Collaboration The Project is proud to present Immersed Melbourne Dance Industry Night 2011, this month. Immersed will be held at The National Theatre on Monday September 12 at 7:30pm.

Melbourne’s dance scene will amalgamate on one night, to immerse the entertainment industry with their peers and show what it is that makes their city hum!

Immersed will be the Melbourne dance industries premier night of entertainment with a host of established and up and coming choreographers showcasing their work. 

Immersed Performances include; choreography by Paul Malek and Collaboration The Project,  Team Rocket (Australia’s Got Talent), contemporary jazz company Vertical Shadows directed by Stephen Agisilaou (SYTYCD), International Choreographer Leroy Curwood, RickStix Productions headed by Adrian Ricks (Mr. Mistoffolees CATS), Australian hip hop champions Dance Virus Productions, hip hop crews Sole Symphony, The Collektive & all girl crew, Hollabak Dance Crew.

There will also be student performances by full time institutions Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance, Dance World Studios, Patrick Studios Australia, Youth dance Company Project Y and a myriad of other exciting acts.

For more information visit www.collaboration-project.com

Video: Courtesy of youTube. Dance Informa takes no
responsibility for the content of any videos viewed through youTube.

Photo by Belinda Strodder

By Grace Edwards.

Many local ballet students dream of becoming a nominee for the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award. For 22-year-old New Zealand-born corps de ballet member Karen Nanasca the dream has come true. “The announcement was made after our daily class one morning back in February. I was sitting on the floor at the back of the studio amongst my fellow dancers wondering who the last nominee was going to be. I couldn’t believe it when my name was called!”

Karen, who joined the Australian Ballet in 2009 upon graduating from the Australian Ballet School, will compete alongside colleagues Rudy Hawkes, Robyn Hendricks, Luke Marchant, Brett Chynoweth and Chengwu Guo for a cash prize of $20,000. The winner is to be chosen by an industry judging panel, who will assess the dancers on the quality of their dancing, personal development and potential for the future. Australian Ballet fans will also get their say, deciding by popular vote the winner of the equally coveted $5,000 People’s Choice Award.

TBDA nominees Luke Marchant, Robyn Hendricks, Rudy Hawkes, Brett Chynoweth, Karen Nanasca & Chengwu Guo. Photo: C. L'Estrange

In addition, Karen and the other contestants will also have to submit a written piece to convince the judges why they should win. The process culminates in September when she and the other contestants will be interviewed by the judging panel. The winner will be announced in December. Last year the contest ended in an unprecedented tie, with winners Ty King-Wall and Dana Stephensen receiving $20,000 each.

Having made the transition to company life quite recently compared to the other nominees, Karen is more than ready for the journey. “There were only seven girls in my final year at The Australian Ballet School, and there are 35 girls in The Australian Ballet,” she recalls. “It was quite a change to work with a much larger group of dancers and subsequently receive less individual attention from ballet staff than I was used to at the school. But I’ve learnt now to work more independently and how to navigate my way around in such a big ballet class.”

Already she has had to cope with one of the art form’s biggest downsides. “I had a stress fracture in my second metatarsal going into my first year at The Australian Ballet School, and I re-fractured the bone after my initial recovery a few months later into that year,” says Karen. “Any dancer who has had an injury knows how frustrating it can be when you can’t dance. It was tough for me for all the months I was off. But I came out of it a stronger and smarter dancer. I think it’s important to stay positive, have family and friends around to support you, and always have a goal to work towards. The injury really put into perspective how important our bodies are for dance, and how important it is to look after them properly!”

