Win tickets to the Opening Night performance of Expressions Dance Company’s award-winning R&J at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta Sydney.

Contemporary choreographer Natalie Weir’s R&J turns the classic story of Romeo and Juliet on its head, cutting to the essence of what is real, human and inevitable. Love plays a major role in all our lives, but as Shakespeare knew too well, it does not always guarantee a fairytale ending.

Set across three different eras, and telling three different versions of events, R&J shows us how unpredictable fate can be. The first story, set in a modern day city, is brutal and contemporary; the second, set in more ancient times, captures the romance of young love escalating towards a tragic end; while the third and final story, set in domestic bliss in suburbia in the 50s, is touching in its realism.

Playing at Riverside Theatres from Thursday, 16 until Saturday, 18 May, R&J celebrates contemporary performance at its most bold and powerful. For more information, visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au.

To Enter: Email info@danceinforma.com with your Name, Date of Birth, Email Address, Postal Address and Phone Number and answer this question: “Who choreographed R&J?” Entries close May 10.

Win tickets to Opening Night of Slava’s Snowshow at Theatre Royal, Sydney.

The multi award-winning international sensation Slava’s Snowshow storms into Australia for a limited season playing in Sydney from 11 to 23 June then travelling to Brisbane 26 to 30 June, Canberra 3 to 7 July and finishing in Melbourne, playing from 17 to 28 July.

Since its creation by renowned Russian clown Slava Polunin in 1993, Slava’s Snowshow has played to millions of people in more than 30 countries and 120 cities.

Slava’s Snowshow is a fusion of traditional and contemporary theatrical clowning arts, and a beautifully crafted visual spectacle loved by children and adults alike. The show brilliantly creates a world of wonderment and fantasy that transports the audience to a joyous dream-like place.

Polunin created his Snowshow following his sensational performance as part of Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria, drawing on the influence of artists such as Charlie Chaplin, Marcel Marceau and Leonid Engibarov. He and his company of clowns have taken clowning out of the world of circus, and brought it into the theatre.

Visit Ticketmaster.com.au for tickets to Sydney and Melbourne performances. Visit Qpac.com.au for Brisbane tickets and Canberratheatrecentre.com.au for Canberra.

To Enter: Email info@danceinforma.com with your Name, Date of Birth, Email Address, Postal Address and Phone Number and answer this question: “Who created Slava’s Snowshow”? Entries close May 25.

Photo (top): Expressions Dance Company in R&J.

By Kristy Johnson.

Elise May of Queensland’s Expressions Dance Company earned herself the title of ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ at this year’s Australian Dance Awards. Performing Artistic Director, Natalie Weir’s choreography for R&J (Romeo and Juliet), her rendition was described as “memorable”, “brave” and “emotional”.

Recounting the experience to Dance Informa, Elise is clearly still overwhelmed by all of the praise and compliments she has received.

Congratulations on winning the title of ‘Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer’ at this year’s Australian Dance Awards. How do you feel about it all?

To be honest, I was surprised and overwhelmed. It took a long while for the news to sink in! I really enjoyed the Australian Dance Awards ceremony and was completely in awe of the achievements of all the nominees throughout the evening. When my name was announced, I experienced a mixture of feelings. Expressions Dance Company had already done extremely well with Natalie Weir receiving her award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in Choreography’. Naturally I was very proud that R&J had received this level of recognition. R&J was a physically and emotionally challenging work in which we had all invested so much, and to be acknowledged on an individual level is such an honour. I felt, and still feel, very overwhelmed. The ceremony was such a celebration of dance and I was surrounded by so many talented people. I quickly realised I’m very lucky to be part of a strong and vibrant dance community here in Australia. I feel blessed to have a career here, and to have found my own little niche understanding of dance and choreography amongst such strength and diversity.

Elise May in Natalie Weir’s R&J. Photo by Chris Herzfeld.

What do you think Natalie Weir’s strengths are as a choreographer?

