Adelaide Festival Centre will bring some of the world’s best ballet companies and musicals to Adelaide through new Musicals on Film and Dance on Film programs, commencing on February 8 in the Dunstan Playhouse, with screenings throughout the year.

The inaugural Dance on Film series in 2012 will bring some of the biggest companies and most beautiful ballets to the screen. The series begins with the Royal Ballet performing the much loved classic Sleeping Beauty on Friday February 10 at 6.30pm. Be enthralled as Aurora is cursed by the wicked fairy Carabosse, in one of the most famous ballets in storybook classical repertoire.

The internationally acclaimed Paris Opera Ballet performs Swan Lake on April 16 at 11am and Profokiev’s Cinderella on October 19 at 6.30pm. Revel in the strains of Tchaikovsky’s composition as Odette and Prince Seigfried’s doomed love unfolds in Swan Lake, or take in the choreography of legendary dancer Rudolf Nureyev in Cinderella.

The multi-award winning film Life In Movement comes to the Festival Centre on August 2. Life In Movement tells the story of renowned choreographer Tania Liedtke, depicting the rising star and the tragic loss felt by the arts community with her passing. Created by South Australian company Closer Productions, the film is an unforgettable look at creativity and mortality. Prior to the screening, the short film To My Suite will premiere.

Musicals On Film is also a new program for 2012, launching in grand style at 10am on Wednesday February 8 with one of the most popular and awarded musical films of all time, My Fair Lady. The film won eight Academy Awards® and is a verbal, visual and musical feast, starring a suave Rex Harrison and the gorgeous Audrey Hepburn showing off Cecil Beaton’s exquisite costumes.

The second showing in the Musicals on Film program, screened in November, is the classic American musical Show Boat, starring talented soprano Kathryn Grayson, the beautiful Ava Gardner and a charismatic Howard Keel. This cinematic classic from the ‘golden age’ of movie musicals is sure to delight audiences.

The Musicals On Film matinee season will be hosted by ABC 891 presenter, film buff and raconteur Peter Goers and will include gossip about the glamorous, with prizes for lucky attendees.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says, “I am delighted to introduce a film component into Adelaide Festival Centre’s program for 2012. The Musicals on Film and Dance on Film series will bring some of the world’s best actors, dancers, and companies to life on the big screen right here in Adelaide. It’s a great opportunity to experience some of the very best performances from the comfort of the Dunstan Playhouse, adding to the live feeling.”

For further information visit www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au

Adelaide Festival Centre, Festival Theatre
January 2012 

By Joanne McDonald.

If you grew up in the eighties, and you were dance mad, then the 1985 movie version of A Chorus Line may well have been one of your favourite movies and the inspiration for dreams of a dancers’ life.  Certainly that’s the case for me.  The original production of A Chorus Line premiered in 1975 and became, at the time, the longest running musical on Broadway, winning not only a string of Tony Awards, but also prestigious awards for drama.  A Chorus Line was a new breed of musical with a back story that could stand alone – not merely a prop for the musical numbers – though these are outstanding also.

Any new production of this landmark musical has a lot to live up to, but also much material for the foundation of a great piece of theatre.  The new production at the Adelaide Festival Centre produced by Tim Lawson and TML Enterprises certainly delivered.

As the lights went up and the show began, the scripted dialogue and American accents gave me concern that this would be a mere imitation.  But once my ear adjusted to the accents, I realised the performance by most of the cast had real depth, and at times, a quirky humour. Some of the characters were particularly likeable – particularly Debora Krizak as Sheila, Ashley McKenzie as Bobby, Hayley Winch as Val and Rohan Browne as Greg.   ‘At The Ballet’ sung by the characters of Sheila, Bebe and Maggie was incredibly moving.  Karlee Misipeka’s interpretation of ‘Nothing’ by Diana, epitomised the character’s frustration and feelings of isolation, while also entertaining us with hilarious anecdotes and an inspirational determination to succeed.  But the best thing about ‘Nothing’ was Misipeka’s vocals.  ‘Stunning’ is the word I think best describes her voice, or perhaps ‘angelic’.  In fact, it is the singing in this production of A Chorus Line that is the show’s greatest strength, particularly the voices of Misipeka, Krizak, Monique Sallé (Bebe) and Stephanie Grigg (Maggie).