Karen Nanasca. Photo: James Braund

Whilst it might be easy to focus on such potential pitfalls, Karen insists that the joy of dancing is worth the pain. She is quite clear about her favourite aspect of dancing with the Australian Ballet: “getting to do what I love everyday – and getting paid for it! I love the feeling of being on stage, the adrenaline rush and the emotion of it all. It’s also rewarding to hear the positive response from the audience.” This is fortunate, as the company’s hectic schedule doesn’t leave much time or energy for other interests. “After a performance and once I’m home, I usually have something to eat and watch TV or read until I start to get sleepy. This doesn’t normally take very long…”

A few fun facts about Karen

When I am not dancing I am…sleeping!
I have a personal weakness for…Chanel nail polish.
One day I’d like to…win the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award!
My idol is..Tamara Rojo, principal, the Royal Ballet.
A memorable stage moment…Last year I danced in Principal Artist Daniel Gaudiello’s South of Eden, as part of the Bodytorque.a.la.mode season. In the piece there was one lift where John-Paul Idaszak, the tallest male dancer in the company, lifted and tossed me over his head, and I was caught on the other side by dancer Matthew Donnelly. It felt like I was flying!

Vote for Karen or any of the other talented dancers in the TBDA People’s Choice Award by visiting
www.beinvolved.com.au

Top photo: Karen Nanasca and Jacob Sofer by Jeff Busby

By Deborah Searle.

Tap Extraordinaire Jared Grimes is a performer with heart. I recently met Jared at a New York dance competition he founded called ‘Run The Night’ where he gave young dance hopefuls a chance to perform in front of their peers and industry judges for feedback, encouragement and a cash prize. His heart for the next generation of dancers is evident as he strives to give artists a chance to shine and develop their talents.

Producing his own shows and performing across the US, Grimes is making his mark in the tap and hip hop dance scene with an infectious charisma on stage and off. He has danced alongside legends such as Wynton Marsalis, Gregory Hines, Ben Vereen and Jerry Lewis, has toured with  Mariah Carey and danced for Common, Salt-n-Pepa, Envogue, Busta Rhymes and the Roots. Jared’s theater credits include Cirque Du Soleil’s, Banana Shpeel, Twist, Scottsboro Boys, Pure Country, Babes in Arms, Sammy, Vaudeville and Broadway Underground, a show he directs himself. Grimes has also appeared in commercials for Coca-Cola, Subway and MTV, along with several television shows and films.

Jared performs at Run the Night by Broadway Underground

So who is Jared Grimes? What are his passions?
I am a performer.  My passion is tap.  I feel my greatest strength is the ability to connect with people.

What are you proud of?
I’m proud to be a person who has lived by all the morals and principals instilled in me by my parents. They gave me the everlasting gift of never giving up on people.

Tell us about your dance background
I moved to NYC in 2001 for college and had no money after tuition.  My feet conjured up food and rent for about four years.  The subway is where I built my performing stamina, drive, and execution in tap.  If I couldn’t connect with a crowd they didn’t stay and watch.  Relating to different cultures, races, genders, and ages is what I had to do to last a day in the subway.
I started dancing when I was 3.  My mother was my first teacher.

What is your favorite dance style? Tap or hip hop?
Tap is my favorite style of dance.  Hip hop is second.

What is your career highlight?
My career highlight is regularly performing with Wynton Marsalis, whom I call my professor. He has a wealth of knowledge and his perspectives on music send me to the stars and back with every performance and every conversation.

Tell us about your show ‘Broadway Underground’.
Broadway Underground is a culture in the making of performers who have the ability to do it all. We are a culture of triple threat performers much like Fred Astair, Sammy Davis Jr., Gene Kelly, the Nicholas Brothers and Gregory Hines. We are like them, but for our time.  Broadway Underground is how we put a twist on old ideals of performing. Broadway Underground will soon be a television show fusing dance and comedy!

How do you keep inspired to perform, teach and create?
I stay motivated! I don’t know why or how I keep pushing forward, but there is something inside me that is never satisfied with the moment.  I’m always seeking perfection outside the box and it is an obsession that I have learned to live with. It never stops. When I was little I can remember challenging my image in the mirror [laughs]. In life I never want people to figure me out.  My brain is always trying to stay ahead of itself and I am just trying to keep up with it by feeding it my heart and soul.  It’s a crazy thing. Teaching is an outlet for what is constantly going on in my head.

