QPAC, playhouse.
September 27
As part of Brisbane Festival

By Marc Clayton.

Brisbane Festival provided the platform for Dance Energy, a collision of classical and contemporary dance exploring the human struggle for survival and a sense of identity. For the first time Dancenorth, Expression Dance Company and Queensland Ballet joined forces for Dance Energy, creating a thought provoking dance journey for Brisbane audiences.

Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Noel Staunton was the main driving force behind Dance Energy.  “We have such amazing talent in our own back yard, it is a real treat to bring them together to showcase their incredible skills”, said Staunton. And a treat it was!

The talented Brisbane based choreographers that produced this inspiring showcase were Dancenorth’s Raewyn Hill, Expressions Dance Company’s Natalie Weir and Queensland Ballet’s Gareth Bellingall. The show then concluded with a work from London based, New Zealand choreographer Cameron McMillan.  All of the music used was created by composer, Peter Sculthorpe.

The four acts that made up Dance Energy were very diverse but they were bought together beautifully by the combined efforts of Sound Designer Brett Collery, Designer Bruce McKinven and Lighting Designer David Walters.  Without their efforts Dance Energy would have not had the same appeal and been the overall master piece that I witnessed.

The acts that resonated most with me were Act One, Allegories, and Act Three, The Lament.

Allegories was very effective.  The sheer simplicity of using white business shirts and suitcases to transform the space was brilliant and had the audience wanting more.  A combination of dancers from Dancenorth and Queensland Ballet performed this breath-taking piece, with standout performances from Tere Crilly, Rian Thompson, Robert McMillan,Thomas Gundry Greenfield, Jeremy Poi, Jessie Oshodi and Anita Hunziker. This piece was a brilliant success for Hill as she conveyed a powerful message to the audience.

Natalie Weir’s, The Lament told a raw and heart felt story of love and loss through war and conflict. The power carried throughout the piece drew audiences in from the first step.  The combination of Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Ballet dancers made for a diverse, yet punchy performance. Riannon McLean, Elise May, Rachael Walsh, David Williams, Jack Ziesing and Piran Scott were stunning. It was also great to see Weir present a dynamic male trio onstage.  The raw strength and energy revealed in this piece was outstanding.

I hope that this is the first of many shows we see in Brisbane with combined works from Dancenorth, Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Ballet – industry’s driving forces in dance.

Photo: Dance Energy, photo by Christian Aas

US dance icon Debbie Allen is one of the most respected talents in the entertainment industry. With 3 Emmy Awards for choreography, Debbie is internationally recognized as a director, choreographer and author and is currently the Director for television drama Grey’s Anatomy (which she has also starred in). She is well known for her role in the hit television series  FAME, winning two Emmys and one Golden Globe for her work. Her dancing, choreography and directing credits across television, film, stage and Broadway are numerous and enviable, yet she continues to inspire dancers at all levels of training at her prestigious dance studio – The Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles.

In an exclusive US interview, Dance Informa spoke with Debbie Allen in early January about the world premiere she is developing for this year’s Brisbane Festival. 

Leigh Warren and Dancers’ Christmas came early in December with the confirmation of two of its major dance works programmed for the prestigious Edinburgh Festival and New York’s SummerStage festival in 2012.

Despite the recent decision by the Australia Council to cut the company’s triennial funding, Leigh Warren and Dancers continues to rise to great heights, both nationally and internationally.

After an extremely successful 12 months that saw the company collaborate with some of the world’s most talented artists and stage acclaimed performances to thousands of people in three major Australian festivals (WOMADelaide, OzAsia Festival and Brisbane Festival), LWD Artistic Director, Leigh Warren, says 2012 looks like one of the most exciting years to date for the company.

Leigh Warren & Dancers presents Maria de Buenos Aires at Brisbane Festival 2011. Photo by Tony Lewis

“Looking back on our audience numbers and the quality of work we produced, I honestly thought 2011 was a watershed year for the company but looking at what’s in store I think we’re in for an even more remarkable year,” he said.

“To be invited to play Edinburgh Festival any year is a wonderful validation of one’s artistic value on an international scale but with it coinciding with the London Olympics, 2012 is a landmark year for the festival so we couldn’t be more honoured by the invitation. And SummerStage is one of the most exciting arts festivals in the most exhilarating city in the world, so I’m absolutely thrilled to be invited back to perform in New York again.”