There were a couple of scenes that were a little disappointing.  Euan Doidge’s performance of Paul San Marco, revealing painful experiences from his youth, did not move me as it should have. And the potentially exuberant number ‘I Can Do That’ by Mike (performed by James Maxfield) did not quite hit the mark, although this is more due to the choreography than the performance.  At the end of the number we had a glimpse of Maxfield’s acrobatic ability, but it would have been great to see more spectacular tricks throughout the piece.

The staging was done well.  For example, the contrast between the bright lights when the dancers were standing on the line and the tableaus of dancers during the montages was very effective.  Unfortunately, the costuming was somewhat disappointing.  It was appropriate, yet not flattering – which is at odds with the idea of dancers trying to look their best for an audition in order to get the part.

It would also have been wonderful to see the potential of the dancers more in the choreography.  For example, ‘The Music and the Mirror’, performed by Anita Louise Combe as Cassie, gave the dancer very little opportunity to sparkle.  For most of the number I thought perhaps Combe was more a singer than a dancer, but when she got to the end and started to move, it was clear she was absolutely a dancer.  But still, she looked restrained, as if the choreography didn’t provide the opportunity for her to fully extend herself.

The bottom line … should you see this production of A Chorus Line?  Absolutely!  It is a classic, a landmark musical, and worth seeing. It is well produced and well performed.  Entertaining.  Engaging.   Moving.  Inspirational.

Direct from Broadway and a U.S Tour, an all-new Australian production of one the most successful American Broadway musicals of all time, A Chorus Line is coming to Adelaide and Melbourne.

Adelaide’s Debora Krizak will play the sexy, full of attitude character of Sheila Bryant in the stunning Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning musical, opening at Adelaide’s Festival Theatre on December 31.

Debora originates from Adelaide where she obtained a Bachelor Of Arts Degree in Performing Arts. Moving to Sydney in 2001, Debora made her music theatre debut in GFO’s The Producers in which she understudied and performed the role of Swedish secretary ‘Ulla’.

Performer Debora Krizak

“I am very excited about performing as Sheila in A Chorus Line and audiences can expect to witness a bird’s eye view into the grueling audition process that is a part of any music theatre performer’s life! It’s high energy, inspiring and full of emotion. Everyone in this show has to dance, sing and act. There’s no hiding. Not to mention the amazing score and iconic Michael Bennett choreography. I’m so thrilled Adelaide is getting a music theatre premiere,” Debora said.

“There are some strong characters in A Chorus Line which tells the stories of the dreams and aspirations of 17 dancers auditioning for eight stage roles in a musical. Sheila is certainly one of those strong characters who as part of her audition tells the story of her difficult childhood, with a mother who lived her life through Sheila and an unfaithful father,” Debora shared.

Sheila is Debora’s dream role. She first saw the film “A Chorus Line” with her Mum in 1985 and has always remembered Sheila who struck a chord with her and her song “At The Ballet” which is such a poignant part in the show.

Debora has also appeared in Calendar Girls, Respect The Musical, played Shania in Karaoke The Musical for Guy Noble and the role of Madame Aubert in Titanic a New Musical. She recently performed as Gina in Stalker Theatre’s physical theatre piece Shanghai Lady Killer. 

Other stage credits of Debora’s include lead vocalist for some of Australia’s most successful corporate touring acts as well as featuring as a solo performer for Tennis Australia, the Australian Grand Prix and the opening ceremony of the Paralympic Games to name a few. Debora has established a successful television career having hosted Network Ten’s The  Music Shop and has featured in many TV commercials, corporate videos and Australian films.

