State Theatre, Melbourne
March 22, 2013

By Rain Francis.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

$20,000 up for grabs for Australia’s emerging dance talent

Six dancers are in the running to take home Australian ballet’s highest honour, with the 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award (TBDA) nominations recently announced in Melbourne.

The 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees are Benedicte Bemet (Mackay, QLD), Cameron Hunter (East Fremantle, WA), Natasha Kusen (Maroubra, NSW), Christopher Rodgers-Wilson (Camberwell, VIC), Sharni Spencer (Tamworth, NSW) and Valerie Tereshchenko (Carnegie, VIC).

Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister, said he was excited for the group of young dancers as they began the first steps of their TBDA journey. “I’m also particularly thrilled that for the first time, the nominees will use Instagram to document their TBDA experience. Ballet fans can follow them with the hashtag #TBDA13,” McAllister said.

Telstra’s Group General Counsel, Carmel Mulhern, said the award plays an important role in recognising and rewarding existing talent within the company.
“Each year the announcement of the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees is such an exciting occasion and one that is highly anticipated. It is important we continue to support and encourage the next generation of The Australian Ballet,” she said.

Introduced in 2003 to encourage young Australian Ballet dancers to reach their full potential, the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award has catapulted some of The Australian Ballet’s brightest stars into the stratosphere.

Last year Senior Artist Amy Harris from Ararat in regional Victoria was crowned the 2012 TBDA winner. Her win was a case of third time lucky, with previous nominations for the esteemed award in 2008 and 2010. In both of those years she took home the public-voted Telstra People’s Choice Award, but last year was the first time she had won the main accolade.

Five previous TBDA winners have ascended the ballet rankings to reach principal artist status, including Matthew Lawrence (2003), Amber Scott (2004), Lana Jones (2005), Daniel Gaudiello (2007) and Kevin Jackson (2008).

Audiences can see all the 2013 TBDA nominees in action at the free outdoor event Telstra Ballet in Bowl in Melbourne on Friday, March 8.

This year’s nominees were chosen by The Australian Ballet’s artistic staff, previous winners of the award and principal artists. The six dancers were judged on their performances throughout 2012, the ongoing development of their skills and their support of fellow company members.

The winner, announced near the end of 2013, will be decided by an industry panel comprising of representatives from The Australian Ballet, Telstra and the media. The winner will receive a $20,000 cash prize from Telstra. The People’s Choice Award has a $5,000 prize and is decided by public vote.

To vote for your favourite dancer, SMS their first name to 0439 BALLET (0439 225 538) or go to telstra.com/ballet to enter online.

About the nominees

Benedicte Bemet was born in Mackay, QLD, in 1994, and started ballet at the age of three. She grew up on the Gold Coast and began her training at the Ransley’s Ballet Centre. She was accepted into The Australian Ballet School at age 14. In 2012, she joined The Australian Ballet.

Cameron Hunter was born in Bentley, WA, in 1991. Growing up in East Fremantle in Perth, he started ballroom dancing at age nine. At age 13 he made the move from ballroom to ballet after being offered a scholarship to train at the Perth City Ballet. A year later, Cameron moved to Melbourne to study at The Australian Ballet School. Cameron joined The Australian Ballet in 2011.

Natasha Kusen was born in Maroubra, NSW, in 1984 and started dancing at the age of four. She trained with Nicholina Kuner’s Academy Ballet in Randwick, Sydney. In 2001, Natasha won a scholarship at the Prix de Lausanne competition to study at The Royal Ballet School in London. Upon graduation in 2003, Natasha came home to Australia to accept a position with The Australian Ballet. She was previously nominated for a Telstra Ballet Dancer Award in 2010.

Christopher Rodgers-Wilson was born in England in 1987 but grew up in Camberwell, VIC, starting ballet classes at the age of six. He trained at the Camberwell District Ballet School before moving to London to study at The Royal Ballet School. Christopher joined the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2007 before returning to Melbourne to join The Australian Ballet in 2011.

Sharni Spencer was born in Lismore, NSW, in 1988 and grew up in Tamworth and Newcastle. She began dance classes when she was three years old and studied at Sally Kefts School of Dance and Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy before joining New Zealand School of Dance. Sharni joined The Australian Ballet in 2008.