SummerStage is New York’s largest free performing arts festival with over 100 performances in eighteen parks throughout the five boroughs. Performances range from American pop, Latin and world music to dance, spoken word and theatre. Since its inception twenty-six years ago, more than six million people from New York City and around the world have enjoyed SummerStage.

Leigh Warren and Dancers will be performing their major work Breathe at both the Edinburgh Festival and SummerStage. This work, choreographed by Frances Rings, premiered at WOMADelaide this year. Without the constraints of the stage at WOMADelaide, the Edinburgh and NYC performances of Breathe will take the work to another level.

The globally acclaimed and award winning contemporary dance company will also soon announce a new Adelaide season for May 2012 in addition to their international touring commitments.

Top photo: Choreographer Leigh Warren. Photo by Alex Makeyev

 By Jessica Innes

2011 is jam-packed full of festivals celebrating dance. With Sydney Festival, The Adelaide Fringe and Dance Massive all behind us you may think that the dance fun is over for the year – but it isn’t! Check out these amazing events yet to come. 

Melbourne Latin Festival VIC
A celebration of Latin dance, Melbourne Latin Festival is three nights of parties, two days of workshops, 150 dancers, 50 workshops and 60 hours of absolute fun featuring celebrity dancers from So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars! The festival, now in its third year running, is one of Melbourne’s largest Latin dance events.  The festival features daily workshops that cater for the complete novice right through to the advanced professional in a variety of Latin genres such as Salsa, Bachata, Street Cha, Flamenco and Tango with some of the best Latin DJs and live Latin bands. With international stars and artists from Cuba, Colombia, Italy, Brazil and New Zealand, it’s definitely an event not to be missed. 
8-10 April, Darebin Arts Centre, Preston
www.melbournelatinfestival.com.au

Ali Curung Dance Festival NT
Our Indigenous heritage is an inspiration for dancers and The Ali Curung Dance Festival allows talented artists to share their history and culture through different performance mediums. With traditional dance, storytelling, art and music, the Ali Curung Dance Festival is a free event for the whole family to enjoy.
2 – 3 July, Ali Curung Community Centre
http://en.travelnt.com 

Spring Dance NSW
Hosted by Sydney Opera House, Spring Dance is a celebration of all things dance with a program of cutting edge local and international artists. This year’s third annual festival is still being curated, but it is sure to be a treat. The performances will take place across various venues at Sydney Opera House from 23 August – 4 September. That’s 13 days of exceptional artistry, athleticism and grace from some of the world’s most exciting choreographers and dancers!  Keep an eye on this website for the program to be announced in May. www.sydneyoperahouse.com/about/program_Spring_Dance.aspx  
23 August – 4 September, Sydney Opera House

Brisbane Festival QLD
Boasting artists from all over the world, Brisbane Festival embraces all styles of performing arts including dance, theatre, opera, circus, symphony and sideshow. Last year’s program presented over 330 performances and 62 events over 22 days and the 2011 lineup is sure to be just as impressive with the program being released midyear.
3 – 24 September, Multiple Venues.
www.brisbanefestival.com.au 

Youth Dance Festival ACT
Our nation’s capital is host to the Youth Dance Festival, which is a high calibre, non-competitive event allowing secondary school students to showcase their dancing.  It is a valuable experience for young teens as all involved are given the opportunity to work with an artistic director that mimics the process of the professional world. This year’s theme is ‘Messages’ and the opportunity to participate is open to all high schools and colleges with entries closing April 15.
14 – 16 September, Canberra Theatre.
www.ausdance.org.au/act/production-folder.pdf

Australian Dance Festival NSW
ADF is a highly interactive three days full of workshops, performances and competitions. Get in on the action by learning from the best in the business with previous years’ classes taught by Kelly Abbey, Jason Coleman, the Squared Division and Sarah Boulter. This is a high profile event with performances and competitions targeted at all styles of dance so you won’t want to miss out!
16-18 September, Sydney Olympic Park Sports Centre
http://www.australiandancefestival.com.au/