This new contemporary production comes direct from Broadway, directed and re-staged by Baayork Lee, with Musical Supervisor Peter Casey, produced by Tim Lawson and TML Enterprises. Producer Tim Lawson says “Audiences will be blown away by the talent of the cast we have auditioned.”

A Chorus Line

The cast will also include Josh Horner (Billy Elliot on Broadway, Tivoli, Dirty Dancing, Dancing With the Stars) who will play formidable Broadway director, Zach. Josh says “This role of Zach really speaks to me. You see people giving their heart and soul and you are in control of their dreams. I’ve been on both sides of that role so A Chorus Line mirrors perfectly my life as a dancer.”

A Chorus Line was originally conceived, choreographed and directed by Michael Bennett with music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban.  Director Baayork Lee has been involved in A Chorus Line since 1975, first as a dancer in the original Broadway cast creating the role of Connie, through to directing the show in the U.S. and now in Australia. 

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says “It’s the musical for anyone who has ever had a dream and put everything on the line to achieve it. Dance is so popular at the moment and we hope all those who love watching dance on television or the stage, together with the many who participate in dance classes will come out for what will be a thoroughly enjoyable night out.”

The original production of A Chorus Line opened in 1975. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Score and Book, and the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award.  It ran for nearly 15 years, closing in 1990 after 6,137 performances, and was revived on Broadway in 2006.

A Chorus Line will run in Adelaide from December 31, before opening in Melbourne on February 4 at Her Majesty’s Theatre.

For more information and tickets visit www.achorusline.com.au

By Grace Edwards

Adelaide-born contemporary dance artist Lisa Griffiths and New Zealand-born contemporary performing artist and guest teacher Craig Bary collaborate with multi-media designer Adam Synott in their long-awaited work, Side To One. This new work features as part of the Adelaide Festival Centre’s inSPACE program, to be held in late July. Dance Informa’s Grace Edwards discusses dance, friendship and the existence of soul mates with the choreographers.

Tell us about your work, Side To One

Lisa
The work is about two people destined to connect. Some people call this love or chemistry, and would call them soul mates. Side To One explores the vital human need for connection and is a true story inspired by our friendship and dancing together.

Do you believe in the concept of soul mates?

Craig
I do believe in connections that go deeper; I also believe you can have this connection with more than one person, but in different ways. With Lisa, I feel we have always been destined to come together in this creative way. We feel very much like family now too. We have an unspoken understanding of each other.

Lisa
I certainly believe in soul mates but they can come and go. In our case, Craig and I have had a long journey together.

How do you work together in the studio?

Lisa
We are peers who share a great deal of skill and experience, so when we choreograph, we sometimes create phrases separately in the studio before coming together to learn each other’s sections. Then together, we extend the material further. When making duet work we simply experiment and see where a movement idea may move us – sometimes into a dance lift, or one supporting the other suspended. We find these places by trusting and listening to each other, always keeping our connection and an awareness of each other’s bodies. If we fall, we fall together, again finding a new choreographic outcome.

Craig
We have also spent many a night with our heads near computer screens writing and rewriting concepts, ideas and grant applications, and refining what we discover in the studio. It has been a long and sporadic process of development spanning a few years. Each time we come back together we see what still inspires us and we develop those ideas, or throw them out and find new ones.

Many dance artists see choreography as a form of movement-based research.  How do you view choreographic practice?

Lisa
Choreography has no rules in regards to process, but it is always about using movement as a medium. I have learnt that it is important to question why you use a movement. You need to question your motivation and be honest about what you want to say. Then let go and trust your instinct.  

Craig
I think we take what we are and what we experience and put it into an art form that resonates with ourselves. For Lisa and me, that art form is dance, and also music and imagery.

How has the process of creating this work differed to that of other works?

