its modern take on the traditional classic.

This was the first ballet presented by Queensland Ballet since Li Cunxin took the role of Artistic Director. He has certainly made a huge impact on the company. Cinderella was definitely a step up from previous performances I have seen by Queensland Ballet. The choreography was fresh and exciting, with beautiful costumes and excellent staging.  Li is the breath of fresh air that QB needed.

The dancers told the traditional story of Cinderella with a few subtle and entertaining twists. Two hilarious male dancers played the wicked stepsisters and brought the stage to life whenever they stepped into the light. Credit definitely goes to Yu Hui and Matthew Lawrence for portraying such colourful and fun characters.

Rachael Walsh danced beautifully as Cinderella. She was graceful and elegant while also having character in her dance – a perfect role for her to play.

Other noteworthy dancers who caught the eye were Teri Crilly for her sassy, cheeky and distinct performance and Nathan Scicluna for his comical portrayal of the jester.

The choreography was exquisite, especially the company section in the second act. There was definitely something different about this choreography with new sequences, patterning and some new takes of pas de deux work. It was a pleasure to watch and it constantly kept me entertained.

Credit must be given to QLD Symphony Orchestra for providing an excellent score and to all of the production team for creating a professional and pristine production.

Queensland Ballet has definitely matured and been given life in this new production. I hope to see them grown further throughout the 2013 season and beyond. Li Cunxin, thank you for bringing your talent and passion for ballet to Queensland.

Photo: Queensland Ballet dancers Rachael Walsh and Yu Hui. Photography & Art Direction by Alexia Sinclair

Sydney Recital Hall
April 13, 2013

By Elizabeth Ashley.

Combining the Moscow Novaya Opera Company and orchestra with four soloists from the Imperial Russian Ballet, Operamania was devised by former stage director of Novaya Opera, Valery Raku. It offers “a kaleidoscope of many of…the most loved pieces from opera, ballet and symphonic music and reflects their depth and diversity.” The pieces flow without pause from one into the next, incorporating a variety of moods – from tragedy to comedy to lyricism.

The crowd in the Angel Place Recital Hall is decidedly Russian and decidedly enthusiastic. From the opening selections from Bizet’s Carmen, one cannot help but be drawn into the spectacle – the voices are powerful and impressive, the accompanying video series of paintings from diverse Russian artists provides a colourful and ever-changing backdrop.

As with any compilation it’s no easy task to create context. An audience invariably searches for a story. The stage director, Alexey Veiro, explains the creative process of attempting to create story lines out of seemingly incompatible components. “At rehearsals we were able to find a variety of musical numbers and their relationships with some new meanings. We managed to build a performance in which the numbers are related one to the other, and each character is interacting with others.”

Thus we flow from Carmen to a piano medley of Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninov accompanied by a lyrical pas de deux in the style of Les Sylphides. Yaroslava Arapanova and Alexander Volkov are leading soloists of the Imperial Russian Ballet and, as with all the dance layered within Operamania, their technique and lyrical quality is outstanding. It is not an easy feat to perform on a small slab of stage in front of a full orchestra where the cellists are perilously close to the pointe shoes. It is even more difficult to create context out of nothing, but these dancers know how to create a moment.

Three pas de deux from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite work well in the Operamania context, as they are taken from a ballet divertissement within the ballet, which is not related to the main action. The “Spanish Dance” and Russian “Trepak” folk dance are both perfect vehicles to demonstrate the virtuosity and passion of Anna Pashkova and Igor Davydov.

Part II of the programme opens with music from 19^th century French composer Camille Saint-Saëns and choreographer Mikhail Fokine’s Dying Swan, created for Anna Pavlova in 1905. The exquisite Arapanova portrays this solo – an intense and moving two and a half minutes that evokes the fragility and pain of a dying bird. A further highlight from Part II is the Sleeping Beauty grand adage pas de deux, danced to the tragic strains of oboes in Tchaikovsky’s score, where we are again mesmerised by the lyrical Russian dancers.

Despite the interaction and variety I was nevertheless left with an overriding sense of the comic, which clashed with the pathos of arias such as Nessun Dorma – umbrellas bedecked with gold stars twirling around a tragic soul was just a little too much for my sensibility.

As the show draws to a close with a Strauss Polka, the audience rises to their feet clapping under the conductor’s direction. It has been an evening of high drama, brilliant dancing and Russian style.

Bower Gallery, Ripponlea
April 11, 2013

By Rebecca Martin.