What is your advice for young street dancers?
My advice to all dancers is to know your history. There’s nothing worse than a dancer that does not know who paved the way for them.

What are your current projects?
I’m currently doing the musical TWIST at the Pasadena Playhouse directed by my friend Debbie Allen.  We will be doing shows from June- July 25.

What are your dreams?
I want to take over the world in a way that hasn’t been done since Sammy Davis Jr!

Video: Courtesy of youTube.
Dance Informa/Dance News International takes no responsibility for the content of any videos viewed through youTube.

What it Takes to Be a Dance Company’s Artistic Director

By Laura Di Orio.

When an audience sees a performance, it notices the dancers, costumes, lighting, sets and music. But the driving force behind it all, is the artistic director. In a dance company, the artistic director’s role is to fuse all the business and artistic elements of the company and its productions to ensure they coalesce to portray the group’s vision. Dance Informa speaks with artistic directors from three established companies to find out what’s involved in being at the helm.

What qualities does it takes to be an artistic director of a dance company?

David McAllister, Artistic Director, Australian Ballet
I think that an artistic director needs to be a good communicator but an equally good listener. I believe that your motivation should be to facilitate the company to be the best it can be, rather than trying to big-note yourself. I love the fact that the company is the star and I am there to keep that flame burning as brightly as possible. You have to care about the people you work with and have a big ambition for the company you run. Both competing forces somehow need to be balanced.

Peter Boal, Artistic Director, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Seattle
Patience and perseverance. Clear vision helps, too.

Nan Giordano, Artistic Director, Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago
Your skills need to be very extensive and cover anything from finding the choreographers or being in rehearsal to working with the board – you have to wear a lot of hats. You have to be efficient and organized. You need to be an inspirational leader. That’s part of what I do – inspire. How I live is how I operate our company – good energy, high energy.

David McAllister and Karen Nanasca, The Australian Ballet. Photo by Jeff Busby

What do you look for in dancers for your company? Is it more than just dance ability? Is character a part of your decision?

Peter Boal
There are a few common denominators I look for in dancers, but what inspires me is the individuality of each dancer. Versatility and an ability to connect with the audience are also key.

Nan Giordano
Of course they have to be a wonderful dancer, but we look for a very specific type of person and the energy they exude during the audition process. We look at the whole picture.

How do you choose your season repertoire?

Nan Giordano
We want to be the trendsetters, to be ahead of the pulse. I like working with new cutting edge choreographers who are just being discovered. We try to do three new works a year. Then I look back at the rep we have and see how it’s all going to tie together. For the dancers, it’s important to keep them challenged and interested, and it’s important to me that they like the rep they’re doing. The more they like it, the more successful the piece will be.

Peter Boal
I look for a balance of respecting the traditions that PNB was built on and adding to the repertory by building collections of works by relevant choreographers – both world premieres and/or new works to PNB.

David McAllister
In an organisation where around 70 percent of our budget comes from box office, the audience needs to be front of mind, but I believe that context is always the way to take an audience on a journey. If you only mount works that are proven to be popular, then the audience never has an opportunity to be surprised and sometimes enlightened by something they may not have seen otherwise.

How do you keep inspired?

David McAllister
By surrounding yourself with wonderful people who challenge and motivate you to be better. The best piece of advice I got from someone when I became Artistic Director was to always employ people who are cleverer than you and could do your job. It is a great way in which to work as you can workshop solutions to problems that on your own seem insurmountable.

Peter Boal
I travel as often as possible to see new choreography and to see other ballet companies. Included in these travels is always a trip to the art museum of whatever city I’m in. It helps keep me inspired.

How do you keep your dancers motivated?

