By Kristy Johnson.

Already in its third year in London, this smash hit is heading down under to Sydney in October. Having won seven major awards including Best New Musical 2011 at the Olivier Awards, this all singing, all dancing, romantic comedy, doesn’t look like it’s going to slow down anytime soon.

Based on the Hollywood film Legally Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon, college sweetheart and homecoming queen Elle Woods heads for Harvard Law School to try to win back her ex-boyfriend, Warner, after he dumps her for someone more serious.

The all-star Australian cast includes Lucy Durack who plays the lead role of Elle Woods, Rob Mills in the role of Warner, David Harris, Erika Heynatz and Cameron Daddo.

Dance Informa caught up with Lucy and Rob, who starred together in the Australian cast of Wicked, after the launch party in Sydney.

Lucy Durack as 'Elle Woods' in Legally Blonde. Photo (c) Brian Geach.

Lucy Durack

You must be absolutely thrilled to play the lead role of Elle Woods. How excited are you?

Oh extremely excited! It’s a role that’s going to be so much fun to play. I auditioned for nearly a year so it’s one that I’ll be really grateful for and certainly not take for granted.

Can you describe what the auditions were like?

The auditions were in Sydney early last year, and then in November they flew me to London for my final lot of auditions.

The first auditions were like your regular auditions but once I got to London that was pretty nerve-wracking. I knew a lot of money had been put into sending me there and I just hoped I could come up with the goods. So I was very relieved when I did.

Had you always had a keen interest in becoming involved in this particular musical?

When I got cast in Wicked, we saw Legally Blonde overseas and I thought it was such a fun show. I had grown up watching the film, so I really love it. It was certainly one that I had my eye out for. I was hoping that it might come out to Australia and I could audition for it. So I’m very grateful that I got it.

There are great names such as Rob Mills, Erika Heynatz and Cameron Daddo playing roles alongside you. What has it been like so far, to work with them on this new project?

Well I’ve only met Erika once and that was at the launch but she was so nice, and I really think we are going to become great buddies. Rob and I have been friends for a long time so I’m absolutely thrilled. And on top of that we’ve got David Harris – he’s such a great guy. And then we have Cameron Daddo and I’ve never met him before but I’m really looking forward to working with him also.

Rob Mills

Congratulations on landing the role of Warner. Had you watched the film Legally Blonde, prior to auditions?

Yeah, I think in high school. My mum actually watched it a few weeks ago. She asked me if I was the nice boy at the end, or the boy who breaks up with her (laughs).

Can you describe the audition process for us? Had the producers from London come out to Sydney for this?

Yeah, the producers came out here for the auditions, kind of like how the team for Wicked came out here also. That was pretty cool. I got sent in for the role of Emmett, but as soon as I walked in to the auditions they said no. They said you’re not Emmett, you’re Warner. Come back on Friday for Warner. So I came back on Friday for Warner and I got Warner (laughs).

How excited are you to be playing the role of Warner?

I’m really looking forward to it. I’m just happy to get any part in the show!

The cast sounds amazing, and I know you have already worked with Lucy before. Were you excited to work with Lucy again, having worked alongside her in Wicked?

Absolutely. We talked about the shows that were coming up during Wicked. I knew she was very keen to play the role of Elle Woods and I have to give great props to her. She’s very inspirational and a tremendous role model. If you want something, then you have to work hard for it. She got two of the biggest roles in musical theatre in Australia in the last four years, which is pretty amazing. She comes from a good family, a good upbringing. I’m really looking forward to working with her again. She’s extremely professional. She works really hard at working on scenes, making sure that everything is always getting better. She’s never one to throw it in, so to speak. She leads by example and is a great inspiration for everyone.

With the show starting in October, when do rehearsals begin for you?

Around late July. I’m really looking forward to it.

The international award-winning hit LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL is premiering at Sydney Lyric Theatre, The Star on October 4, 2012. For more information, visit LegallyBlonde.com.au

Top photo: Rob Mills and Lucy Durack in Legally Blonde. Photo (c) Brian Geach

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

July 9 -15 2012 at The Space Dance & Arts Centre, Melbourne.