Valerie Tereshchenko was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1989. She immigrated to Australia with her family when she was six years old and a year later took her first ballet class. Living in Carnegie in Melbourne, she attended a number of local ballet schools, including West Point Ballet Academy, Ballet Theatre of Victoria and the Australian International School of Coaching. Valerie later joined The Australian Ballet School. In 2009, Valerie successfully auditioned for a place with The Australian Ballet.

Photo: 2013 Telstra Ballet Dancer Award nominees Sharni Spencer, Cameron Hunter, Benedicte Bemet, Christopher Rodgers-Wilson, Natasha Kusen and Valerie Tereshchenko. Photo by James Braund

By Rain Francis.

In the Australian Ballet’s 50^th year Dance Informa is celebrating the company by highlighting the Ballet’s Principal Dancers each edition. This edition Dance Informa speaks with two of the company’s leading male dancers, Andrew Killian and Daniel Gaudiello.

Click to catch up on last edition’s interviews with Madeleine Eastoe, Adam Bull and Lana Jones, October’s feature of Lucinda Dunn, Yosvani Ramos and Leanne Stojmenov or September’s feature of Rachel Rawlins, Kevin Jackson and Amber Scott.

Andrew Killian

Born and raised in the suburbs of Melbourne, Andrew Killian says he was never very good at sitting still. Fortunately, for a Principal artist with The Australian Ballet, sitting still is not high on the list of necessary skills.

What’s your first memory of dance, or the first time you knew you wanted to be a dancer?

My earliest memory of dancing is as a child jumping around to my father’s records in the living room at home. When I was in year 11 in high school I really decided I would try to make dance my career.

When did you join The Australian Ballet, and when did you become a Principal artist?

I joined The Australian Ballet in 2000 and did a few years in each of the ranks. I was promoted to Principal artist in March of 2011.

Andrew Killian, principal dancer The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund.

What was your first role as Principal? 

It was opening night of the Sydney season of the triple bill British Liaisons in 2011. I danced Christopher Wheeldon’s After The Rain and Sir Kenneth Macmillan’s Concerto – both are great ballets.

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

Apart from having danced in some the greatest cities in the world, I think the moment I’m most proud of was being promoted to Principal artist, with all my family watching. It was something I had wanted for many years. It was so great for my family to share that with me. They have seen the sacrifices that have made it possible.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with, and why?

I have never danced any Forsythe work, that would be a challenge, and I’m looking forward to La Sylphide next year. I think the Australian production of this ballet is so beautiful.

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

I do love to sit on the couch and do nothing when I can, but in my time off I also try to travel. Experiencing other cultures and their history is inspiring.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

That’s a really hard question, because dance has always been my focus. I think I would still be in the theatre, maybe with the circus or something that involves crazy and talented people.

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Jiří Kylián is the master in my eyes, both as a dancer or an audience member.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

Being away when there are birthdays and weddings of family and friends – you miss a few of these things when you travel so much.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

If you love to dance then you are halfway there. You can’t do it without passion.

What do you love most about your job?

I get to travel Australia and the world doing what I love, with beautiful people who have become my second family.

Daniel Gaudiello

In 2003, Brisbane-born Daniel Gaudiello was seconded from The Australian Ballet School to do John Cranko’s Romeo & Juliet. A year later he was accepted into the company. Then, in 2010, he was promoted to Principal artist.  

What’s your first memory of dance, or the first time you knew you wanted to be a dancer?

I remember I went to The Australian Ballet’s production of Madame Butterfly and Divergence. I thought ballet was a bit boring until I saw Divergence and that was the first time I thought about how fun it would be to do ballet! I still love that ballet and it still gives me that feeling.

What was your first role as Principal?

The Silver Rose – and it was the very first three act Principal role I’d ever performed too.

Daniel Gaudiello, Principal dancer The Australian Ballet. Photo by James Braund

What has been a highlight of your career so far?

A career highlight for me was winning the Telstra Ballet Dancer Award in 2007 and an Australian Dance Award for Coppelia, because both times I had my parents in the audience to share my joy and success. They are usually in Brisbane and miss the big nights I have.