Giordano Jazz Dance Chicago. Photo by Cheryl Mann

David McAllister
That is the million-dollar question! I would say to try to provide a respectful, creative and supportive environment in which to work and a repertoire that inspires and is artistically diverse. It is integral to keep the flow of communication as open and transparent as possible and to be honest and timely with your feedback to the dancers individually and as a group.

Nan Giordano
We have a lot of fun together. They’re more than just employees. It’s a supportive environment. I feed them energy, they feed me energy.

Peter Boal
I think the repertory is a great motivator for the dancers. I also make a concerted effort to bring in coaches, stagers and choreographers who I know the dancers will benefit from working with.

What else should people know about being an artistic director?

Nan Giordano
You want to create a good arena so that you can create something great together. Our world really needs beauty, whether it’s on stage or in the classroom, so you need to focus on the positive.

David McAllister
Being an artistic director is the best job in the world. Each day is filled with unseen challenges and joys. To sit in an auditorium and see a dancer outperform their own expectations or to witness the premiere of a work that started with a conversation with the artists involved is a pleasure that has no price.

Top photo: Pacific Northwest Ballet Artistic Director Peter Boal with principal dancer Carla Körbes in a rehearsal for Boal’s new staging of Giselle. Photo by Angela Sterling

Ausdance in association with QPAC presents the AUSTRALIAN DANCE AWARDS 

Spend the evening with Australia’s best dance artists!

Dance lovers take note and mark your diaries now!
For the first time Queensland is to host the annual Australian Dance Awards recognising and honouring outstanding contributions to dance on Sunday 24 July at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC).

Celebrate the amazing achievements in Australian dance in 2010/2011 with the presentation of 12 awards, handed out by well-known personalities. The awards are presented alongside a performance program featuring some of the country’s leading dance artists and companies.

Executive Director of Ausdance Queensland, the state’s peak body for dance, Ann McLean, said she is delighted that the Awards will be held in Queensland for the first time and encourages dance lovers to join the celebrations at QPAC.

“The Australian Dance Awards is the one night of the year when dance creators, performers, educators and enthusiasts gather to acknowledge and honour their peers. It is also a not-to-be-missed opportunity for dance lovers to sample some of the best works of the past twelve months. The Awards are a wonderful opportunity to showcase the diversity and richness of dance in Australia today,” said McLean.

The Awards cover nine categories including “Outstanding Service to Dance” and ”Outstanding Achievement by a Company” as well as “Lifetime Achievement” and “Hall of Fame” awards.  

From its humble beginnings in 1986 as a Dancer’s Picnic organised by Keith Bain, the Australian Dance Awards is now celebrating its 14 ^th year and has grown to become the major event on the national dance calendar, bringing prestige to nominees and winners alike.

Don’t miss this fabulous event showcasing and celebrating the best in the nation’s dance in QPAC’s Playhouse on Sunday 24 July from 7.00pm.
To book your tickets and for more information go to www.qpac.com.au or call 136 246.
Visit australiandanceawards.net.au for more info.

The Nominees for the 2011 Australian Dance Awards will be announced soon so look out for the news in an upcoming edition of Dance Informa.
Dance Informa is a proud sponsor of the event.

The 2011 Australian Dance Awards are supported by Arts Queensland and QPAC.

“What a night of nights! This year’s Awards was a celebration of all things dance by a growing and excited Australian dance industry.”
Dance Informa

“We have won other awards before but these are very prestigious, it’s great for the company.”
Stephen Page, Artistic Director Bangarra Dance Theatre

Image: Photographer/Dancer, Marisa Cuzzolaro

Melbourne audiences are in for a treat! The Arts Centre has scored an exclusive Australian season of contemporary dance featuring the legendary Nederlands Dans Theater I. After a 14 year absence, the doyennes of contemporary dance will showcase their distinctive style at the Arts Centre’s State Theatre with five performances from 13 – 17 July 2011.

