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.

Theatreworks, St Kilda VIC
Jan 2012

By Paul Ransom.

It remains a mystery to me why Paul Malek is not a dance megastar. His energy, generosity and prolific output continue to astound; and Unanswered simply serves to confirm him as one of this country’s best dance visionaries.

Malek’s Unanswered is a simple, understated call for compassion and understanding. However, it achieves this without ever straying into pulpit thumping declaration. Instead, it employs a stark, loosely metaphoric approach, with eight dancers inhabiting a bare, minimally lit stage and a choreographic palette full of classical grace and restrained athleticism.

Inspired by the callous stoning of a black swan by a group of teenagers, Unanswered takes as its touchstones ideas about equality and acceptance and weaves them around a series of elegant, interlocked vignettes. With string driven Baroque music predominating, it draws upon the traditions of Comedia, mime and even acrobatics to create a whole that is at once high concept contemporary and loosely narrative movement theatre.

Paul Malek’s choreography here is definitely helped by his choice of ensemble. Ashleigh Perrie is magnetic – almost translucent – while around her Haydn Shadforth, Jack May and the rest of the eight are tight and suitably dramatic.

There is an undeniable virtuosity here, a bristling but sensitive energy that seems to allow Malek to simply pluck magic from thin air. Unanswered isn’t a revolution – much less a diatribe – but its stripped back styling, technical rigour and emotional engine make it resonate long after the dancers have taken their well-deserved bows.

Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance, North Melbourne
October 2011

By Deborah Searle

Paul Malek’s Project Y presented the twisted, quirky, and intriguing Gallery at Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance in early October. Using the unique glass viewing windows of each dance studio, the youth dance company transformed the classrooms and centre walkway into a museum like space, as the audience was taken on a tour of the live art gallery they created.

The feeling was eerie and the dancers enjoyed making us nervous and uneasy as they muttered, screamed, slammed doors and danced with a grunge like rawness similar to that of Wade Robson’s Emmy winning Ramalama.  Dressed in differing shades of white and almost ghost like, the young dancers were engrossed in their characters and controlled, or out of control, when they needed to be. At times it felt like we were looking inside the windows to a mental asylum, although these young disturbed people could dance with strength and precision just as well as they could twitch and squirm.

I was impressed by the large troupe of young eager dancers, some as young as twelve. They performed with maturity and conviction. Although I thought the theme may have been a little dark for the younger dancers, they seemed to enjoy tapping into their crazy side and gave it their all.

A piece titled ‘The Ladies Who Morn’ was captivating. Three female dancers dressed in white and covered in little lights moved, melted and isolated with blank expressions and an almost creepy calmness. With only small movements they created a big effect.  I was impressed by both the dancers and the clever choreography, proving that sometimes less can be more.

Another stand out piece involved the dancers standing as couples in the photo frame like windows of one of the studios. They turned on little lights on the side of the glass to illuminate themselves and give the illusion of being a moving photo. One wondered what the real stories were behind the dancers in each photograph.

The dancers of Project Y are a new generation of standout artists who will have a big impact on the Australian dance scene as they mature. With regular opportunities to perform and work with some of Melbourne’s best choreographers these young dancers are being given an invaluable opportunity.

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

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

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

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

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

For more information visit www.collaboration-project.com

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

Photo by Belinda Strodder

Theatre Works, Melbourne
June 1 2010

By Rebecca Martin 

Upcoming choreographer Rain Francis took the helm of Collaboration The Project’s Project Y, a youth company developed to provide performance experience for young dancers, and created tonight’s work titled The Dream Machine. 

The piece tells the story of Ariel, “a heartbroken young girl who carries the weight of the world on her shoulders.  One night she experiences a lucid dream, where she discovers she is able to manipulate anything she desires, and has the courage to face her mysterious fears.  After her night of adventure, Ariel wakes to see the world through fresh eyes, with the knowledge that when you combine your waking, rational abilities with the infinite possibilities of your dreams, the world is your oyster.  They say that dreams are only real as long as they last; couldn’t we say the same thing about life?”

A synopsis such as this made me nervous, as it was doing the one thing that contemporary work fails to do on most occasions, and that is to tell a detailed story.  The tale of Ariel was particularly tricky given that a young girl was apparently capable of experiencing heartbreak and the burden of the world’s weight.  Lauren Thomson was cast as Ariel, and had the difficult job of bringing Rain’s character to life and telling the story without appearing trite. 