Natalie’s choreography is both challenging and rewarding to dance. I always observe her extraordinary ability to draw out the individual strengths of each dancer with whom she works. Her conceptual work, organisation and pre-planning is a meticulous and thorough process that allows her to enter the studio knowing what she wants to achieve. Having said that, she works with such an intuitive and innate understanding of movement and visual communication, that the process is also very organic and fluid. As a dancer involved in her process, it feels as though the process is an intimate conversation between dancer and choreographer that together creates the movement vocabulary for the work. Natalie has an amazing imagination and a real desire to tell stories and convey deep meaning to her audiences, and I think that can really be seen in her works. I feel so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with her.

What did you find challenging about R&J?

R&J is based on the overarching themes of Romeo and Juliet, featuring three versions of the Romeo and Juliet story set in three distinctly separate time periods. My 1950’s exploration of Juliet delved into emotional extremes: domestic bliss, extreme love and happiness, but also shock, the loss of a loved one and absolute despair. It became important in the early stages of the creative process to find gestures and specific ways of moving that encapsulated the essence of the Juliet character and the extremes of her emotional range. We were experimental in our approach to the movement, and spoke a lot about the ideas, but once we found a shape for the movement, Natalie then gave me space to let the characterisation evolve. Taking on a character of this nature for me was about commitment and trust. I trust Natalie’s direction implicitly, and I knew that if I was well prepared and was able to remain present and connected to the thoughts and emotions of the character, that I would be best equipped to make that ultimate commitment to the character in performance.

Elise May in Natalie Weir’s R&J. Photo by Chris Herzfeld

Where do you hope your career will lead?

My practice as a dance artist has always been choreographically inclined. Before I joined Expressions Dance Company I was working independently as a performer, choreographer and freelance teacher. I feel like the experience of joining a company has added a breadth of experience to my career. I have also been given choreographic opportunities with the company, which have extended and challenged me. It is also wonderful to get to know the choreographer and dancer relationship from both perspectives. I am particularly interested in film, moving image, installation and site-specific work. This year I began a part-time Practice-led Research Masters degree at Queensland University of Technology, where I have been collaborating with an animator and looking at the intersections between dance movement, animation and the moving image. It is really interesting working closely with someone from another discipline and letting this new information inform my practice. I hope to explore these areas more in the future, but I am also immensely enjoying my time as a performer with EDC.

Top photo by Fiona Cullen.

QPAC, playhouse.
September 27
As part of Brisbane Festival

By Marc Clayton.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Dance Energy, photo by Christian Aas

By Rain Francis.

This month, Australia’s preeminent dance companies will unite for a very special occasion. As part of The Australian Ballet’s 50^th anniversary celebrations, Arts Centre Melbourne will host Let’s Dance, for 11 performances only. This is a unique opportunity for dance lovers to see the very best of the best, from every corner of the country.

“In our 50th year I wanted a program that recognised that dance is a thriving part of our cultural landscape. From stages to school halls, thousands of people are dancing across Australia every day,” says Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet, David McAllister. “It was also a chance to bring the Australian dance family together to celebrate and to share the wonderful companies of our nation with lucky Melbourne audiences.”

The headliner of this un-missable gala season is the premiere of Tim Harbour’s Sweedeedee. Also presenting new works are Raewyn Hill and Natalie Weir, Artistic Directors of Dancenorth and Expressions Dance Company, respectively. Performing works never before seen on a Melbourne stage are Australian Dance Theatre, Queensland Ballet, West Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company. To top the evening off, Tasdance will present a short dance film.

To find out more about what is in store, I spoke to each of the companies involved in Let’s Dance.

Mia Heathcote, Steven Heathcote & Tim Harbour. Photo by Georges Antoni

Company: The Australian Ballet
Title: Sweedeedee
Choreographer: Tim Harbour

Australian Ballet devotees are in for a rare treat with Tim Harbour’s brand new ballet. Sweedeedee sees a return to the stage of beloved former principal artists, Justine Summers and Steven Heathcote. Himself a former Senior Artist with the company, Harbour has shared the stage with the pair, but this is the first time he has choreographed on them.