Which character in a ballet do you most associate with, and why?

The role of Petrouchka was a special time in my career, when I really let my guard down and let the audience see a side of me that I usually have to hide. It was a release for me and an emotional journey I loved putting myself through.

Which roles are high on your wish list?

Albrecht from Giselle, Onegin from Onegin, any spot in Bella Figura would be a gift, and Romeo again and again!

What is something most people don’t know about the life of a dancer?

For every up there is a down.

When you are not dancing, what would you prefer to be doing?

Camping on the beach, partying with family and friends or hanging out with my wife [Principal artist Lana Jones] and dogs.

If you weren’t a dancer, what would you be?

An actor or marine biologist.

Do you have a favourite TV show?

It has to be the series True Blood. I’m just a little bit nuts about it – ask my wife! It would make a great ballet, ha ha!

Who is your favourite choreographer?

Jiří Kylián, he’s a genius, and Marius Petipa – simply magical choreography. Ballet owes its life to him.

What is the most challenging thing about your job?

The politics and breaking down the stereotypes that have been created, to make way for new interpretations of roles.

Do you have a quote that means a lot to you?

Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we’re here we may as well dance.

What advice can you give to budding dancers?

Always remember who you are and don’t be afraid to create your own path, otherwise you’ll be following others.

What do you love most about your job?

I love that I will never call it a job, more like a hobby on steroids! If it’s a job for you, you are in the wrong place.

Top photo: Andrew Killian as ‘Onegin’ and Madeleine Eastoe as ‘Tatiana’ in The Australian Ballet’s Onegin  Act 1. Photo ©Branco Gaica

Sydney Opera House
December 2011

By Linda Badger

There are many advantages to creating a new version of something old.  Audiences are familiar with the old, and love to see the creativity that a new artist can bring to the original.  Graeme Murphy has created many brilliant, fresh interpretations of various classics for companies worldwide.  He has successfully managed to take on this new season in his career with gusto, and the critics have been raving about his work.

In December, Murphy’s adaptation of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet was showing at the Sydney Opera House.  His long time collaborators shone throughout the work, with Akira Isogawa on costume design, Gerard Manion on sets and Damien Cooper managing lighting.  Isogawa’s costumes were stunning.  The use of colour, line, texture and concepts woven into each detail of every costume was art within itself.   It brought new meaning to each character, and freshened up the entire look of the production.  However, it felt at times like we were watching a fashion show. I felt major sensory overload.  The costumes were just gorgeous, but they completely overtook and distracted from the choreography itself.  It was a display of costumes with dancers in them, not costumes with the purpose of complimenting the choreography.

The most memorable performances were that of the characters of Romeo and Juliet played by Daniel Gaudiello and Leanne Stojmenov. Both wore fairly simple costumes, and therefore their movements were the focus. The company all danced well, but the dancing was just not as memorable as the costuming. This was highlighted with the addition of a random second wedding scene, set in a Bollywood style. This again was a chance to show off the talents of Akira Isogawa, but it didn’t necessarily add to the storyline, nor did it fit in with the cultural setting of the show.

One of the most interesting changes, although slightly out of context, was the addition of a holy man who married the fated lovers. He was portrayed as a Buddhist monk. Within the scenes that involved this holy man and his acolytes, we saw some of the most inventive choreographic moments. These scenes were mesmerizing, but they once again added a completely new culture to the mix, which didn’t really make sense. 

I wondered the purpose of all these additions? In this case the additions were not in line with the story, the culture, or the setting of the ballet. If in the program there could have been some explanation for the choices Murphy made, we may have been able to piece together this work a little more easily. 

Choreographically, Murphy’s use of motif for Juliet’s character was interesting. It seemed very well thought out and her interpretation of the role was undeniably realistic and mesmerising, taking us on her journey through the work seamlessly. Murphy’s reputation for bringing something special out of a dancer was brought to life in this casting.

The use of multimedia within the work was ingenious. With screens being an interwoven part of the setting, not an added extra, they helped make each scene come to life.