For all the info visit www.australiantapdancefestival.com.au

By Laura Di Orio.

George Balanchine said, “See the music, hear the dance.” The choreographer, like many dancers, found inspiration for movement within music. To be able to move one’s body to music can be magical enough. And to be able to dance to live music is, for many dancers, a dream.

Here, Dance Informa speaks with professional dancers who enjoy the privilege of performing to live music. The Australian Ballet’s Brooke Lockett, Miami City Ballet’s Rebecca King and Joffrey Ballet’s Fabrice Calmels share their expertise and the joy of making the music come alive.

Do you prefer dancing to live or pre-recorded music?

Brooke Lockett, dancer with The Australian Ballet, backstage during a performance of Sugar Plum. Photo courtesy of Brooke Lockett

Brooke Lockett, Coryphee with The Australian Ballet
The positive to recorded music is you get an inner rhythm and timing, and the work becomes very consistent, and in some cases, almost predictable. You can never assume anything when it’s to live music. The tempo can be faster or it can slow down parts you prefer faster, but all issues aside, nothing gives me goose bumps more than the sound of a sublime live orchestra playing Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. The curtain goes up and the music floods onto the stage from the pit. It goes through your bones and brings everything you have been rehearsing to life.

Fabrice Calmels, Principal Artist at the Joffrey Ballet
For me, it is preferable to dance to live music, but there are actually times when I find pre-recorded scores a safe alternative, like in a very difficult performance on tour.

For you, what is the biggest challenge of dancing to live music?

Rebecca King, Corps de Ballet Dancer with Miami City Ballet
The music’s tempo can be a challenge. Even though the conductor knows exactly what the dancers need, the speed can still vary from performance to performance. It is our job to be completely in tune with the orchestra because you never know what is going to happen. Because the musicians, like us, are susceptible to human error, sometimes the music can sound different, which can catch the dancers off guard. This is the beauty of live theater – you never know what you are going to get.

For you, what is the greatest reward of dancing to live music?

Brooke Lockett
When a ballet is extremely difficult or you are quite nervous about a role, music is an incredibly powerful escape that has the ability to take you away to another place on stage. Without it, I don’t know that my profession would be as powerful or as rewarding.

Fabrice Calmels
Here’s what is going on with live music: You have a full orchestra with different instruments working together as a team, following a score and led by a conductor, who, in turn, is watching and observing every move from us, the dancers. With the conductor’s expertise, he is able to match the choreography with the music and create the flow. For me, it is communication at its best.

How does dancing to live music compare to dancing to recorded music?

Fabrice Calmels, principal artist with the Joffrey Ballet, in Jessica Lang's 'Crossed'. Photo courtesy of Fabrice Calmels

Fabrice Calmels
The beauty of live music is the clarity of the sound, and performing at Chicago’s Auditorium Theater, we have one of the best engineered houses in the world. It was built for live music, and its acoustics are incredible. Live music is simply rich. There is something about the quality of instantly created sound and vibration that is priceless. Recorded music has so many factors that come into play, such as how well the track may be recorded, the quality of the player or speakers, static, or speakers that sometimes do not separate well the low-bass from the mid-bass.

Brooke Lockett
The sound is the biggest comparison. It’s like when I see a live music concert, and no matter how loud I play the CD after the show I can never recreate that same feeling or volume. You hear so many more elements and instruments when it’s live.

For a piece that you will eventually perform to live music, what is the process of incorporating the musicians or conductor into the rehearsals?

Rebecca King
Our conductor, Gary Sheldon, spends a lot of time with us in the studio during rehearsals. He not only comes in the week before we take a program to the theater, but he also tries to be around when the choreographer or repetiteur is in town working with us. He has told me that he finds it very important to familiarize himself with our works as much as possible. This makes it easier for him to know when certain cues are coming up, or what tempos different dancers are comfortable with.

Do you usually try to build some kind of rapport with the conductor and musicians?

Brooke Lockett
Absolutely. Sometimes you are feeling a little flat or have an injury, and it’s important for them to know those things. And for those shows when you are on fire and loving it, you can really bounce off one another.