From Hong Kong via California comes Melbourne’s next choreographer to watch, Jonathon Homsey.  A VCA graduate with a masters degree in Arts Management, Jonathon is a dancer and choreographer that knows what he’s doing.

And what he is doing is something brilliant and unlike anything else going around the local stages.  For starters, Together as One is billed as an “analog performance”, with recyclable programme cards, minimal lighting to conserve energy and a performance in a space that makes the work feel more like an installation or an experience than a show. 

Set inside the tiny space of the Bower Gallery, there was room for only 15 audience members per show with the chairs lined up on either side of the long room.  When I arrived, it felt as though I was being seated in the front row of a fashion parade.  With such limited space, I feared that the choreography would be limited and the dancers would be restricted.

Boy was I wrong.

Homsey transformed the space into a 1970s share-house living room and then a nightclub dance floor without really using a single prop.  Set in 1975, the piece contained three acts which explored the frames of mind of Australian youth during the Constitutional Crisis.  Featuring some fantastic local talent – Jack May, Robert McLean Briana Cohen, Briarna Longville, Ashleigh Kiven, Lauren Drago and Kino McHugh – Together as One incorporated dance, live music and singing and examined the youthful thoughts of inhibition and freedom in a time of constant political and cultural change.

Robert McLean performed a brilliant topless solo that had him writhing outside against the gallery window as the audience looked on from inside with awe, Jack May commanded the space with his high energy and incredible technique, while the girls were buoyant in their youthfulness and seductive in their portrayal of 1970s hippies.

During every moment of the show, I felt that I was living the journey with the dancers.  Homsey had the dancers fill every part of the gallery with his unique and captivating choreography.  What an absolute breath of fresh air Together as One was.  This is true art but not in an untouchable highbrow sense.  Together as One is a piece that wholly immersed the audience and drew us back to 1975.  It inspired us to go out and sing about peace and love, it inspired us to dream of revolutions and it inspired us to dance.

Photo: Dancer Robert McLean. Photo by PW Photography.

Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, Sydney
5-6 April 2013

By Lynne Lancaster.

Fresh from the Ten Days on the Island festival, in a blink-and–you miss it tour, Sydney was privileged to have a short visit from Tasdance at Parramatta Riverside.

In an exploration of light and ritual under Annie Greig’s direction, the company brought us a delightful double bill of contrasting contemporary dance styles that showcased some superb dancing in a striking, unusual combination. Both works demand split second timing and controlled precision.

First was the late Tanja Liedkte’s Enter Twilight, created for the company in 2004 before her tragic death in 2007. Three women in short dresses (red, green, purple-brown) with white collars emerge from the gloom – are they figments of the male’s imagination?

The set design features large boxes that are lit dramatically from underneath/inside. Some of the choreography is doll or robotic like, reminiscent of an updated Coppelia. At other point’s Liedtke’s choreography is possibly Cunningham-inspired in parts, requiring angular arms, immense control and a very flexible back. A sliding robotic bourrée on high demi pointe at times was used (all the dancers have fabulous pointed arched feet) and also, a fast sliding-while-sitting movement.

It examines the paradoxes that exist within life’s rituals: the light, the dark, the virtuous, the evil. Are the females benign or dangerous? Catwalk, model-like movements are contrasted with rolling floor work and there is an emphasis on over-precisely placed fourth position. The music hums, beeps and crackles in mysterious synchronicity.

The audience was rocking with laughter in places for Byron Perry’s Light Entertainment, where light is interpreted through repetition, improvisation and mystical, frivolous and pure physicality. ‘Light’ as in mood, but also in the jumps and in the tubes of light that the dancers, all in white costumes, manipulate to form a square, or vertical lines, or as if sword dancing.

Introduced by a witty acerbic voiceover, the work begins with a stationary, slow rocking side-to-side motion, which is expanded as the dancers eventually move in a travelling, writhing mass. Much fun is had with the exploration of speech and sound rhythms and blocks of movement are made on the horizontal, diagonal and vertical. One section, possibly revealing a Bonachela influence, is quite ritualistic. There is a concert sequence and one of the cast almost goes to sleep – this develops into a wonderful dance contest duet of various styles including breakdancing, Irish dance and Michael Jackson-like movement. This then develops into a fun section for the whole cast, using voice patterns and rhythms again. For the entire powerful, pulsating, throbbing culmination, much fun is had with hand-held torchlights dancing.

