Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, Sydney
5-6 April 2013

By Lynne Lancaster.

Fresh from the Ten Days on the Island festival, in a blink-and–you miss it tour, Sydney was privileged to have a short visit from Tasdance at Parramatta Riverside.

In an exploration of light and ritual under Annie Greig’s direction, the company brought us a delightful double bill of contrasting contemporary dance styles that showcased some superb dancing in a striking, unusual combination. Both works demand split second timing and controlled precision.

First was the late Tanja Liedkte’s Enter Twilight, created for the company in 2004 before her tragic death in 2007. Three women in short dresses (red, green, purple-brown) with white collars emerge from the gloom – are they figments of the male’s imagination?

The set design features large boxes that are lit dramatically from underneath/inside. Some of the choreography is doll or robotic like, reminiscent of an updated Coppelia. At other point’s Liedtke’s choreography is possibly Cunningham-inspired in parts, requiring angular arms, immense control and a very flexible back. A sliding robotic bourrée on high demi pointe at times was used (all the dancers have fabulous pointed arched feet) and also, a fast sliding-while-sitting movement.

It examines the paradoxes that exist within life’s rituals: the light, the dark, the virtuous, the evil. Are the females benign or dangerous? Catwalk, model-like movements are contrasted with rolling floor work and there is an emphasis on over-precisely placed fourth position. The music hums, beeps and crackles in mysterious synchronicity.

The audience was rocking with laughter in places for Byron Perry’s Light Entertainment, where light is interpreted through repetition, improvisation and mystical, frivolous and pure physicality. ‘Light’ as in mood, but also in the jumps and in the tubes of light that the dancers, all in white costumes, manipulate to form a square, or vertical lines, or as if sword dancing.

Introduced by a witty acerbic voiceover, the work begins with a stationary, slow rocking side-to-side motion, which is expanded as the dancers eventually move in a travelling, writhing mass. Much fun is had with the exploration of speech and sound rhythms and blocks of movement are made on the horizontal, diagonal and vertical. One section, possibly revealing a Bonachela influence, is quite ritualistic. There is a concert sequence and one of the cast almost goes to sleep – this develops into a wonderful dance contest duet of various styles including breakdancing, Irish dance and Michael Jackson-like movement. This then develops into a fun section for the whole cast, using voice patterns and rhythms again. For the entire powerful, pulsating, throbbing culmination, much fun is had with hand-held torchlights dancing.

A striking and original double bill, Luminous Flux was two diverging, innovative and accessible works from two acclaimed artists.

Photo by Jen Brown.

Sydney Opera House has regretfully announced that Spring Dance, Sydney’s popular contemporary dance festival, will no longer be held.

Sydney Opera House created Spring Dance in 2009 as part of the centres annual dance program.  For the first three years, it was curated from within the Opera House’s programming team. In 2012, the Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company, Rafael Bonachela, led the program.

The 2012 festival was an outstanding success.  Rafael’s inspiring leadership and varied, exciting program were whole-heartedly embraced, giving Spring Dance its most successful year ever. A special delight was the close Sydney Opera House/Sydney Dance Company collaboration that resulted in last year’s world premiere of Contemporary Women.

‘Agwa and Correria’ by Mourad Merzouki, presented at Spring Dance 2012. Photo by Jess Bialek, courtesy of Sydney Opera House

Unfortunately, even after such a successful year, Sydney Opera House has cancelled the Spring Dance program. As part of the Opera House’s current budget planning they have reviewed their projects and deemed Spring Dance as too expensive. Spring Dance was the most high-profile manifestation of the Opera House’s commitment to contemporary dance.

“While we have been happy to make this investment to support an art form that boasts a relatively small but passionate audience, we can no longer continue to commit the funds required to present it on its original scale.  Rather than present a diminished festival, we have decided to end Spring Dance on the wildly successful note Rafael Bonachela achieved in 2012,” explains Louise Herron, CEO, Sydney Opera House.

“It goes without saying that this decision has been made for purely financial reasons. In no sense is it a reflection on the truly outstanding work of Rafael and our close friends at Sydney Dance Company.”

While the dance industry morns over the cancellation of one of the country’s most adored dance festivals,  Sydney Dance Company and the Opera House plan to collaborate again in August of this year to present the Company in a new work.

“These collaborations are just one of the many ways we intend to continue to work together in the future.  And we will continue to present international dance such as Sylvie Guillem and Nederlands Dans Theater,” says Herron.