“Justine and Steven formed a partnership that was particularly cherished by audiences”, Harbour explains. “They both have a deep resonance on stage that I want to tap into. While neither is at the height of their virtuosic powers any more, they are both still beautifully vivid movers.”

The notion of the “Australian dance family” described by McAllister became the starting point for Sweedeedee. Playing the children of Summers and Heathcote will be two students from The Australian Ballet School – one of whom is Heathcote’s actual daughter, Mia.

Harbour has aimed to create something that is fun for cast and audience alike, as well as being a vehicle for this particular, unconventional cast. “I knew I wanted to create something that two dancers in their forties and two mid-teen children could deliver,” he says. “Steven, Justine and myself are all parents now and that has informed the piece too.”

Sweedeedee will be performed primarily to a collection of folk songs, including numbers by Woodie Guthrie and Leonard Cohen, played by a live band. With sets and lighting by Benjamin Cisterne, costumes by Alexis George and projections by Lily Coates and Gavin Youngs, this promises to be a sensory delight fit for a 50^th.

Dancenorth "Fugue"

Company: Dancenorth
Title: Fugue
Choreographer: Raewyn Hill

Inspired by Spanish bullfighting, performed to Ravel’s legendary Bolero and costumed by Sass & Bide, Fugue is sure to be quite a spectacle. Raewyn Hill describes it as “a relentless, trance like experience”, with seven dancers moving as one and pushed to their absolute physical extremes.

Hill researched extensively for this new work, and notes that “the bullfight is often referred to as a metaphor for a fight between mankind and death.” She has aligned this concept with the story of the ‘Dancing Plague’. This mysterious event allegedly occurred in Strasbourg in 1518, when people spontaneously began to dance and continued for days, some even to their death.

“The dancers have really embraced the challenge, and they give phenomenal performances,” says Hill. Be ready to be mesmerised by this exciting premiere!

Company: Expressions Dance Company
Title: Don’t
Choreographer: Natalie Weir

Natalie Weir’s brand new work Don’t is developed from a piece called Scripsi Scriptum, which explores the art of communication and the written word. “I thought the duet was very powerful”, says Weir, “and wanted to work further with the idea of a singular word and its emotional resonance.”

As with all of Weir’s work, which tends to explore “human emotion and connection”, the ideas presented in Don’t are ones to which we can all relate. As the choreographer notes, “sometimes we wish we could take back the things we say to each other. We forget the power that a word can have, its impact on others, and how easy it is to interpret or indeed, misinterpret.  The concept behind Don’t is very simple, but beautiful and quite sad at times.”

Australian Dance Theatre's "Be Your Self". Photo by Chris Herzfeld

Company: Australian Dance Theatre
Title: Be Your Self (excerpt)
Choreographer: Garry Stewart

Be Your Self is a work that has been informed broadly and from vastly different viewpoints. Amongst their eclectic training and development schedule, ADT often engages in meditation practice. Initial sessions were led by a Buddhist monk, who discussed with the company the nature of ‘self’ according to Buddhist principles. Garry Stewart also consulted with a professor of physiology about the ways in which emotions are connected to the body and “how the hormonal system interacts with the brain neurologically and chemically when we experience certain emotions.”

The resulting work is an “exploration of the human body as the starting point for defining the concept of self.” ADT performed a snippet of Be Your Self at the Australian Dance Awards in 2009, and Melbourne audiences were, of course, blown away. Though we’re yet to be treated to it in its entirety, I bet we’re all looking forward to getting another glimpse of this incredible creation.