Rebecca King, dancer with Miami City Ballet. Photo by Susan Stocker, Sun Sentinel

Rebecca King
I think all the dancers at Miami City Ballet have a great rapport with our conductor. He always makes an effort to say hello in the hallways, wish you “merde”, or good luck, before a show, and commend you on your performance after the curtain comes in. You can tell he really makes an effort to know the dancers, which we really appreciate. We don’t have a lot of interaction with the musicians, but we do always make an effort to thank them when we see them leaving the pit. Without them, their talent and extraordinary effort, we would not be able to do what we do.

What’s been a memorable moment of performing to live music?

Fabrice Calmels
The beginning of Lar Lubovitch’s production of Othello starts with a very powerful overture by the orchestra. This leads to the first dance, “The Prayer”, when Othello rises from a kneeling position for a stunning solo done only by creating circular movement with his arm. In every rehearsal and performance, I become Othello in that moment, located near the first panel of the stage, waiting for the main curtain to go up. I am already kneeling with both hands gathered as a prayer resting against my forehead. The orchestra is playing the score, the drums become explosive and so powerful that I feel my hand bouncing up and down from the vibration they create from underneath me. It completely gets in me, my heart begins to beat like a drum. It’s an experience unlike any other.

Brooke Lockett
We had a guest conductor for a season of Swan Lake once and we had all been talking about how slow it was, and in our final Act II entrance as a Cygnet it was like we were doing Willies from Giselle, it was so slow. We had the giggles for the entire entrance and had to quickly pull ourselves together.

Rebecca King
My first year in the company, we were performing Balanchine’s Symphony in 3 Movements, with a score by Stravinsky. Ask any dancer and he/she will tell you that the complexity of Stravinsky’s music has no doubt kept them up at night. Trying to memorize every note and count is no small feat. During a section of the first movement, the three principal couples were on stage, and there was a brief pause followed by a change in the music. Something was missing. The dancers suddenly realized that the instrument that was, at that moment, in charge of keeping the beat was nowhere to be found. They started counting aloud to each other to keep themselves in sync. Thankfully, this confusion only lasted a few bars before another change in the music arrived. We found out later that the musician playing the instrument in question had fallen asleep in the pit!

Top photo: Fabrice Calmels, principal artist with the Joffrey Ballet, in Edwaard Liang’s Age of Innocence. Photo courtesy of Fabrice Calmels.

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

We always hear about the importance of what you eat, but could when you eat be just as important?

By Emily C. Harrison MS, RD, LD.

What’s the secret for dancing stronger, improving body composition, building muscle, having more endurance, and improving performance? Energy Balance.  Backed by sound science, the concept of energy balance is all about timing healthy meals and snacks to work for you.  Managing your energy balance can even play an important role in injury prevention.

What is Energy Balance?

Energy Balance is eating exactly the right amount of fuel for the activity you are about to do.   It is meeting and adjusting your body’s energy (calorie) needs as they change throughout the day depending on how hard you are working.   Let’s say you are going on a road trip….
Which option would you choose?

1. Ok car, I’m not going to give you any fuel now, but when we get there I’ll give you all the fuel you need?
2. Ok, car, I’m going to give you all the fuel you need for the trip now, but you have to figure out where to store it?
3. Or…Ok car, I’ll fuel you up now for the next 2-3 hours and then I’ll stop and fuel you up again when you need it?

Obviously, we should choose option 3, but all too often dancers choose option 1 or 2.  Providing enough calories from healthy foods at carefully planned intervals when dancing gives the body the fuel it needs to perform its best.  When athletes have enough fuel, preferably from carbohydrates, they have been shown to have higher jumps and more endurance. Also, when dancers eat regular healthy snacks they tend to not overeat later.   If a dancer gets extremely hungry because he or she hasn’t eaten in a while, he or she tends to overeat more than needed within a certain time frame and those extra calories get stored.  Some is stored as a much needed type of fuel called glycogen which is easy to access when dancing the next day, but some is converted to body fat.  This is why eating smaller more frequent meals not only leads to better performance but also to more muscle and less fat.   We all know that working in an aesthetic art form means that we have to be judicious about what we eat, but planning meals and snacks wisely throughout the day can actually lead to better, stronger muscles and lower body fat percentage.