Craig
I have made a few works now, but when we started this process this was my first work in development. As dancers both performing and creating our own work, the process is very exhausting but also extremely true and instinctive. It is not the same as looking into a work and seeing the whole picture and being able to manipulate it externally. You need to trust how it is feeling and how that will read to an audience.

Lisa
I have really been able to take risks in our partner work, as Craig and I have much experience and trust. Since the movements come from our own bodies, the process is not delayed by transferring the movement onto other dancers’ bodies. 

How difficult has it been juggling your time between choreography and performance as  independent artists?

Lisa
It has been tricky for both Craig and me to juggle work. As we are both still performers for other companies we have had to find time here and there to work. We have also had to keep in mind the availability of our collaborators and studio space. Side to One has only been made possible through our friendship, respect and patience for each other’s life and busy careers. I do, however, hope to create a new work next year with Craig dancing in it to experience the perspective of creating from outside the work.

Craig
It has been difficult to juggle our dance careers as well as make this work. I think that is why it has been a longer process than normal, but the experiences that we have outside of our work further serve to inform the work we make together. Side to One has gone through many transformations as we have grown as artists. It’s very rare to see a work take the time to develop like this and really grow alongside the artists. It will be interesting to see if an audience can feel this.

What inspires you to create and perform?

Craig
Both Lisa and I are inspired by artists and collaborators around us, and the simplicities and complexities of life. The ability to share with an audience that which I see and which affects me as a person and artist is what constantly drives me to dance and make work.

Lisa
I love the challenge of combining other mediums such as projection and set design to support the story and complement the dance. I think this comes from the fact that the people around me are gifted with particular skills and I feel compelled to utilise these.

Performing and creating is about sharing an experience. The older I become the more I want to understand people and why we behave the way we do. My art form keeps me physically active and hearing your heart beat whilst dancing makes you feel alive. My performances make me strive for perfection; it does not exist, of course, but in the process I feel I do become mentally stronger. Creating work keeps me questioning life; it keeps me switched on to what some people may find mundane but what I see as daily miracles and achievements.

Side to One will run from July 27th-30th at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre.

Photos: Chris Herzfeld

ADT Assistant Choreographer Larissa McGowan shares her choreographic tips on the eve of their August Ignition season.

By Deborah Searle. 

Curated by Australian Dance Theatre’s Artistic Director Garry Stewart, Ignition is a program of new works choreographed and performed by the ADT dancers, in addition to the world premiere of a new work by Melbourne based choreographer Antony Hamilton.  As Australians debate in their lounge rooms the latest routines on their favourite dancing show, Australian Dance Theatre’s annual Ignition season takes on a new space and audience in 2010 by questioning what is dance and can anyone do it?

Accomplished, cutting edge choreographer, Larissa McGowan shares her insights into what makes dance and how choreographers can succeed at their art. 

This Ignition program is called ‘But is it really dance?’ What is ‘dance’ to you?
I’m not exactly sure. It keeps changing and evolving. I think that is why the question has been posed for this years’ Ignition theme. In order to understand what we do and further progress, we need to push our ideas and challenge our reasons. I am, however, discovering what I am interested in along the way. I suppose that dance for me is about finding ways my body and other bodies haven’t moved before. Playing with the human form and seeing how far it can go, or even, how little you need to do to create an interesting image or emotional value in a movement. A work is shaped dynamically with highs and lows to create a flow that keeps an audience member interested. So all types of movement can have value within a bigger picture.

When creating choreography what should artists do first? 
It is really up to what stimulates you at the beginning of your creative process.
Pick music: Music is a great tool to influence a style of moving and sometimes evokes a response in the genre of the music. Don’t we all have a groove to a track we like?
Create the steps: Sometimes just improvising will ignite a new pathway. Or by setting movement first, you can manipulate and play with it down the track.
Pick a theme: A theme does tend to help contain your ideas and focus your research within a context.