The Dream Machine opened with an amusing take on the daily bus commute with a cast of colourful characters, my favourite being the sleazy drunk guy that we’re all familiar with.  It became apparent early on that Thomson was perfectly suited to the role of the tortured lead protagonist.  She had a wonderful presence on stage and brought genuine maturity to the character, and from a technical point showed grace and some beautiful lines.   The dream sequence was mesmerizing – a pas de deux took place downstage while the corps moved in the background like the subconscious, seen but unnoticed, felt but untouched. 

The piece was quite busy, with much taking place on stage at any given moment, but it slowed significantly when the corps took to their knees in a line basked in a shaft of golden light.  As each dancer raised their hands above their heads, their hands were illuminated by the light, creating an ethereal effect.  It felt like the moment when a plane reaches cruising altitude and everything becomes quiet and calm, almost like floating.  At this point, Ariel began to interact with her subconscious for the first time, eventually commanding it.  At last, she had become the manipulator and was in control.

The Dream Machine gave the young cast the opportunity to develop characters and explore new ways of moving while performing on stage in front of a supportive audience.  Francis’ task was no easy one, but she created a piece that was complex yet very enjoyable to watch.  Her strengths as a choreographer lie in creating movement that tells the audience something while remaining beautiful and pure.  She combines bodies and movement into something greater than the sum of their parts.  Congratulations must go out to Francis, and the young dancers who executed the piece well and showed great enthusiasm and energy on stage.  Paul Malek’s Project Y deserves the industry’s support in order to continue to foster young dance talent.

Theatre Works, Melbourne
June 8 2010

By Rebecca Martin

Paul Malek’s Project Y followed up the previous week’s performances of The Dream Machine, choreographed by Rain Francis, with tonight’s premiere of Move.  The night promised a performance that would not let the audience sit still and a piece that combined contemporary and hip-hop dance styles.  Move delivered on both counts.

A performance without a story, Move presented us with a dance piece purely for the sake of dance and entertainment, which is a glorious thing for an audience member.  There’s nothing quite like being inspired and entertained by dance that is fun, well executed and choreographed with innovation.  The concept was a collaborative effort between Malek, Zoe Marsh, Jack May and Freya List, and their vision came to life through impressive use of the stage, lighting, music, and video footage.  Combined with urban choreography and costumes, the addition of street footage of Melbourne transported our city into another version of Los Angeles. 

While the choreography wasn’t groundbreaking – there are many creative hip-hop/contemporary works around – it was still inspired and imaginative.  The dancers themselves were in their element, clearly having the time of their lives.  The audience responded in kind, cheering and clapping enthusiastically throughout the piece.  The looks on the performers’ faces during the curtain call was quite something – they must have felt like rock stars with the enthusiastic reception the audience gave them.  While they may not (yet) be rock stars, the cast of Move were definitely stars this evening, and their youthful exuberance left me wanting to bust a move.

By Regina Green.

Emma Tierney is a young Melbourne dancer who has been performing with Paul Malek’s Project Y – a youth company which gives professional experience to dancers aged 12-22. Emma has been dancing for ten years, and currently dances every day at The Edge Performers School.

Would you like to make a career of dancing?
Yes. I want to do it all – musicals, contemporary, cruise ships. I like Sydney Dance Company, Chunky Move, and 2^nd Toe Dance Collective. I’ll keep doing Project Y for as long as I can, if I keep getting in.

What is the most valuable thing you’ve learnt from Project Y?
To be friends with the floor, to put your whole body into it.

Emma with her dance friends

And what has been the best part of this experience?
Making new friends, learning new dance styles, and dancing with different people.

What is Paul Malek like as a director?
Lots of fun. He’s really funny, but strict at the same time.

Describe a typical day of rehearsals.
We do a warm-up and then get straight into choreography. We learn pretty much all of it in the first four or five rehearsals, so after that it’s mostly cleaning the routines and changing little things to make it better.

We have half an hour break for lunch and then a few drink breaks, but otherwise we’re very busy the whole time – we’re really tired by the end of the day. We started with a four-day workshop and then rehearsed every Sunday from 11am til 5pm.

iOverload is about using technology too much; do you think you have iOverload?
Yeah I probably use it too much – mostly Facebook!

Would you recommend other young people to audition for Project Y?
Definitely. Go for it –everything about it is really fun!