Since its inception half a century ago, Nederlands Dans Theater has gone on to define dance and attract admiration the world over, and is now recognised as arguably the most innovative dance company in existence. The company has created a rich repertoire with works from master choreographers Jiří Kilián and Hans van Manen, as well as from resident choreographers Sol León & Paul Lightfoot and associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Johan Inger.

“It’s a real coup for us to be able to attract this great international company and dance lovers from around Australia will be eager to come to Melbourne for this exciting season”, said Judith Isherwood, Chief Executive of the Arts Centre. “The company has inspired many first-time visits to the theatre for a great display of modern dance and I have no doubt this 2011 season will provide a similar opportunity.”

“It’s an honour to be back in Australia. We look forward to sharing with the Melbourne audiences a programme which reflects the essence of who we are: fortunate to have a rich and creative dance history which provides us with brilliant signature works like Double You by choreographer Jiri Kylián, while at the same time presenting recent creations by an emerging generation of contemporary dance makers such as Sol León and Paul Lighfoot, and Crystal Pite”, said Nederlands Dans Theater Artistic Director Jim Vincent.

“These three uniquely dynamic productions, created by four diverse choreographic voices and performed by our ensemble of extraordinary dancers will make this programme a truly unforgettable experience” he added.

The Melbourne performances by Nederlands Dans Theater I will feature three works. Created by Jirí Kylián, Double You is an intimate solo which offers a window into a man’s soul as he grapples with life’s experiences.

In The Second Person, Canadian choreographer Crystal Pite creates a powerful atmosphere which draws the audience into a different world. Featuring 24 dancers on stage, they represent the exchange between the collective and the individual, searching for their own identities.

Inspired by the art of silent movies, Paul Lightfoot and Sol León explore the beauty of expression without words in Silent Screen. The highly acclaimed performance will feature large screens projecting luscious and fluid scenery for dancers to move through and beyond.

About Nederlands Dans Theater
Nederlands Dans Theater originated in 1959 when 22 people broke free from the Nederlands Ballet. These rebels were impassioned by dance and the desire to give it a style all their own. Under the direction of Carel Birnie and Benjamin Harkarvy, they steadily built a different repertoire to dance companies of modern dance. Fifty years later, Nederlands Dans Theater has become one of the leading dance companies in the world.

A rich repertoire has been built up with works from master choreographers Jiří Kilián and Hans van Manen, as well as from resident choreographers Sol León and Paul Lightfoot, associate choreographers Crystal Pite and Johan Inter and many other guest choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Nacho Duato and William Forsythe.

Through the years, but particularly in its heyday under former artistic director Jiří Kilián, Nederland Dans Theater has created pioneering works in contemporary dance. Ballets originally made for Nederlands Dans Theater are still performed all over the world. Numerous dancers and choreographers that once started with the company have set up their own dance companies world-wide, spreading Nederlands Dans Theater’s influence far and wide. A number of Australian dancers have worked with Nederlands Dans Theater, including Graeme Murphy, Gideon Obarzanek and Kirsty Martin (The Australian Ballet).

Nederlands Dans Theater has two companies, with two generations of dancers – Nederlands Dans Theater I and Nederlands Dans Theater II. Nederlands Dans Theater I is the first company, founded in 1959 and consists of thirty dancers. They vary in age from 23 to 42 and each one of them excels in their solo qualities. Nederlands Dans Theater II was founded in 1978 for young, upcoming talent with astonishing technique and endless energy. NDT II currently consists of sixteen dancers up to the age of 23. The second company is a revolutionary breeding ground for talented dancers and established choreographers who together create new work.

Get your tickets here!

By Jessica Innes

It is said “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life” and with tenacity and the right approach, the dream of dancing for a living can become a reality. We all dream of being a Broadway musical star or dancing in a Justin Timberlake video clip, however the sifting process in the performing arts allows only tiny portions of talent to make it through the brutal mill of the industry. So after hours of gruelling training and perfecting of your craft, what options do you have to utilize your hard work? It’s all about making yourself a versatile performer and finding your own niche to flourish in.