Ignition by ADT

What would you recommend? How do you first create?
Each process changes for me. I find random things stimulate ideas when you don’t expect it. Sometimes you go into a work not knowing what it will be and at some point in the process it finds a clearer path. I love to challenge my own body pathways, so this creates interesting and new ways of moving.

Does a work always have to have a theme or story?
An audience likes to understand something within a work to read into. However, this doesn’t mean it has to be narrative. You can evoke emotions through dance that can be accessible to audiences and allows them to find their own personal connection to a work. I think space in a work allows an audience to imagine, and question its effect on them.

Should choreography be about the audience or the art?
I think it should be able to access both. Others push these boundaries, but I have always felt that by placing it on stage and in front of an audience, you are placing it as a spectacle to be observed. It doesn’t mean you make movement for a particular audience, but I hope the audience receives a performance that challenges their ideas and creates an emotional response.

How do you inspire dancers to develop unique and interesting choreography?
Opening up and listening to each other’s ideas creates a wonderful collaborative space, which naturally allows ideas that otherwise wouldn’t have been found. Communicating and remembering that everything that goes into a creative process is worth trying, to find what you really want to portray.

Ignition 2010 will have five performances in the Space Theatre, Adelaide from August 18^th to 21^st, as well as a one night season in the Murray Bridge Town Hall.

The Ignition program is generously supported by Beach Energy and co-produced by the Adelaide Festival Centre’s inSPACE program and Country Arts South Australia’s Ripples Murray Bridge program. 

For more information visit www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au or www.adt.org.au

Ignition
Adelaide
Date: 18th – 21st August at 8pm & 21st August at 4pm
Venue: Space Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Contact: BASS on 131 246 or online at www.bass.net.au
Murray Bridge
Date:  Thursday 26th August at 8pm
Venue: Murray Bridge Town Hall
Contact: 8539 1100

Win a Double Pass to Ignition! Click here

Photos: Chris Herzfeld

WIN A DOUBLE PASS TO….

Sutra – Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui / Antony Gormley with Monks from the Shaolin Temple
Win 1 of 3 Double Passes to Opening Night!
An extraordinary collaboration between celebrated Flemish/Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, esteemed British sculptor Antony Gormley, and 17 monks from the original Shaolin Temple in Henan, China. Seen by over 65,000 people across the world, Sydney is next.
Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall, September 16th-19th.

Bangarra Dance Theatre – Of Earth & Sky
Win a Double Pass!
Adelaide Festival Centre’s Pivot(al) program presents Bangarra Dance Theatre’s ‘Of Earth And Sky’, September 8th-11th.
Following the extraordinary success of their 20th anniversary tour in 2009, Bangarra Dance Theatre leaps into the next 20 with a stunning new double-bill.

Jersey Boys – Theatre Royal
Win 1 of 2 Double Passes!
Jersey Boys is the Tony Award-winning Best Musical that takes you up the charts, and across the country. Jersey Boys is the story of how four boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi – THE FOUR SEASONS! Opening Sept 3rd at Sydney’s Theatre Royal.

To Enter CLICK HERE

NSW Permit Number LTPM/09/00769 CLASS: Type B.

After wowing crowds at Perth Festival,  French contemporary dance company, Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu, is now touring to Adelaide and Sydney to perform their exhilarating dance work, Good Morning, Mr Gershwin.

Through live music, spoken word, hip-hop, slamming, tap and contemporary dance, the company led by visionary French choreographer, José Montalvo and dancer, Dominique Hervieu, celebrates and pays homage to the sheer inventiveness of American composer, George Gershwin and his musical repertoire.

Regarded as one of Europe’s most exciting contemporary dance companies and a leader in the integration of live performance with video technology, Compagnie Montalvo-Hervieu are based in one of the most down-trodden areas of Paris, Creteil. A suburb synonymous with high unemployment, race-provoked violence and crime, Creteil is also the home of the hip, back to front lingo of the underclass, Verlan.