Whether someone dances two hours a day or ten, in order to perform their best they have to provide exactly the right amount of fuel to their system at the right time.  Going for too long without eating can backfire by forcing the body to come up with fuel from somewhere. When running on empty, the body breaks down muscle tissue and converts it into a type of fuel that the muscles and brain can use.

There are several problems with the all too common dancer strategy of not eating before and during classes/rehearsals/shows and waiting until later to eat: The body lowers your metabolic rate to adjust, the body burns muscle for fuel and thus makes you weaker and more prone to injury.  The brain has a harder time concentrating with no fuel, so choreography is harder to pick up and ultimately you end up with a higher body fat percentage and less muscle. Eating a small snack would have been a much more efficient source of fuel.

Here are my top 10 energy balance tips.

1. Eat breakfast!
2. Have a 100-250 calorie morning snack especially if you have rehearsals
3. Provide some calories every 2-3 hours during your day
4. Eat smaller more frequent meals
5. Plan a 100-250 calorie afternoon snack around 3:00-4:00pm to stave off hunger
6. Eat a reasonable dinner with carbohydrate, protein, and some healthy fats
7. Do eat after dancing, but don’t overdo nighttime snacking
8. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate all day
9. Sip on a sports drink if dancing for a long time and eating isn’t possible
10. Focus on fruits, veggies, and whole grains when meal/ snack planning – these carbs are good!

Pack a snack in your dance bag like a museli bar, banana, dried fruit, nuts, and whole grain crackers or make a wrap with hummus, veggies and rice. Make some pasta salad with whole grain pasta, black beans, tomatoes, corn, and red peppers – yum!  Planning is the key to making healthy food convenient.

Want to know more?
Here is some additional info:
Working muscles require calories in order to provide enough readily available energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP) particularly for the short, high intensity bursts of activity that we dancers do in class and in performance.  Longer bouts of exercise (Swan Lake for example) require the use of stored glycogen and fats. The body adjusts what it uses for energy based on the intensity of work and level of training. Providing calories before exercising preferably from carbohydrates, results in better performance and helps preserve muscle mass.  For longer shows, sipping on a sports drink or having a granola bar during intermission will help dancers finish strongly.

According to the American College of Sports Medicine, “Inadequate energy intakes can result in loss of muscle mass, menstrual dysfunction, loss or failure to gain bone density, an increased rate of fatigue, injury, and illness”.  Injuries or illness can greatly affect a dancer’s training.  Dancers can have fewer injuries and illnesses by managing their energy.

Emily Harrison
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a registered dietitian and holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University, USA. Her master’s thesis research was on elite level ballet dancers and nutrition and she has experience providing nutrition services for weight management, sports nutrition, disordered eating, disease prevention, and food allergies. Emily was a professional dancer for eleven years with the Atlanta Ballet and several other companies. She is a dance educator and the mother of two young children. She now runs the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles. She can be reached at emily@dancernutrition.com www.dancernutrition.com

Top photo: © Ivan Mikhaylov | Dreamstime.com

By Brian Nolan.

If there is one person who exemplifies a true Classical Diva of Dance then Audrey Nicholls is it. She hails from Townsville in north Queensland, but after training in Sydney and then furthering her training in London, our second diva made her home in Victoria.  (If you didn’t catch my interview with our first diva, Carole Oliver, click here)

In the world of RAD (Royal Academy of Dance) and in the performing arena Audrey Nicholls stands pointe shoes and tutus over the rest. She is renowned throughout Australasia and internationally for her contribution to the RAD and in 2010 was honoured by the board of trustees at the Academy headquarters in England with a Fellowship in recognition of her contribution and remarkable, dedicated service to the Academy.

Audrey Nicholls dances with Robert Pomie in the Pas de Deux from Don Quixote

With a career spanning 61 years, Audrey, along with Colin Peasley,  is one of the longest serving and dare I say one of the more ‘’mature’’ dancers still performing in Australia. As a valued guest artist of the Australian Ballet Company (where she has been guesting since 1992), Audrey is not only constantly performing character roles with them but still has roles created on her!