Melbourne Festival VIC
Melbourne Festival is one of Australia’s flagship international arts festivals and one of the major multi-arts festivals of the world, in terms of quality of work, innovation of vision, and scale and breadth of program. Each Festival brings an unparalleled feast of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia and outdoor events from renowned and upcoming Australian and International companies and artists. This year’s program, directed by Brett Sheehy, is yet to be announced.
6 – 22 October, Multiple Venues
www.melbournefestival.com.au  

Photo: The Chooky Dancers peform ‘Wrong Skin’ at last year’s Spring Dance

Playhouse, QPAC.
Review of Program 1
14-18 September,  Brisbane Festival 2010

By Elizabeth Ashley.

The Baby Cubans
Brisbane had the privilege to present exclusively both the Ballet Naçional de Cuba and Danza Contemporánea de Cuba, affectionately nicknamed the ‘Big Cubans’ and the ‘Baby Cubans’, as part of its 2010 festival line-up.

Both companies formed during the revolution of 1959, but while the ‘Big Cubans’ have enjoyed world-wide acclaim for many years, it was not until international choreographers were commissioned to collaborate with Danza Contemporánea that the ‘Baby Cubans’ gained enthusiastic recognition outside of Cuba.

Audiences experienced this collaboration in Program 1 with Demo-n/Crazy by Rafael Bonachela, Carmen by Kenneth Kvaström and Mambo 3XXI by Cuban choreographer and dancer George Céspedes. In Program 2, Carmen is replaced by Jan Linkens’ Folia.

Bonachela’s Demo-N/Crazy opens Program 1. The stark simplicity of minimally clothed dancers on a bare stage provides the perfect setting for the highly demanding and complex choreography. Tactile intimacy dominates – bodies embrace and touch, fold and unfold as relationships form and dissolve. Boldly the dancers launch themselves into space with an animal-like fatalism, leaving both dancers and the audience breathless. Bonachela explains ‘These dancers have the technique of Martha Graham with Afro-Cuban rhythm…they are totally fearless.’

Dance is the powerful medium of communication in this relational exploration that moves from poignancy to witty, camp comedy.

The title Demo-N/Crazy is a play on words inspired by the crazy recklessness of the Cubans and one of the soundtracks; Julia Wolfe’s ‘Arsenal of Democracy.’ This violin/techno music combined with the pathos of Estrella Morente’s flamenco soundtrack of ‘Ne me Quitte pas’ provides contrasting musical moods.

Demo-N/Crazy

A perfect antidote to Bonachela’s dynamic intensity and grounded lyricism is the wonderfully entertaining spoof of the Spanish opera ‘Carmen’ by Scandinavian choreographer Kenneth Kvaström. Imagine a Paso Doble designed by a slightly mad, gay uncle who loves West Side Story.

The work is performed by 7 male dancers dressed in their best (and tightest) black pants, waistcoats and jewel-coloured satin shirts who parody card-playing, panatella-smoking, sex-obsessed Spanish macho-men.

The witty piece showcases the dancers’ versatility as they perform perfect classical arabesques, lunges and sweeping arms as well as bravado-style flamenco footwork,  cheeky hip-swinging and blatantly camp moves.

Appropriately, the closing performance, Mambo 3XXI by George Céspedes, is the most Cuban.  Remixing the music of Perez Prado with seventies disco, electronica and trip-hop creates a streetwise ambience – Mambo for the 21st Century.

It opens with geometric lines of dancers breaking into various patterns whilst accentuating the quick footwork of the traditional mambo. The distinctive Cuban body types and rhythmic facility are a joy to behold. One feels only a Cuban company could perform this choreography with the right balance of seriousness and natural abandon.

Throughout most of Mambo 3XXI all 21 company dancers are on stage creating a sense of rush; the crowded and public nature of modern life. Thematically the dance is the continuous search for relationships within that life.

Festival Artistic Director, Noel Staunton says ‘Danze Contemporánea de Cuba…write their own rules and dance to a completely unique beat and flourish.’  The ‘Baby Cubans’ are certainly the revolutionary face of Cuban dance and could well outshine the more illustrious ‘Big Cubans’.

Photos by Justin Nicholas

Published by www.danceinforma.com