TEACHING: This is reliable and fulfilling work that will allow you to develop valuable choreography skills. Approach local dance schools and share your passion with the next generation of dancers. If you have no teaching qualifications look into taking the The Ausdance Skill Set for Teaching Dance as a start. It is a short course that provides experienced dancers and existing dance teachers with the skills and teaching strategies needed to successfully teach dance in community, recreational and social settings (including schools). A University Degree in Dance Education will open even more doors and allow you to teach HSC Dance.

INTERNATIONAL CONTRACTS: Many countries draw from Australia’s talent pool to fill positions on cruise ships, in theme parks, for Bollywood and casinos all over the world. You need to ensure you have a valid passport and are willing to commit to a contract of at least 6 months. Experience other cultures as you dance all over the world!

MUSICAL THEATRE: Triple Threat’s have a huge advantage in this area so develop your singing and acting techniques to increase your versatility. You often need an agent to be put forward for auditions so finding representation is a good first step.

MODELING AND COMMERCIAL: Dancers have the advantage of maintaining a good level of fitness due to regular training and have an increased awareness of their bodies. Many dancers will find they are suitable for modeling and extra work for film or television. Photographers are always looking for amateur models so start putting together a portfolio. Online casting sites such as AT2, Showcast and even StarNow have some great opportunities. Dance Informa also lists opportunities in our AUDITIONS section.

STAGEHAND WORK: Surround yourself with inspiring performances by working backstage or as an usher at a theatre. You’ll save money on buying tickets and you’ll gain valuable contacts that can guide you to the spotlight. TAFE Australia offers many different courses in Lighting, Set Design and Audio Engineering and any additional qualification is an asset to your future.

CREATE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES: You are the master of your own destiny, so if you want to dance and don’t have an outlet, do something about it! Form a crew, collaborate with other artists and put on a community show or make a dance film. Every experience is going to add to your credibility and wealth of knowledge as a performer, so be proactive and put your best foot forward.

We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavours and a successful and fulfilling dance career!

The Emotional Aftershock…

By Elizabeth Ashley.

Wim Wender’s latest documentary Pina is a personal ode to an artist he considers a contemporary visionary.  Those expecting the sunny upbeat style of Wender’s Buena Vista Social Club will find Pina a stark and demanding contrast.

After 20 years as an abstract idea it wasn’t until U2 3D was previewed at the 2007 Cannes film festival that Wenders realised he had finally found the appropriate medium through which to capture the work of Pina Bausch – dancer, choreographer and friend.

Pina’s sudden death on 30 June 2009, just after filming had begun, lends the tone of a requiem to the film even as it attempts to celebrate her work and its artistic impact.

Who is Pina Bausch and what is her legacy to the dance world? Pina the film, is Wender’s attempt to answer this question.

Born in 1940 in Solingen, Germany, Philippine Bausch’s life revolved around the café run by her father where at an impressionable age she witnessed the impact of war on those around her. These confronting memories later come to life as Café Müller, Bausch’s masterpiece.

Her dance training under Kurt Jooss, a leader in the German movement to synthesize classical and modern dance, gave Pina a sense of the freedom to be found in dance whilst building a classical foundation. Importantly during this time was the proximity to opera, music, drama and other arts taught at the school. She earned a study grant to the Julliard School in New York training with Antony Tudor and dancers of the Martha Graham Dance Company before returning to the Tanztheater Wuppertal in 1973 as director and choreographer.

Pina sensed that the world had irretrievably changed and she determined to reinvent the language of dance to release it from traditional confines. Pina Bausch brought dance, theatre and German expressionism together – a blend of raw emotionalism, stark movement, earthly pathos and humour. As Wenders comments ‘it is there to shock you.’

Pina wanted to confront audiences with the teutonic ‘Sturm und Drang’ (storm and stress) of everyday life through her work. The German critic Manual Brug explains her philosophy as “the interpretation of the soul and the battle of the sexes.”