Project Y presents ‘The Dream Machine’ and ‘Move’ this month at Melbourne’s Theatre Works, St Kilda.
Get your tickets at www.theatreworks.org.au

By Regina Green

Paul Malek must be one of Australia’s busiest dance professionals.  Just a week after presenting Stratagem, his latest work for his company, Collaboration – The Project, the tabs opened on iOverload, the latest work for his youth company, Project Y.

In 2009, Malek organised Immersed, a Dance Industry night held at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre, and plans are afoot for a second showcase, tentatively booked for this September. He also has his own dance school, Metropolitan Academy of Performing Arts, based in Seddon.

Between all this, he somehow finds the time to teach at Melbourne’s top studios, including The Edge Performer’s School, Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance and The Space. I told you he was busy!

What’s the most challenging part of what you do?
We, as a team, get together and create these performances on low budgets, so we wear a lot of hats. Instead of having the avenues to outsource assistance for things like graphic design, marketing and promotion etc, we have to do it ourselves. So there are many long hours and tired eyes getting through what we do, but when we get our desired result, it makes it all worthwhile.    

What gives you the greatest satisfaction?
The applause our performers receive after that first show, and then every consecutive show until we close – whether it’s 30 people or 500 people. The appreciation level from the audience, the relief and joy from our performers when they have succeeded in not only creating a dance work, but creating something that reaches out and makes the audience think about what they are witnessing. That is great satisfaction. 

How was Stratagem received?
It has been received wonderfully. It definitely makes the audience as a collective discuss quite in depth life, and the means to the end. This topic doesn’t always sit well with some people, so when that is the case, they instead focus on the performers. They watch in complete admiration of what the performers do with their bodies. The effort, commitment and true fearless attack to their work are something to be in awe of; I think that sums up most people’s reactions.  

What do you think has made Collaboration’s shows so strong?
I think the collective is very important – the group’s commitment to the show and the project. Everyone who comes in and works with us and creates with us feels that we are striving to make a difference, make something special and in turn continue to develop dance and the scene here in Melbourne. It is never about just one person, it is about the end result and what we then give the audiences to enjoy. 

A lot of your work features death as an idea or theme. What is the attraction to this theme?
I think death was always the unspoken aspect of my life. I couldn’t deal with the thought of it, and it has been frustrating- that endless question of ‘what is next’?

In saying that, it has never been a conscious decision to create works with a focus on death, except for Stratagem.  The focus is more on the experience of life, and because life ends in death, it as an element that features in our shows.

When you set out to create a work, what are you hoping to achieve?
A work that connects with the audience. Each individual is affected in different ways, and I want each audience member, whether they understand or not, to be activated mentally, and leave with not just the answers but also a few questions as well. 

In your opinion, what makes a great show, as opposed to a good show?
A show should take those watching it on a journey – whether literal or not – heightened with highs and lows, climaxes and resolutions. All avenues of the performance should also highlight each other: lighting, sound, choreography, and also the direction of the choreography and staging is very important. 

Which choreographers do you admire most?
Those choreographers who push the boundaries, who don’t necessarily follow trends, but create their own. Those who are true to themselves and their work. 

What are your goals with Project Y?
To give young artists the opportunity to expand their craft, whether that is with performances in Melbourne or interstate, with workshops or with rehearsal processes. To give as many people – who may or may not have future careers in dance – this chance to share in the production process, to go forward in their lives instilled with a love and passion for dance and performance. 

Are Project Y and Collaboration mutually beneficial? How do they work together?
They are. Collaboration is about giving Australian artists the opportunity to work together to produce works and perform on Australian shores. With Project Y already giving the opportunity to over 100 dancers since its inception, they are well on their way to achieving this. A lot of Project Y members also help out with Collaboration productions, giving them technical experience in the theatre as well. 

What is next on the horizon?
We have a couple of projects on the go including the full length production, Collection of Forgotten Treasures, which will be held over three weeks in November. 

Could you impart some advice to budding choreographers?
Just do it. Remember, dance may have expectations of what it should be, but that does not mean it is the way it has to be. Dance is movement, arranged in different formats, with differing dynamics, emotions and energies. The greatest choreographers of our time are those who, against critique, stuck true to their work, no matter how long it took for them to gain respect. Believe in yourself, and when someone tells you ‘no’, don’t dwell, take the comments and move forward. There is enough room in this world for everyone to create dance, so create, create, create. 

www.collaboration-project.com

By Rebecca Martin

Theatre Works, St Kilda, Melbourne
February 2011

Collaboration the Project’s latest work started with a bang.  Or almost didn’t start!  At the last rehearsal before opening night, one of the performers, Monique Dawes injured herself and was deemed unable to perform.  A frantic email was sent out from the company’s publicist to inform us that due to the complex nature of the choreography, the season would have to be postponed.  Fortunately for all involved, at the 11^th hour, a replacement was found, and Stratagem opened only one day later than scheduled. 