The cultural diversity within the Creteil community suited and interested choreographers, Dominique Hervieu and José Montalvo. The mix of youth and age, different religions, amateur and professional dancers have provided the incredible raw talent on display within the company. The company’s resonance within the community impressed the local government and funding has been generous.

With choreography by Montalvo and Hervieu, Good Morning, Mr Gershwin, interpreted by 15 artists, is set against a backdrop of immense and emotive scenery – featuring Broadway musicals and Hollywood movies of the 1930s. The dancers interact with their video counterparts, bringing to life the irresistible glamour of the time with some of Gershwin’s best known Broadway classics.

The second part of the evening draws upon the stirring music of Gershwin’s controversial opera, Porgy and Bess. Set in the African-American enclave of Catfish Row in South Carolina, this modern opera-ballet contains some of Gershwin’s most popular hits such as Summertime and It Ain’t Necessarily So.

During his brief but extraordinary life, George Gershwin crafted some of America’s most defining and memorable music. Drawing on influences from jazz, blues, Russian-Jewish folk harmonies and classical music, his style defied tradition and challenged the social conventions of the time.

Gershwin’s work is complemented perfectly by the innovation of choreographers Montalvo and Hervieu, who effortlessly blend cultures and dance genres with unrivalled integrity, humour and expertise.

In June 2008, Montalvo and Hervieu were appointed Directors of the renowned contemporary dance centre, Théâtre National du Chaillot.  

Adelaide Season
Dates: March 10^th-13th
Venue: Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Contact: BASS 131 246 www.bass.net.au

Sydney Season
Date: April 8^th-10th                                                                       
Venue: Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House
Tickets: from $39                                                         
Contact: 02 9250 7777 or www.sydneyoperahouse.com 
For further information visit www.sydneyoperahouse.com/whatson/good_morning_mr_gershwin.aspx                                 

Please note: Video footage contains nudity

WIN a Double Pass to the Opening Night of Good Morning, Mr Gershwin at the Sydney Opera House
Email info@danceinforma.com.au with your name, age and address to go in the draw.
Enter today!

Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre.
October 16^th & 17^th

By Naarah Hallifax.

Having read the commentary by Akram Khan in the program I waited in anticipation to see the ‘new place’ he described…

Opening with an almost deafening humming sound we are confronted by a tableau of the dancers. Frozen in their positions, we find them waiting to travel at a place like an airport.  They appear very separate, different and reluctant to interact because of their completely different worlds.  A sign above scrolls through many letters before telling them to wait. The initial thought is that though they have different lives and experiences, they are waiting for the same thing – the instructions on how to proceed.

The dancing erupts with one individual and all observe, but then another is ignited. They begin as individual dancers in a spontaneous way, as if they are not just dancing, but revealing their souls within and their own personal expressions, unique to them.  It seems as if they are swept up in the moment and the freedom to express their individuality.  There are moments where the dancers all begin to move together, their individuality merging as they dance in unison with their eyes on each other.  Being thrown together in this waiting place they find common ground – expression through dance that supersedes the limitation of barriers.

Continuing on we start to get a glimpse of the individuals’ personalities. We are drawn into their own stories. There are so many moments to speak of, surreal moments showing the beautiful ways one can enhance another and the mayhem of misunderstanding and frustration.   A fusion of dance, written statements via the sign above, and spoken word in different languages; this performance was not about dance, as much as it was about humanity. Even so, the dancing was a feast of expression and it was refreshing to see such an eclectic mix of dance styles and drama.   The stories that came alive before us and the reality by which they had been crafted, allowed us to identify personally with the characters, making Bahok enjoyable for a varied audience, not just lovers of dance.

Artistic Director & Choreographer Akram Khan. Photo by Rankin

Bahok was a thorough representation of many aspects of people’s lives.  Poignant and genuine, both beautiful and comic, we as an audience had the luxury to spectate on others.  The ‘new place’ that Khan created involved looking past things that divide us, and understanding those things that unite us and draw us together. Bahok put all this on display, revealing the deep and primary aspects of people, leaving us with hope for a more united world.