Company: Queensland Ballet
Title: Cloudland (excerpts)
Choreographer: François Klaus

A sell-out at the 2004 Brisbane Festival and loved by European audiences, Cloudland takes us back in time to the iconic Brisbane ballroom that was popular from the 1940s to the 1980s. “When I was creating the ballet we were overwhelmed by responses to our calls for information”, says François Klaus. “People sent in delightful anecdotes, photographs and even CDs relating to their experiences at Cloudland. This story was very important to Brisbane life for a lot of people.”

Melbourne audiences will be treated to two lyrical pas de deux: Almost Like Being in Love and No Moon at All. “It’s a lovely production with beautiful sets, costumes, and music”, says Klaus. “The themes of love and nostalgia have universal appeal – the story is local in one sense to Brisbane, but people anywhere can relate.”

WA Ballet's Daryl Brandwood & Jayne Smeulders in Ombra Leggiera. Photo by Jon Green.

Company: West Australian Ballet
Title: Ombra Leggiera
Choreographer: Ivan Cavallari

Inspired by the lyrics from the aria Ombra Leggiera in Meyerbeer’s Dinorah, the dance evokes a dialogue with a shadow. It was originally a solo created for Daryl Brandwood, who would interact with movements projected onto a screen. “It was to have been staged in this format at the Quarry Amphitheatre”, says Ivan Cavallari, “however once we were there, it became obvious that the complex projections would be technically unachievable. Thus it became, overnight, a pas de deux!”

Ombra Leggiera is just one instalment in a trilogy of works set to arias sung by the illustrious Maria Callas. “For the moment I have choreographed the first two arias”, says Cavallari, “but I’m still undecided about the third.” So watch this space!

Company: Sydney Dance Company
Title: 2 One Another (excerpt)
Choreographer: Rafael Bonachela

Prior to a Melbourne season of 2 One Another in November this year, Sydney Dance Company brings a segment of its most recent work to Let’s Dance.

2 One Another celebrates “relationships, interactions and the sheer beauty of the human form”. Developed in collaboration with the young Australian poet Samuel Webster, it was enthusiastically received by Sydney audiences in March.

The Daily Telegraph’s Vanessa Keys calls it “an awakening, a major turning point for Bonachela”. Jill Sykes of the Sydney Morning Herald agrees, naming it the choreographer’s “best since he became Artistic Director.”

Company: Tasdance
Title: Momentary
Choreographer: Anna Smith

“Momentary is truly a short moment in time, a glimpse from what has been and an instant of what might be”, says Anna Smith. The short film is a development of Quiescence, one of Smith’s earlier works, which was born of the Conceiving Connections Research project in 2000.

An investigation of the poem Gum Trees Stripping by Judith Wright, Momentary identifies eucalyptus bark as a reflection of human experience. “[The bark is] a skin that reveals a history that often outlives our own”, says Smith. “People have wrinkles, scars and marks on their skin because they have experienced the elements of life.”

Bringing to life the rich, colourful imagery of Wright, Smith hopes that the film reminds viewers to see the beauty and wisdom in growing old, and to “appreciate and take notice of what surrounds us.”

Let’s Dance runs from June 7 to June 16 at Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre.
Book through www.australianballet.com.au or call 1300 369 741

Top photo: Principal dancers Rachael Walsh and Keian Langdon of Queensland Ballet perform the Cloudland pas de deux. Photo by Ken Sparrow.

Published by Dance Informa dance magazine -covering dance in Australia, dance training, dance auditions, dance teacher resources, dancewear and fashion and more.

By Belinda Adams.

Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts,  Brisbane
23 – 30 March 2012

Ten dancers, two choreographers and eight production team members, all from two very different countries, produced one very special performance.

Scripsi Scriptum was created out of a cultural exchange between Expressions Dance Company (EDC) from Brisbane and Cathy Sharp Dance Ensemble (CSDE) from Basel, Switzerland. Both companies have performed together previously in both Basel and Brisbane. They initially met during CSDE’s tenth anniversary season and ten years later have come together once again to create a program of new choreography with one theme.