It was not hard to see how one could get injured performing in this piece, as it was violent, intense, relentless, fearless and chock full of complex choreography.  Full credit must go to Amy Vaughan who pulled off the seemingly impossible task of not only learning the work in one day, but performing it as though each movement was as natural and familiar to her body as walking.  Credit is also due to Kim Adam and Ashleigh Perrie who worked all day in order to get the production onto stage.

The premise of Stratagem centred on a virtual reality game show that had swept the globe.  Each week, the program saw four contestants “battle the virtual prowess of the mind in heated combat challenges for the chance to win six million dollars.”  In a theme reminiscent of The Matrix, the contestants were plugged in, yet no matter how real the simulation appeared, no harm could come to the players.  A virtual death created a re-setting of the program and the next challenge would begin.

This was a bold subject for a contemporary dance company, particularly one that is renowned for Paul Malek’s incredible lyricism and fluid choreography.  Stratagem was a stark departure from Malek’s previous works with Collaboration that addressed more traditional themes of love and sex.

The piece started promisingly with the sound of thunderous drums and the arrival of the dancers in costumes reminiscent of WWF fighters mixed in with 80’s glam punk.  The choreography was massive and the stage was not, so I would like to see this type of production in a more appropriate setting in order to give it the space to breathe that it deserves.  At times the flurry of movement and the sheer intensity of the choreography, coupled with the furious pas de deux, made the dancers seem larger than life.

The strength and stamina of the dancers was astounding.  Their energy never faltered despite the majority of them being on stage for the full duration of the 45 minute show.  Gone was the dream-like beauty that Malek has made the audience accustomed to, and in its place was a far more daring piece that succeeded in pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance, albeit with a few obtuse and clunky moments of choreography due to excessively angular shapes. 

The piece worked when the intensity was at its peak, such as the scene with strobe lighting and the entire company performing in unison. The effect was mesmerizing.  However, Stratagem began to lose a little steam towards the end as the ferocious battles that were so compelling gave way to melodramatic faux death scenes and the use of screaming from the dancers.  The beauty of contemporary dance is that movement can be the storyteller, and I feel that the use of pantomime is unnecessary.  In a piece like this when so much can be interpreted from a single movement, it can be best to show, not tell the audience what you wish to convey.

Nonetheless, Stratagem was atmospheric, exciting, daring and provocative. It proved that Collaboration the Project is absolutely vital to the Australian dance landscape.  We need more artists willing to be this daring and more choreographers as talented as Malek to pull it off.

Theatre Works, St Kilda, Melbourne
February 2011

By Regina Green

Project Y is the sister company of Collaboration – The Project. It has an ever-strengthening reputation for providing opportunities for young dancers to gain experience in a professional environment. Each season around 30 dance students and graduates aged 12 to 22 come together for six weeks to create a new work, which is then presented at Theatreworks in St Kilda.

iOverload is the latest Project Y creation, choreographed by Artistic Director Paul Malek, along with James Elmer, Freya List and Zoe Marsh. As the title suggests, it’s a comment on today’s world of excessive technology use, and its perils, through the eyes of young people.

 This is a huge step up technically from the previous Project Y production, It Sounds Silly by 2nd Toe Collective’s Adam Wheeler. Physically, the young dancers are pushed to their limits in the style we have come to know from Malek, through his choreography for Collaboration. A large element of hip hop is also present, which is perhaps the influence of the co-choreographers.

Each and every dancer in iOverload should be commended for his or her performance. As individuals they performed with conviction. As a team they worked with awareness of each other and of the stories they were expressing. The obvious enjoyment and dedication of the next generation of dancers is a joy to watch.

This is an exciting new company which is going from strength to strength. Project Y really does live up to its goal of creating opportunities for Australian dancers and emerging choreographers, opening the world of dance up to a wider audience. The success of their shows is a testament to the passion and commitment of the creative team, the young performers, Paul Malek and Executive Director Merryn Tierney.