A striking and original double bill, Luminous Flux was two diverging, innovative and accessible works from two acclaimed artists.

Photo by Jen Brown.

Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, Sydney
March 2013

By Nicole Saleh.

What began as an idea penned on a napkin 12 months ago, The Tap Pack came to life and premiered as part of the annual Dance Bites season at the Riverside Theatre, Western Sydney, in a fun, stylish and energy packed hour long show.

Created by seasoned Australian performers Jesse Rasmussen (Tap Dogs, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Happy Feet and So You Think You Can Dance), Thomas J Egan (Fame, Tap Dogs, The Boy From Oz) and Jordan Pollard (Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, The Addams Family), and inspired by the original ‘Rat Pack’ of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jnr, the Tap Pack’s group of five classy guys in their suits and ties took to the stage with the same sense of cool confidence as  their predecessors.

With a loose storyline, narrated by performer Dion Bilios, we followed the journey of five very different characters performed by Rohan Browne, Kuki Tipoki and creators Jesse and Thomas, who worked through their own personal struggles, addictions, and strained friendships in their quest to get their show picked up by a Las Vegas producer.

Backed by The Tap Pack Bandits, a strong six piece band of drums, horns and keys, led by Musical Director Chris King, the five guys crooned classic big band numbers including  ‘Straighten Up and Fly Right’ and ‘Lady is a Tramp’ but also added a contemporary twist with Cee Lo Green’s ‘Forget You’. Comedic humour was threaded throughout the show with some cliché jokes and slapstick gags that had the audience amused and laughing out loud.

The definite highlight of the show, as its title suggests, is the tap dancing which was fast, intricate, rhythmical and entertaining. Whether it was creating beats as background music to their dialogue, or the challenging routines using pool cue sticks instead of canes, all five performers did a fantastic job of delivering complex cross rhythms and showcasing the creativity of this art form.

In a strong solo performance, Thomas wowed the audience with his acapella tapping and the ease in which he delivered difficult tricks with his fast footwork. His rhythms were smooth and his turning combination had speed and clarity. Jesse Rasmussen also delivered a memorable solo paying homage to the tap legends who have gone before; Gregory Hines, Fred Astaire and Jimmy Slyde.

Overall, all five performers delivered charismatic performances and finished the show on a fun note, dressed in leopard print shirts for the big tap finale. This show has great potential and gave audiences a taste of what The Tap Pack is all about.

Capitol Theatre, Sydney
22 March, 2013

By Linda Badger.

Going to The Addams Family, I was excited to be re-living a part of my childhood; The Addams Family was a TV show I loved when growing up. I have a special affection for the character ‘Wednesday’, who this musical was based around. I was around the same age as her when I was first introduced to the show in the form of re-runs of the black and white variety. And then there were the movies, of which I was also a fan. One would hope, knowing this show is somewhat an iconic part of our Australian childhood, that we might be able to catch a glimpse of that in this musical version of the show. Not so. The musical version was an entirely poor and weak version of its TV counterpart.

The cast was a talented group of singers, dancers and actors. They delivered their lines extremely well, and had us in stitches at many points throughout the performance with some highlight comedic moments. The show did not fail in terms of talent and ability on the part of the cast; they did what they could with what they were given. If one was not an experienced performer or too knowledgeable of the original show, they may really enjoy it based purely on the comedic factor, and the talent of the cast.

The really disappointing factors of this production were mostly in the writing and the structure of the show itself. It launched all too quickly in to the guts of the story itself, almost expecting that everyone who came to watch the show would already have a full background and knowledge of The Addams Family characters and their quirky nuances – this would not be the case for most people under the age of 25.

Most songs had quite interesting lyrics, but at times tried to fit way too many lyrics and ideas into the one number creating an Olympic-sized feat for the performers to deliver. Usually when one attends a musical, there are some songs that stick with you and you want to download the soundtrack or buy the CD right away. Not so with this show. A lot of the songs and their melodies also felt ‘borrowed’ from other musicals.

Having a special affection for Wednesday, I found her character to be the most unlike her original character in the ‘musical style’ version of herself; she was entirely the preppy American teenager with a slightly try-hard ‘emo’ side. I do not believe this musical was about making fun of the original, so it surely fell short in the character development phase. Wednesday was originally described by creator Charles Addams in this way: “Child of woe is wan and delicate…sensitive and on the quiet side, she loves the picnics and outings to the underground caverns…a solemn child, prim in dress and, on the whole, pretty lost…secretive and imaginative, poetic, seems underprivileged and given to occasional tantrums…” This was nothing like the version we see in the musical. Other characters were more developed towards authenticity of original self, but there was not a sense of the cast being able to really embrace who their characters were.