Audrey has had a very illustrious career and in her day she graced some of the world’s best stages. A soubrette, with a sensitive lyrical and artistic quality, coupled with assiduous attention to detail and a resounding technique, enabled Audrey to perform and portray a huge variety of roles.

Audrey commenced her career in 1950 where at the very young age of 16 she joined the Borovansky Ballet (now the Australian Ballet) as a member of the corps de ballet. In 1951, she won the inaugural Frances Scully Memorial Scholarship and travelled to London to further her studies. In 1952, she joined the Rambert Ballet as a soloist and in 1953 was promoted to a principal dancer. In 1955, she returned to Australia and rejoined the Borovansky Ballet as a senior soloist.  In 1958, the Ballet Guild of Victoria (Ballet Victoria) was her next stepping-stone with some outstanding principal roles especially in Giselle and Coppelia.

Audrey Nicholls performs 'Waltz' in Le Sylphides with the Ballet Rambert in London, 1954

A career in television from 1958 – 68 saw her immortalized on the small screen with both Channel 7 and Channel 2 (ABC). During this time Audrey commenced teaching the RAD Syllabus.

In 1973, Audrey Nicholls was appointed as a Graded Examiner of the Royal Academy of Dance. From 1982 to today, she has taught RAD teaching courses and classes throughout Australia. Audrey instigated the Victorian Grade Awards and was honoured when the awards were named after her this year.

Audrey is a truly remarkable lady, who is forever smiling. Her warmth and passion for the people around her and the art she loves is evident. When taking workshops or courses, teachers specifically ask for Audrey as they know that the students all come out of class beaming.

Audrey Nicholls FRAD ARAD

What influenced you to become a teacher?

I had been a professional dancer since the age of sixteen and continued until I was about 36. During this time at around 23, I was passionate about teaching ballet and wanted to give back to aspiring young students my love and experience in dance. Along with professional dancer Eve King, I began what was to become a long and rewarding journey of teaching ballet.

When you first started teaching what were your aims and ambitions?

To give the students a pure classical technique and to inspire their love of music. When I hear music, I immediately have a physical reaction to move and express myself and to bring out the artistry of the dance step. I also wanted to offer knowledge of other influential teachers and use the expertise of Martin Rubinstein (Maestro), Lynn Golding, Jack Manual and Christine Howard. We were very privileged to be a part of their education.

Have you achieved these goals?

I do feel a sense of achievement and feel rewarded to have trained many students who have gone on to wonderful professional careers not only as classical dancers but also qualified examiners, teachers, actors and stage managers. I have also trained Genee gold medallist Holly Smart and bronze medallist Pamela Smith, as well as several soloists in the Australian Ballet and Royal Ballet Companies including Delia Harrington and James Newman. One former student of note is Christine Howard who is the Character teacher at the Australian Ballet School (30 years).

What is your proudest moment in all your years of teaching?

Being recognized by my peers and having the honour to be awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Academy of Dance (2011). Also the achievement of 40 years of collaboration with Eve King and our teaching together in our ballet school.

Where do you think ballet is headed in the next 10 years?

Supply & demand – we have the supply of many talented dancers, choreographers, designers, composers and of course teachers! Dancers today have the opportunity to receive excellent training with technical ability being pushed beyond their boundaries. Contemporary and classical demands the utmost from the dancer- today there is no limit to where and what will happen in the next 10 years.

What do you think is the most important thing that has happened or influenced dance in the last 10 years?

Televised live broadcasts of performances reach thousands of people who might not normally have the opportunity to see a ballet. In addition, one of the biggest of all: YouTube

What is your favourite ballet?

I am a bit of a traditionalist, so I will say Giselle. I love the first act, the communicative story telling in the demi character style, told with drama and heartfelt emotion especially with Giselle’s acting in the ‘mad scene’.  Then the pure classicalism of Act 11, the choreography raises so many sentiments and reactions that enable the dancers to put their hearts on the line. It is a wonderful vehicle for the dancer.I grew up on Giselle, starting in the corps de ballet, then Pas de Six, Peasant Pas de Deux, Queen of the Willis and eventually the title role of Giselle.