The final moments were resounding and were met with a roaring crowd.   Akram Khan is a gifted individual with a wonderful view of humanity that he communicated effectively with the audience. 

For more information about performances at the Adelaide Festival Centre visit www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au

Very top photo:Saju-Meng Ningning by Liu Yang

GET YOUR TICKETS TO SEE THE AKRAM KHAN COMPANY!

Bahok - An exploration of individual cultural stories that reveal a universal truth
Named after a Bengali word meaning ‘carrier’, bahok explores the ways in which the body carries national identity and a sense of belonging. The eight dancers from diverse cultures, traditions and dance backgrounds act out their attempts to communicate through dramatic dance and spoken vocabulary as they wait out their airport limbo. Their destination is unknown.

Khan joins forces with long-time musical collaborator Nitin Sawhney, renowned for his multi award-winning compositions, who has created an original score for bahok.

Originally a collaboration between the Akram Khan Company and the National Ballet of China, bahok is dance and storytelling inspired by the exploration of cultural identity in a globalised world.

See the Akram Khan Company perform Bahok.
Date: October 16^th-17^th
Venue: Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Contact: www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/ozasia/events/shows/bahok/  

Akram Khan Company – Masterclass!
Date: Saturday October 17th, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Contact: BASS 8205 2220 www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/greenroom 

www.akramkhancompany.net

Bahok is presented by the Adelaide Festival Centre’s OzAsia Festival and Pivot(al) program.

Akram Khan

By Deborah Searle.

Akram Khan is one of London’s most acclaimed creatives. A leading dancer, choreographer and the director of his own company, Akram Khan is a major choreographic force as he fuses different dance genres and traditions with dancers from different cultures.  Born into a Bangladeshi family, Akram grew up embracing his heritage, learning Bengali folk dancing and Kathak, the Indian classical genre, from a young age.  After a stage career beginning at only 14, Akram went on to study ballet and contemporary dance at De Montfort University and the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in the UK.

Akram began presenting solo performances of his work in the 1990s, maintaining his commitment to the classical Kathak repertoire as well as modern work and in August 2000 he launched his own company. The Akram Khan Company has received numerous awards the world over for its performance, choreography and daring collaborations.  

The company will grace Australian shores again this October to perform in the OzAsia Festival at the Adelaide Festival Centre. Bringing their exciting work, Bahok, to the Australian stage, Dance Informa asked Akram what audiences can expect. “Reviews have been great and the audience have generally been quite emotional after the show”, he shared. “I hope the audience will take away a better sense and understanding, that even though cultures, religions and politics separate us, what we have in common is that we all know and identify with the notion of ‘home’. We may be different externally, but also we share things that are very similar within”.

Bahok is a collaboration between the Akram Khan Company and the National Ballet of China. The work includes a mix of “ballet, Chinese folk dance, Indian martial arts, contemporary dance styles and more”, says Khan.  “However, for me, it is not really about exploring different styles of movements, but more about exploring different bodies that contain a con-’fusion’ of styles absorbed within those bodies.”

Akram Khan Company & The National Ballet of China in Bahok

So how did Akram find working with the National Ballet of China? “Wow! What a shift in the way I work”, he explained. “Firstly, I had to find out what makes them tick! What drives them, and then how they go about reaching that goal. What I discovered was that the goal was not that far from my own, it’s just that they go about getting there in a completely different way”.  Akram enjoyed the challenge. “Working with the dancers from NBC was wonderful”, he said. “They are hard working, talented and very lyrical, so in a sense, they can be athletic, without looking athletic, but executing it with total lyrical grace”. With all the dances coming from varied backgrounds and races I asked Akram how he dealt with the cultural differences. “Personally, I found no deep cultural barrier or separation, simply because I grew up within my parents Indian/Bangladeshi culture and for me there are many similar values and systems that are common to both the Chinese and Indian culture”, he explained.