To demonstrate this philosophy in his film, Wenders chose excerpts from four of her 40 works – Café Müller (1978), Rite of Spring (1975), Kontaktof (1978) and Vollmond (2006) within which Pina uncovers a raw humanity fighting for its survival, highlighting the emotionality of the dancing body. As the pieces explore fragile and fraught human relationships we experience moments of unexpected beauty contrasted with our inescapable connection to the earth, symbolised with recurrent themes of falling and slamming up against an indifferent world.

Pina demanded from her dancers an open and authentic response to her vision and ideas, whether that be through dance, song, mime, spoken words or other. Dance technique and young bodies were not prerequisites for this revolutionized language of dance. Some of the Tanztheater dancers have been with the company for 35 years. As Pina said, “I’m not concerned with the way my dancers move, but what moves my dancers.”

Bausch changed dance fundamentally by removing the smiling ethereal ballerina attempting to float above us, replacing her with a fusion of radical interactive theatre, surreal imagery and ‘danced body language’. In contemporary dance today the influence of Bausch is seen in its rawness, relative freedom and willingness to explore a variety of forms so as to expose an internal world. Her influence is also seen in the way choreographers work with their dancers – a 2-pronged process where through improvisation ‘tasks’ the choreographer allows the soul of the dancer to enter the process.

Belgian choreographer Alain Platel was particularly influenced by Bausch; work-shopping ideas in the studio, asking dancers to improvise and drawing on dancers’ personal experiences. “Everyone in contemporary theatre is working the same way…there’s a long, wild period of improv…trying many different things. I was very shaken by the work of Pina.”

Meryl Tankard, Australian choreographer and former Artistic Director of Australian Dance Theatre (ADT), was a soloist with Danztheater Wuppertal for 6 years. The influence of Bausch is seen through her bringing together dynamic movement, singing, acting and music with a strong emotional content. Works such as Inuk 2 bring to mind Bausch-type themes with dancer/audience interaction, the use of water on stage, dancers crying out and a lack of narrative.

Pina Bausch’s vision for dance was essentially one without borders, adopting theatrical innovations where dancers move amongst the audience, musicians play on stage and multi-media is used. Theatre sets sometimes included piles of earth, rock formations and flowing water.  Her influence and collaboration included such filmmakers as Wenders and Almodovar whose movie Hable con ella (Talk to Her) opens with segments from Café Müller.

Wender’s film Pina is more than a tribute to an artist who was central to his own work.  He has crafted one of the few truly dance-centred films in recent years, seriously taking the challenge of dance to connect with an audience and covey life; in this case a singular life interpreted solely through dance.

For anyone interested in dance this film provides an insight into an artist who demanded authenticity and creativity with single-minded zeal.  While the loss of Pina is strongly felt in the film and throughout the contemporary dance community, her life and artistic vision still continue to inspire artists in various forms.

The film Pina was presented on the final night of the 2011 German Film Festival on 11 April 2011 at the Sydney Opera House. Wim Wenders was in attendance and gave an interview after the screening.

23 August – 4 September 2011

2011 will mark the third year of Sydney Opera House’s Spring Dance – Australia’s only international, contemporary dance festival. Curated by Wendy Martin, highlights of the festival will include a world premiere from Lloyd Newson’s UK-based company DV8, the first ever Sydney performance by Alain Platel’s acclaimed les ballets C de la B from Belgium and Spain’s avant-garde flamenco artist Israel Galvan who will perform in Australia for the first time.

This year Spring Dance will be dedicated to the legacy of Pina Bausch, one of the most influential and innovative choreographers of the twentieth century. Martin said, ‘By showcasing the work of choreographers Lloyd Newson and Alain Platel, we will bring together two artists who cite the enormous influence Bausch has had on their work. This seems like the perfect springboard to explore the influence this iconic dance maker has had on the landscape of contemporary Australian dance.’ A series of films and discussions will look at the singular vision of Pina Bausch and her Tanztheater Wuppertal.