Death was added as a character, and he was fantastic, adding a new interpretation on the lead up to the character’s deaths.  He made cameo appearances throughout the work, and the context within which Murphy weaved him into the story was clever.  If every addition had this much relevance to it, it would have made the work that much better.

The most captivating scene was within the final moments of the work, where the two lovers both committed suicide to be with each other in eternity. Gaudiello and Stojmenov’s acting was realistic and they gave so much emotion in their portrayal of their characters.  It was an awesome scene to observe. It really drew one in.  In this moment the show took us back to the original version, and we were finally able to focus on the dance, the story and where the two were emotionally.  Notably there were not the distractions of extravagant costumes or sets. The dancers felt more tangible, and their movement and role-play was what stood out.

This version of Romeo and Juliet is one that audiences either love or hate, or walk away confused with all the ideas that are thrown at them.  I think Murphy definitely pitched this ballet at a contemporary audience. Lovers of the classic may leave the theatre feeling as if this revival was not justified.  There were so many great ideas and concepts, but not every idea and concept needed to be used to make the show great.  The original ballet was definitely in need of a revamp to make it attractive to the modern theatregoer who may not normally attend the ballet, so bravo to Murphy and collaborators for such a bold attempt at bringing to life a classic.

Photo: Kevin Jackson and Madeleine Eastoe of The Australian Ballet. Photo by Georges Antoni

The Australian Ballet

Sydney Theatre
May 2010

By Dolce Fisher

This year’s theme for Bodytorque was ‘Muses’, a subject interpreted differently by each budding choreographer. The audience was treated to a smorgasbord of different dance styles, with displays of strong classical ballet, modern and contemporary dance.

Tristan and Isolde by Daniel Gaudiello was classic in style.  The choreography was very intricate and extremely demanding on the dancers, highlighting their strong technical abilities. Gaudiello definitely gave the audience a glimpse of his vision for the story as a full-length work.

Vivienne Wong gave us Touch Transfer. The work brought Wong’s inspiration of  ‘being lost in the stroke of a brush’ to life in movement. A simple, yet defined, choreographic concept, it was a beautiful work.  Her thought process involved much more than just the movement. The backdrop contained much detail of the actual choreography. A colour representing each dancer and the pattern of the brush strokes became a painting capturing the shape of the dancers’ movements.

Contour by Lisa Wilson, guest choreographer and current recipient of the Hephzibah Tintner Foundation Choreographic Fellow, showed a defined maturity and was more contemporary in style.  Dancer Dana Stephenson stood out in Wilson’s choreography and sat very comfortably in the movement style. The work felt like it needed to be performed in bare feet to really delve into the fluidity of the contemporary movements.

Alice Topp, a company member who is becoming very comfortable with switching hats to choreographer, presented Scope. This work was the highlight of the program, danced by talented Chengwu Guo, Natasha Kusen and Karen Nanasca. The trio was cast perfectly, dancing like they shared a deep understanding of one another. The work incorporated projected pictures of each of the dancers onto three individual cycloramas. With inspiration drawn from a photographic exhibition and the idea of the human body as a vessel for our actual being, the work had a peaceful spirituality about it. Scope was captivating and just beautiful to watch.

Closing the show was a work by Kevin Jackson discussing a relationship between a mother and her son. Expressed through the eyes of a mother as her son comes of age, it was a lovely portrayal of the mother/son relationship. The costuming seemed too minimal and distracting at times. Amy Harris showed immense use of extension with the choreography highlighting her amazing line. At times some movements seemed disconnected to other portions of the choreography and almost out of place, but the piece displayed some lovely partnering work.

Bodytorque is a wonderful environment for these young dancers to explore their creative talent and is nurturing the next generation of choreographers whilst challenging and delighting Sydney audiences every year. If only these new works could tour the country and been seen by other cities.

Photo: Dana Stephensen and Brett Simon. Photo by Paul Empson

The Arts Centre, Melbourne.
Saturday August 28^th

By Brian Nolan.

At The Edge Of Night              
Choreography Stephen Baynes
Music by Rachmaninov         

Solo pianist Duncan Salton, along with Orchestra Victoria, emotionally captured the thirst of the Sergei Rachmaninov seven preludes used by choreographer Stephen Baynes in the opening ballet At The Edge Of Night.