The choreography was undeveloped and very predictable, and did not blend well into the story. One does not expect to see eisteddfod style choreography (prepare, double pirouette, jumping jack) in a character’s introduction, in a professional show. Some moments were interesting, but overall, it was quite poor and not as interesting as I would have expected.

All in all this was probably the most disappointing and underdeveloped musical I have seen to date. It was extremely funny, but disappointing in so many other ways. It is always worth going to see a show that is based on something as iconic as The Addams Family, but if you’re a fan of the original show it may not live up to expectations.

Photo (top): The Australian cast of The Addams Family. Photo by Jeff Busby.

Gasworks, Melbourne
March 23, 2013

By Rain Francis.

New Zealand-born choreographer Michael Ralph has been working away tirelessly in the independent dance scene – and it shows. Fresh from winning Most Outstanding Choreography at Short + Sweet Melbourne last year, he has created his first full-length work, Now & Then.

His concept for the show was simply to do what he loves best: bringing “old school” back. Mission accomplished. Now & Then is pure entertainment from start to finish. Expect to be transported back in time by a cast of strong, sharp and sassy dancers.

Now & Then is split into three parts, the first being What is This Thing Called Love? Set to the timeless music of Cole Porter, this section features five men and five women. A loose narrative of searching for ‘the essence of true love’ is interwoven through the collection of numbers, which includes Begin the Beguine, Too Darn Hot and Night and Day.

Part Two, Ladies of Hollywood, is a fun and sexy tribute to stage and film choreographer Jack Cole, whose work shaped the careers of Hollywood stars Marilyn Monroe, Chita Rivera and Betty Gable.

The finale is Ralph’s award-winning 2012 work Project Elvis, which has been reworked for a larger cast. It’s easy to see why this number was so popular at Short + Sweet. It’s exciting, stylish and perfectly executed by a super hot cast. Project Elvis is set to remixed versions of popular Elvis Presley songs Bossa Nova Baby, Can’t Help Falling in Love and Blue Suede Shoes, and elicited a standing ovation from the completely packed house.

Special mention must go to costume and props coordinator Gemma Kelly, who gave the entire show that extra bit of polish.

Michael Ralph’s work is fun, smart and highly professional. He’s surely the next big thing in musical theatre choreography – look out for him.

Photo from Project Elvis, courtesy of Michael Ralph.

State Theatre, Melbourne
March 22, 2013

By Rain Francis.

In a dusty old box in a storage unit somewhere there lays a copy of American Ballet Theatre’s Don Quixote on VHS. Though its format is now teetering on extinction, the battered little tape is anything but forgotten. Filmed in 1984 and starring the incomparable Mikhail Baryshnikov and Cynthia Harvey, it was my entertainment of choice in the hours between school and ballet practice. I knew every nuance of it like the back of my hand and never got bored with watching it.

Hearing that The Australian Ballet was staging Rudolf Nureyev’s version of Don Quixote this year, my expectations were sky-high. Thank goodness I wasn’t disappointed.

The structure of the ballet is perfectly balanced; the fun and dynamics of Act 1 and 3 are enhanced by a hypnotic, dreamy Act 2. Principal Artist Amber Scott was as close to flawless as a human being can get; a smart choice for the Queen of the Dryads. Corps de Ballet member Benedicte Bemet as Amor was a standout, exquisitely bird-like and cherubic.

In the lead roles of Kitri and Basilio respectively, Principals Leanne Stojmenov and Ty King-Wall shone. They weren’t able to top my memories of Harvey and Baryshnikov, but taking this production purely on its own merits, it would be impossible to find fault with these two outstanding current artists.

Coryphée Garry Stocks was hilarious as the ridiculously foppish Gamache, but it was Soloist Brett Simon’s Don Quixote who really stole the show for me. I was actually in awe to discover at the end that the title role was played by a relatively young soloist and not a veteran of the stage. Simon has a truly unique gift to convey both emotional depth and story. His interpretation of this rich and important character felt like his own, rather than a reproduction of a past artist’s, and this made him the only aspect of this production to truly exceed my expectations.

This year marks 75 years since Nureyev’s birth and 20 years since his untimely death. Don Quixote, with all its colour, flamboyance and happy energy is such a positive tribute to this magnificent artist.