Artwork - Ros Warby, Monumental, photo: L. Tomasetti; les ballets C de la B, Out of Context – for Pina, photo: C. Van Der Burght

In 2011 Spring Dance will take over the Western Foyers with performances in the Drama Theatre, Studio and Playhouse and a series of talks, masterclasses and exhibitions in the Western Foyer and precinct.

Sydney Opera House will host the world premiere of DV8’s, Can we talk about this? choreographed and devised by Artistic Director Lloyd Newson. Like his recent productions that have combined dance with verbatim theatre to tackle social and political issues head-on, Can we talk about this? will explore ideas around freedom of speech.

Alain Platel’s company, les ballets C de la B, will present the award-winning production Out of Context: For Pina. For its first Sydney season, it will include a ‘Pina Intervention’ by acclaimed Australian choreographer Meryl Tankard who was a star of Pina Bausch’s company in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

Israel Galvan, the daringly innovative Flamenco artist from Seville will come to Sydney Opera House with the Australian premiere of his award-winning production Le Edad de Oro which uses the techniques and artistry of Flamenco while building on tradition to create a new, pared-back aesthetic for the genre.

Chunky Move returns to Spring Dance with I Like This – a witty and irreverent take on the making of a dance piece, created by two of Australia’s finest contemporary dancers and emerging choreographers, Byron Perry and Antony Hamilton.

The work of Melbourne-based dancer and choreographer Ros Warby has been acclaimed by critics around the world. She will return to Sydney to perform the award-winning Monumental at Spring Dance, in which she explores ideas around two iconic symbols of classical ballet: the swan and the soldier.

And for younger audiences, Sydney Opera House will present The Forest by the UK-based performance company Fevered Sleep. The Forest will reflect their interest in creating design-focused productions that develop theatrical environments to envelop their audience and draw them into a world of fantasy, intrigue, movement and storytelling.

This year’s Spring Dance festival will offer the rare opportunity to be taught by some of the world’s great dancers and choreographers with 6 master classes on offer. There will be a series of panel discussions, hosted by Caroline Baum, with prominent dancers and choreographers looking at Pina Bausch and her legacy. They will be accompanied by a program of film screenings.

Top photo:  Ros Warby – Monumental, Photo: Lisa Tommasetti

Joyce Theater, New York
April 17 2011

By Deborah Searle.

As I took my seat for DanceBrazil, in New York’s renowned Joyce Theatre, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I gathered I’d see some Capoeira and maybe some traditional tribal dancing, but I didn’t know how well this would translate on stage. However, very quickly I was engaged and energized by the dancers performing before me. DanceBrazil has a strong cast of vibrant and expressive dancers that kept me entertained and artistically challenged throughout the show.

Performing three distinct works we were treated to a display of extraordinary athleticism, strength and stamina as both the men and women in the company highlighted their Capoeira expertise. I enjoyed seeing not just tricks, but real choreography blending the Capoeira balances, stunts and high kicks together into beautiful dance movement that was at times soulful and at other times explosive. There were so many amazing acrobatic movements within each dance phrase that it was hard to see when one move finished and the other began – brilliant choreography!

The second act, ‘A Jornada’, allowed the dancers to show their modern dance training and strong dance technique. After the first act I wondered how technically trained the dancers were in the more popular styles of ballet and modern, but I was left without any question after their flawless performances in ‘A Jornada’.

The last piece, ‘Memorias’ was joyful and vibrant, celebrating Afro-Brazilian culture, and was a fitting end to an evening celebrating one of Brazil’s best dance companies.

DanceBrazil was thrilling and thoroughly entertaining. The combination of live and recorded music was uplifting and rhythmic, and the dancers brought every beat to life with the perfect combination of choreography, committed performance and colorful costuming. Congratulations to Artistic Director Jelon Vieira and his talented artists.