The set, which was rather epic and abstract, assisted in conjuring up the illusion of nostalgic longings and events depicted by the dancers. The ballet, which recalled the tender memories of people and events of lifetimes past, was set at dusk where their reminiscences were revealed. Here Baynes’ choreography allowed the dancers to tell their stories with quiet abandon and tempt us to immerse in their memories.

The pas de deux, performed by Olivia Bell and Damian Welch was danced skillfully, enabling Olivia to exhibit her superb facility. There were some lovely lifts, entwining the two dancers’ shapes and permitting attractive transitions, with tempting lines and structure. However, the interaction and identity between the two was lost as they were dancing in the dark. The lighting for me was too dim for this ballet, making the rest of the cast, who danced very well with only with a few timing and spatial errors, appear somewhat sullen throughout each of the sequences.

Memories can occupy our thoughts at any time and I feel if the stage was a little lighter it would have enabled us as the audience to immerse into and be a part of the work.

Brett Simon & Robyn Hendricks in At The Edge of Night. Photo Jeff Busby

Halcyon
Choreography Tim Harbour
Music by Gerard Brophy                   

The second ballet, by Tim Harbour, told of Greek wind goddess Halcyon who fell in love with a mortal man, Ceyx.  As with most Greek mythologies, this love angers the gods and tragedy results. 

Madeleine Eastoe was simply superb and perfectly cast in the role of Halcyon. Her beautiful legs and feet were exquisitely presented within the stylish and the provocative choreography, allowing her to flaunt her mesmerizing ability. Her mortal lover, Ty King-Wall, more than just assisted Madeleine. He presented her with passion and intent, enabling their skills to combine, creating exceptional dancing. Their first pas de deux had wonderful sculptured shapes and forms with some rather nice lifts evolving and transforming into detailed lines and images.

I enjoyed the 3D effect reflected in the heavens as it made the imagery of the gods more understandable and the storyline more realistic throughout.

Kevin Jackson dancing as Zeus and Danielle Rowe as Hera both gave commanding performances as did the entire cast.

I really appreciated the choreography and would be intrigued to see if Halcyon could be presented as a two or three act ballet with grander sets and better lighting. Like with At the Edge of the Night, I felt that this ballet lacked expression and interaction with the audience as it was in general too dim. I was straining to see faces. This was proven when the dancers did their curtain calls and I was astounded to see the lovely detail and colour in their costumes which had been hidden by the lack of lighting.

The Australian Ballet in Molto Vivace. Photo Jeff Busby

Molto Vivace                         
Choreography Stephen Baynes
Music by Frideric Handel

Molto Vivace is taken from the fetes galantes or gallant festivals of 18^th century France, where rich aristocrats enjoyed much leisure and grand parties. Two painters of the time, Fragonard and Watteau, who captured these festivals in their paintings, showed us different sides of human nature in their work and were the starting point for Bayne’s concept.

The ballet was bright (thank heavens) and the choreography was evocative, bawdy and erotic, with humorous comedy. It was very entertaining and one can only ponder at what artist Fragonard must have really been like. The set was a jigsaw of irregular shaped panels with secret doors opening and closing, revealing dancers standing, squatting, lying, entering and exiting in hilarious pandemonium.  

The cupids who ran the show danced around casting little spells (not unlike puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream), with at times hilarious effect.  The two male cupids, Daniel Gaudiello and his deputy Brett Chenoweth were wonderful. Their eccentricity, especially Daniel’s strut, and effected antics combined to give us some very fine dancing. Both cupids were ably supported by Dana Stephenson and her deputy Eloise Fryer. The Sarabande and the Vivace couples stole the show with their witty, animated and communicative telling of what was really going in their propinquity of France during that period.

Abstract shapes and forms as dancers were carried or lifted along with playful aberrant choreography enabled the cast to project themselves in an array of anomalous and comic representations which helped to create a satire of 18^th century France.  Continuous peeking by the dancers, at who was going with or doing what to whom, was the thread that assisted in joining the whole ballet together.