Akram Khan is known for cross cultural collaborations. It seems that an awareness of other traditions, ideas, beliefs and movement forms have informed his choreography and given him a unique and widely embraced choreographic voice.  So how important is it for dancers to expose themselves to other cultures? “Well, it’s personal. I cannot speak for all, just for myself”, he explained. “I feel there is a continuation from the past to the present and to the future when one embraces tradition. It is a clue to what existed before. There is also something very sacred and spiritual in most traditions, which is less evident in our current society”. With such a cultural dance influence on his work Akram explained “I simply reacted to the environment I grew up in. I lived on a street where opposite our house was a Chinese family, a Nigerian family to the right of us, an Iranian family down the end of the street, and all the kids from this street went to the same school. Also, in our living room, my father was watching black and white Bollywood films, and on the other side of the room, my mother was listening to Tom Jones and Frank Sinatra. So as a child I was already in a confused atmosphere with different worlds colliding in my own living room”.

Akram Khan’s different choreographic style has brought him a wealth of work with ballet companies, solo artists, contemporary companies and even pop artists, including Australia’s own Kylie Minogue. Working with such a wide range of varied artists, Akram explained that each challenge is very different. When developing work for a stage show rather than for the theatre, Akram explained that “the scale is the first major difference. You have to think big, not small and detailed. When you are creating for a concert in the scale of a Kylie show, everything you do has to be amplified, exaggerated. Also, the question has to be asked ‘what kind of audience are you catering for?’ The pop concert audience are usually a public who are there to have fun, not just sit down in their seats and be moved by what they see, but to participate on a more physical level. So what you create on stage should be able to grab their attention, but no exclude them.”  So how did he enjoy working with Kylie? “It was wonderful to work with her. I feel she is extremely down to earth, and it was such a pleasure to work with an artist who is real and very much in the present, without losing herself in the media, pop world that she works in. She is more grounded than any other artist I know”, he said.

And what about his company, the Akram Khan Company? “Wow! It has been a roller-coaster ride, and it has not stopped yet”, he exclaimed. “I think what defines us is that the company is continuously shifting, adapting and rebelling the very concept of what a dance company means. However, we have very recently been able to define the company by separating it into three companies. One is a high-profile collaboration driven company which I create and perform in, for example the duets Zero Degrees and Sacred Monsters. The second is an ensemble company where I create on a group of dancers (in which I do not perform in anymore), for example Bahok, and the third is a charity company we run to support young artists whether they are choreographers, film makers, visual artists, etc.”

So what is next for Akram Khan and the newly defined companies? This November, Akram is curating an Indian dance and music festival, with his friend and long term collaborator, Nitin Sahwney (composer of Bahok, Zero Degrees, etc) at the Sadlers Wells, London, for two weeks. “We will also be premiering our own work within the festival”, he shared. Next year Akram plans to create a new ensemble piece called Vertical Roads inspired by the concept of angels within different cultures and a new contemporary solo to premiere in 2011. This solo will be a collaboration with visual designer, Tim Yip, who won an Oscar for his design for the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

So as such a renowned choreographer does Akram feel that he has now arrived? Has he created his own unique dance language? “I am not sure yet, because I am hopefully still evolving”, he shared. ”I am still taking into my body so many different influences and experiences. I am still discovering new movement vocabularies.” With that, he gave advice to budding choreographers who desire to create their own unique style. “Listen to your body” he said. “Don’t look at it, but listen to it. It is the most honest and truthful voice you will ever hear.”

See the Akram Khan Company perform Bahok.
Date: October 16^th-17^th
Venue: Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre
Contact: www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/ozasia/events/shows/bahok/  

Akram Khan Company – Masterclass!
Date: Saturday October 17th, 11:00am – 1:00pm
Contact: BASS 8205 2220 www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/greenroom 

www.akramkhancompany.net