Who is your favourite dancer?

There are three exquisite women and it is impossible for me to choose between them, they are: Natalia Makarova, Darcy Bussell and Natalia Osipova – for me they are the epitome of dance.

You are an RAD examiner. Why did you choose RAD and do you still examine?

My original teachers were Gwen Hardie and Ann Roberts FRAD, ARAD who both taught the RAD syllabi.  I found the syllabi structure and exam preparation beneficial and certainly challenging. Therefore, when I commenced teaching, the transition to RAD was a natural progression. Becoming an RAD examiner seemed to follow automatically.

I will always be grateful to Martin Rubinstein for his mentoring and guidance when I was becoming an examiner in those early days and to this day. I loved examining, meeting the different teachers and exchanging ideas. I enjoyed helping to sort out problems and addressing the needs of the country teachers where little access to examiners or experienced teachers was available. I have travelled internationally and throughout Australasia for 33 years as an examiner. As an examiner, we all were continually updated with education in dance, psychology, syllabus and new methods. It has been a very rewarding career and I continue as an RAD tutor on different faculties for courses, workshops for teachers and students, and as a Juror for RAD events.

How would you like to be remembered?

Fondly – I hope!  But also for my lifelong love of dance and my devotion to my husband David and my family.

Top photo: Audrey Nicholls in the Pas de Trios from Swan Lake – Ballet Rambert 1954.

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

Dance Informa magazine is giving away cash to a lucky dancer and his or her studio. Imagine what you could do with $1000 cash. Imagine blessing your dance studio with $3000. Make dance dreams come true and enter today!
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Dance Studio Owners: Tell your teachers and students about this contest. The more entries for your studio, the greater your chances to win. How would you like $3000 towards renovations, new flooring, costumes, camps, audio equipment or whatever you need?

Direct from New York, one of the world’s premier classical Chinese dance companies is proud to present an all new production of Shen Yun. Performed to a live orchestra, Shen Yun dance spectacular highlights a revival of 5,000 years of civilisation from April 27 to May 6 at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre.  The show just previously toured to Auckland, Wellington, Canberra and Melbourne.

For 5000 years, China amassed a diverse legacy of heroes, myths and virtues that still resonate in the present. Today, Shen Yun Performing Arts is reviving the world’s most ancient heritage in full colour through dance and music. Shen Yun captures the spirit and grandeur of a culture long lost. The show moves quickly from one story, region and dynasty to the next. Down in the valley, ladies of the Yi ethnic group dance in rainbow skirts by the river. In the heavens, celestial fairies trail silken sleeves through the clouds. Resounding drums awaken the dusty plateaus of the Middle Kingdom.

After watching last year’s performance, Academy Award-winning actress Cate Blanchett said, “It was an extraordinary experience. The level of skill, but also the power of the archetypes and the narratives were startling. And of course it was exquisitely beautiful.”

The Shen Yun Performing Arts presentation of Shen Yun features gorgeous digital backdrops that extend across the full stage, transporting the audience to distant lands and eras. An orchestra, combining Western and Chinese instruments like no other, accompanies the dancers with stirring scores. Dancers fly across the stage in an array of flips, spins, jumps and aerials. The energy of classical Chinese dance is contagious.

The Shen Yun lineup of dance and music has been performed to acclaim in more than 100 cities worldwide. At the core of their performances is classical Chinese dance, but China’s numerous ethnic and folk dance styles round out the evening along with masterful vocalists and musicians.

Experience a blend of energy and grace with Shen Yun Performing Arts at the Capitol Theatre, 13 Campbell Street, Haymarket, Sydney from Friday 27th April to Sunday 6th May. For tickets and information call 1300 723 038 or visit www.ShenYun2012.org.

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

Theatreworks, Melbourne
April 12 2012

By Paul Ransom.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Playhouse, Queensland Performing Arts Centre
April 4 2012

By Marc Clayton.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Stephen Agisilaou is no ordinary dancer. His idiosyncratic journey from ‘loungeroom’ dancer to company director is one of Australia’s most refreshing and inspiring.