The costumes were bright, colourful, and perfectly suited to the ballet with the exception of Adam Bull’s opening white jacket, which appeared far too oversized and made him look somewhat out of place. However, later in the ballet he returned without the jacket and then looked perfectly at home.

Artist Watteau, on the other hand, had completely different sensibilities to Fragonard. Here Bayne’s pooled the Lady, played by Amber Scott with her suitors Adam Bull and Brett Simon in a sophisticated alluring and idyllic trio with both boys vying for Amber’s attention.

Adam Bull won Amber’s affections and in the pas de deux that followed the two combined to give justice to the meaning of poetic perfection! The two were as one. Simple gestures such as a hand under the chin and glancing into each other’s eyes with ardent devotion really brought us into the pas de deux. Exquisite line, beautiful feet and rotated legs, displaying a technique envious to most, enabled Amber to be presented so skillfully by Adam. The only disappointment with the pas de deux was that Adam did not do anything except partner (a little more reminiscence of the 19^th century). One does have to ask, “could this be the next great partnership?” Only time will tell!

The ballet was wonderful. Although I could see many similarities with several other ballets, and it was a little predictable at times, I commend Stephen for putting more comedy in dance – an element that surely draws us all in. I hope that Stephen continues to explore this arena. Bravo!

Top photo: Madeleine Eastoe and  Ty King-Wall in Halcyon. Photo: Jeff Busby

Published by www.danceinforma.com

Sydney Theatre
May 2010

By Rebecca Martin.

This year, The Australian Ballet’s Bodytorque season wove fashion into its theme, and brought to light its bond with ballet.  Consisting of new pieces created and performed by the company’s own dancers (with the occasional outsider brought in), each choreographer collaborated with young designers to create new works that focused as much on the costumes as the dancing.  The Sydney Theatre was the perfect venue for a season such as this, because it is modern and stylish as well as suitably intimate, so no nuance of choreography or design went unnoticed by the audience.

Fold, by Principal dancer Robert Curran opened the programme with the stark stage inhabited only by a percussionist at a drum kit and coryphée Stephanie Williams.  Williams performed a well controlled solo before being joined by Jarryd Madden for a fluid pas de deux.  Curran’s choreography was classical and elegant, and set to the sole sounds of the percussionist who remained onstage throughout the piece.   Amy Harris was a standout, with exquisite line and control and a maturity and presence that was impossible to ignore.  She was lifted, folded, and unfolded by the other dancers and brought great breadth to the piece. 

Daniel Gaudiello’s second Bodytorque outing as a choreographer (he created his first work in 2009) was South of Eden, a much darker piece than Fold.  The stage was darkly lit, with oversized frames suspended from the ceiling, as well as a rope, conjuring images of a dungeon or seedy night spot.  The soundtrack of heavy breathing lent a sinister air to the piece, but despite the dark elements, the choreography did not become harsh or angular.  Soloist Juliet Burnett was clad in suspender tights and a bondage-style mask but spun on the rope with a lightness that belied her external appearance.  What was great about this piece was Gaudiello’s willingness to take risks.  It was edgy with daring lifts, confronting costumes, haunting music, and a difficult topic of female escorts. 

The only female choreographer in the programme was Alice Topp, and Trace was her first foray into creating for Bodytorque.  Trace set out to explore the relationship between dance and design, with the motivation coming from the fabrics themselves. Topp explored the role of costume not only as a decoration but as something of functional value.  Often with first time choreographers, the work can have clunky moments where transitions look awkward, the steps lack cohesiveness with music and ideas can go unrealised.  Topp’s piece had none of these elements, but instead appeared as a vision of sheer perfection.  The choreography was seamless, and it flowed out of the music.  It was breathtaking to watch.  The two dancers wore flesh coloured costumes that were barely more than underwear, but extra pieces of fabric were stretched, twisted and removed, allowing for an entirely new choreographic vocabulary to be created.  There were moments where the movements seemed to suspend in the air as though time and space had been altered.  Topp is certainly a choreographer to watch.

Bodytorque again provided an excellent platform for new works by Australian dancers.  I look forward to next year’s instalment.

Photo: Birthday Suit ‘Bodytorque 2010′ photo Branco Gaica.