Photo: Lana Jones and Daniel Gaudiello of The Australian Ballet in Don Quixote. Photography Georges Antoni. Make up by Napoleon Perdis

The Big White Top, DFO, Brisbane Airport
March 20, 2013 

By Belinda Williamson.

Marketed as “a celebration of the horse,” the show Cavalia certainly delivers on its promise. This extraordinary show is like nothing you have ever seen before. It is a beautiful combination of magnificent horses and exquisite acrobats.  

From the moment you enter the big white tent you step into a magical world of equestrians, acrobats, aerialists, singers, dancers, lassoists, riders and musicians. The show consists of 30 artists from around the world, including Canada, France, Belgium, the United States and not to mention Australia. Alongside these performers are 44 horses also from around the world. There are 10 different breeds of horses that while not performing are treated like the rock stars they are. With air-conditioned stables, shower areas, luxury stalls and lots of attention, they are definitely pampered ponies.

Inside the beautifully constructed tent, the stage is a skillfully designed masterpiece. With multiple levels and ‘tracks’ it can transform with the simple pull of a curtain or switch of an edge to create rings, reveal trampolines or even rain. This certainly is the ultimate stage with limitless uses and transformations.

Bareback riding, Voltige en rond. Photo by Pascal Ratthe.

Cavalia provides a wonderfully magical experience for the audience. There was a huge variety of acts and performances which included oversized balls, trapezes, acrobatics and of course, horses.  The entire show was fantastic but there were a couple of parts that were absolutely breathtaking. To witness the Grande Liberté, staring Thomas Aubron and six horses, was a once in a lifetime experience. Aubron was able to control six horses and maneuver them at his will. With little more than his love of horses and simple commands he was able to get six horses to turn, follow each other, line up or just walk in sequence.

The finale of the show was also a commendable act. With every artist playing their part and 18 horses included, it was an extravaganza of acrobatics, trick riding, dancing, aerial acts and music. It was a great end to a great show.

A special mention must be given to Julien Beaugnon and Jennifer L´ecuyer who caught the attention of everyone with their stand out performances and cheeky antics. L´ecuyer’s aerial skills are amazing and were performed seamlessly.

To include everything about this show I could waffle on for hours but the only way that one can fully appreciate the artistry and spectacular that is Cavalia is to go see it. So please do! Bravo Cavalia! Bravo!

Photo (top): by Frederic Chehu

Arts House Meat Market, Melbourne
March 21, 2013
As part of Dance Massive

By Meg Evans.

The future perfect tense is expressed in English in the form, “will have [done]”. It describes events that will happen before some specified point in the future. The highly unusual work Future Perfect, choreographed by Jo Lloyd, is inspired by this grammatical feature. The five dancers, we are told, are “abandoning the uncertainties of the present for a future that is already written.”

Whilst the inspiration for this work is genuinely intriguing and evocative, this work itself is unfortunately not. Though there have been a number of rave reviews of Future Perfect, this work was, admittedly, frequently baffling. This is potentially due to Lloyd’s emphasis on the formal and affective rather than the literal or interpretive; nonetheless, the overall effect left this reviewer cold.

The work takes place in front of a metallic silver backdrop with the performers dressed in sequined outfits. As a collective unit and later as semi-individuals, the dancers shake and wave their arms and hands furiously, conjuring up comical images of aliens and references to popular concepts of the futuristic. Though the ‘80s glam rock-meets-War of the Worlds’ effect holds some interest for the first few minutes of the show, it ultimately seemed a tad amateur and one could easily be forgiven for thinking he or she had walked in on a high school dance show based on this alone.

One of the most interesting passages in the work was the use of video animation, created by Rhian Hinkley. In the animation, the dancers’ faces morphed into one another, transforming from stack-like layers into a whole face and then whirling about the screen. Whilst it seemed oddly inserted into the work, halting its flow, it expresses the organic wholeness of the ensemble suggested in the early dance passages more artfully than the dancing itself.

The final passage of the work is its most dark, with a repeating sequence whereby a dancer collapses into the arms of the others, the mood of the other dancers initially supportive, then aggressive. Whilst it contained more emotional content than the other passages, again dance was paired with another medium, the recorded spoken word in this case, and again the latter proved more evocative.

Overall, Future Perfect is more interesting as a concept than it is translated in this dance work. Though it will have its appeal for the veterans of contemporary dance with an interest in the bizarrely formal, others might be less forgiving of its indulgent demands on the audience.