The creative process began when the ten dancers shared hand-written letters to introduce themselves. From there EDC travelled to Basel to create and perform with CSDE. Scripsi Scriptum was born and was initially performed in late 2011 in Basel, receiving a very positive response from Swiss audiences.

The performance was created by Natalie Weir (EDC), Cathy Sharp (CSDE) and dancers from both companies. The outcome of this collaboration was two distinct works from each company that were bought together by not only the theme, but also by a short joint section created by everyone involved.

Scripsi Scriptum translated the written words of human emotion into dance. The performance took the audience on a journey through various forms of written and digital communication discussing how they reflect on our lives and hearts alike. Movement ranged from sharp and percussive through to velvety smooth lines. Overall, the dance itself was well executed and the movement played nicely into each dancer’s unique forte.

EDC shone, as always, with their strength, unsurpassed technique and emotive portrayal of the story behind the dance. All five EDC dancers were inspiring and evoked their characters’ true presence and persona. Standout dancer, Riannon McLean displayed her unwavering power as she seamlessly performed some complex lifts and partner work with the male dancers. David Williams also displayed great talent. He has a peerless ability to form exquisite lines with his powerful physique.

The CSDE dancers brought a very different feel to the choreography in comparison to EDC, but their performance was very enjoyable. The technique displayed by CSDE was very liberal but still rigid in its execution. The dancers tended to tell their own individual stories rather than give one unified performance, whilst still being able to stick with the theme. It was a very unique display that captivated the audience in its complexity.

Credit must go to both Natalie Weir and Cathy Sharp for bringing these companies together and also to the entire team for the wonderful production. Scripsi Scriptum was an engaging and captivating performance that was a unique mix of two very different dance companies. Brisbane audiences can only hope that this partnership of dance continues for many years to come.

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

Expressions Dance Company’s Launch Pad, an intimate in-studio season of short duets, will return to Brisbane’s Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art in February 2012.

Launch Pad was developed by EDC’s Artistic Director Natalie Weir in 2010 to give choreographers an opportunity to road test new ideas and Brisbane audiences a chance to experience contemporary dance at close quarters and in detail.

“Launch Pad is always presented in our studio at the Judith Wright Centre. I love the intimacy of the studio and welcoming audiences into our creative space,” Natalie Weir said. “I wanted to create a platform for creation, a program designed for genesis of ideas in a supportive and understanding environment, with a group of very talented dancers who are experienced in giving to the creative process”.

For Launch Pad 2012, Weir has extended invitations to local choreographers Lisa Wilson, Claire Marshall and Gareth Belling to create a series of duets on the EDC dancers.

“I asked Lisa Wilson to choreograph for Launch Pad because she is an exceptional creator whose work is very beautiful. Her choreographic career is really gaining momentum. Launch Pad seemed a good opportunity for her to be able to experiment with her style and play with new ideas,” Weir said.

Claire Marshall is a Brisbane-based choreographer known for her work across different mediums, including the very popular SlowDive, which since its debut in 2010, has been touring Queensland.

“I invited Claire to create a duet because she has been making very unique work as an independent artist. She has a very distinct voice and I am looking forward to seeing if she further develops this style or goes in a different direction for Launch Pad”, explained Weir.

Gareth Belling, company dancer with Queensland Ballet, will be creating his first contemporary piece on EDC in Launch Pad.

“I have known Gareth for some time, from when I worked at Queensland Ballet as a choreographer and he was in many of my works. He has always shown an interest in choreography and has created pieces for Queensland Ballet, which have been very successful. I am very happy to give him the opportunity to work with EDC. It will be exciting to see how he develops a contemporary duet”, said Weir.

“Choreography is my passion and I’m pleased that Launch Pad has been successful over the last two years, in allowing choreographers to develop their ideas and present new work and grow their own passion”, Weir shared.

Launch Pad 2012
February 21 – 25
EDC studio, Level 4, Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Art

Photo: EDC’s Jack Ziesing and Riannon McLean. Photo by Fiona Cullen.