By Paul Ransom.

The rules do not apply to everyone. Take Stephen Agisilaou. He started dancing at eighteen and now, barely a decade later, has danced professionally here and overseas and fronts his own company.

When Vertical Shadows’ two latest works, the pas de deux Crimson and the larger scale On The Rocks take to the boards in May, Artistic Director Agisilaou will once again be living his maverick dream of narrative driven, theatrically inspired contemporary dance. Although he may not be the first to try this particular sleight of choreographic hand his self-taught insights into the marriage of strong theatre storylines and the beautiful abstractions of dance will doubtless be sitting at the heart of both works.

“It wasn’t so much choreography that I enjoyed but directing,” he says, recalling the original idea behind Vertical Shadows. “I enjoyed coming up with concepts.”

As a template for getting dance productions up to speed it sounds upside down. “The chorey kinda comes last,” he cheerfully declares. “I really blueprint the story and the staging first before we ever get into the studio to choreograph. The direction is at the forefront; but because I put so much into the process of the story telling, the chorey sorta comes easily.”

Stephen Agisilaou and Jayden Hicks. Photo by Eddie Hobson

However, Agisilaou is adamant that it is still dance. “It’s not theatrical in the sense that the dancers are playing human beings with personalities,” he explains. “It’s a contemporary piece, so it is abstract. But we do give the dancers direction about character and motivation sometimes.”

For company dancer Jayden Hicks, who appears in On The Rocks, the extra character background is clearly useful. “It’s always better to have a thought behind the movement, either from yourself or given by the director. You need an inner story. Whether or not the audience can tell what you’re doing they can tell from your face that you’ve got intention, that you’re dancing for something and not just for dance.”

It’s an important distinction and something that Agisilaou keeps in focus as he tries to stay on the right side of the dance/mime line. ‘Character’ motivation and narrative intention are restrained by the desire to create non-literal and more emotional forms of theatre.

For a piece like On The Rocks the challenge is to find a way of letting the audience see and feel the heroine’s situation without telegraphing it. Jayden Hicks is confident that the back story will be evident. “With the high divorce rate now and marriage just so disposable, I’m pretty sure that the audience will get the idea of this woman contemplating a separation,” he begins. “Everyone can understand what she’s going through. Y’know, she’s wondering whether she’ll be alone, or whether there are other fish in the sea – all that stuff.”

Vertical Shadows dancer Jayden Hicks. Photo by Chris Parker

If that sounds like a crisis of middle age, Stephen Agisilauo’s “18-25” cast may well be fortunate enough never to have crossed such bridges. As their director though, he is less concerned with life experience and more about presence and potential. “Mostly I need the cast to understand who they are in any space, at any stage, at any time,” he elaborates. “The show is not the kind of show where they need to be military in the way that things are put together, or exactly the same at exactly the same time, but because they are a young cast the progression and development rate should be quite high.”

Meanwhile, Jayden Hicks offers the following insight. “He’s a great director in that he lets you feel that you helped him to create the show. I mean, it’s his way or the highway but he’s not obnoxious about it,” he concludes with a grin.

It’s been a remarkable ten years since his father casually asked him if he wanted to take dancing lessons. Agisilaou has gone from self-taught ‘loungeroom’ dancer to company director, via a stint with Move The Company in Canada and choreographic guest spots on SYTYCD. Sometimes it’s hard work and graft that pays off, other times its inspiration that wins out.

Laughing at his ‘boss’ Jayden Hicks simply says, “I actually started dancing before Stephen.” Now that really tells you something.

Win a Double Pass to On The Rocks!
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Competition ends May 4.

Vertical Shadows presents ON THE ROCKS
Date: 9-12 May 2012
Venue: The Chapel Chapel Off Chapel 12 Little Chapel Street Prahran VIC
Tickets: http://chapeloffchapel.com.au/melbourne-comedy-theatre-art/melbourne-events/melbourne-live-music/on-the-rocks-9-12-may/

Top photo: The dancers of Vertical Shadows. Photo by Chris Parker.

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