Photo (top): Promotional image for Spring Dance 2012, courtesy of Sydney Opera House

SDC leaps into 2013 with a stunning mixed bill performance in Sydney, before hitting the road to showcase the best in contemporary dance to audiences around Australia and internationally.

Sydney Dance Company’s 2013 season begins this month with the aptly named De Novo, from the Latin term ‘of the new’. Promising to be one of the most exciting dance offerings of the year, De Novo features the Australian premiere of Swedish choreographer Alexander Ekman’s Cacti, coupled with the world premiere of Emergence, a new work by Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela. For Emergence, Bonachela joins forces with composer Nick Wales, internationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Sarah Blasko and fashion designer Dion Lee.

Bonachela is thrilled to bring one of Europe’s most highly sought after choreographers to work with the company’s dancers for Cacti. “I’m really excited to introduce Alexander Ekman to Australian audiences,” says Bonachela. “At the age of 28 he has already created 35 works for some of the best contemporary dance companies internationally, including Nederlands Dans Theater, Cullberg Ballet, Gothenburg Ballet and Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet. In 2010, he was made associate choreographer for Nederlands Dance Theater 2.”

“Ekman’s Cacti is a totally fresh and engaging dance piece about how we observe art and how we often feel the need to analyse and understand it. Performed with a live string quartet on stage, it is joyful, intelligent and irreverent, and has been hailed by critics for all of these qualities.”

Dancers Natalie Allen and Andrew Crawford in Sydney Dance Company’s ’2 One Another’. Photo by Ken Butti.

Bonachela continues, “I am also thrilled to be working with Nick Wales and Sarah Blasko on Emergence. I previously collaborated with Nick on 2 One Another in 2012, and have been an admirer of Sarah for a long time, as a great artist, singer and poet. The fact that Nick and Sarah are friends and have frequently collaborated themselves, made a perfect opportunity to suggest that they work together with me on the music for a new production.”

Emergence will feature costumes by one of Australia’s most innovative young designers, Dion Lee, who Bonachela is also a huge fan of. “I have followed Dion’s work for a few years and he has also come to our shows, so we have been circling one another,” Bonachela jokes. “I can’t wait to see how he visually interprets Nick and Sarah’s music and my choreography, and translates this feeling to dressing the company’s dancers.”

Following De Novo, the company will take their acclaimed production 2 One Another to Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin in May, and then reconnect with the Australian Chamber Orchestra to present Project Rameau in Brisbane and Canberra in July and September.

“Sydney Dance Company is proud to present the same works in regional centres as we do in the major cities,” says Bonachela. “Audiences everywhere love great dance! It is with great anticipation that we look forward to travelling around the country and engaging with people who may not have had the opportunity to enjoy one of our performances before.”

This year the Company will also take an extensive international tour, returning to North and South America, and present a season as part of Sydney Opera House’s Spring Dance 2013.

Recognised as one of the world’s foremost contemporary choreographers, Rafael Bonachela has provided artistic direction and leadership to Sydney Dance Company for the past four years, and in 2012, also curated a highly successful Spring Dance program for Sydney Opera House.

De Novo, featuring Alexander Ekman’s Cacti and Bonachela’s Emergence, is now running at Sydney Theatre for three weeks from March 1 – 23. For tickets and further information about Sydney Dance Company’s 2013 season, visit www.sydneydancecompany.com.

Top photo: Sydney Dance Company’s De Novo. Dancers Jessica Thompson & Chen Wen. Photo by Ellis Parrinder

Sydney Theatre
March 1, 2013

By Renata Ogayar.

Sydney Dance Company’s De Novo premiered at Sydney Theatre Walsh Bay last night with three contrasting works: Emergence, Fanatic and Cacti all, which expressed elements ‘of the new’.

Emergence, choreographed by Rafael Bonachela, was a thirty-seven minute piece that collaborated musically with Sarah Blasko and Nick Wales. Dancers appeared in stillness amongst fluorescent lights horizontally placed on the floor, held by vertical wires that created a dimension of depth to the stage through the architectural lighting design of Benjamin Cisterne. Seamlessly flowing in and out of movement sequences, hints of Bonachela’s signature style were exposed through the new found choreographic language.  Dion Lee’s grungy yet sophisticated costumes of half blazers, nude tones and linear patterns gave intensity to the work, fusing focus, class and pop culture.

Fanatic was a superbly entertaining fifteen-minute work choreographed by Larissa McGowan. It was inspired by filmic notions and sci-fi homages underpinned by recurrent streams of pop culture. Plunging into the cinematic realm of the Alien and Predator series, the piece explored the obsessive fandom within the 21st Century. Embracing the movie star in all of us, the work was performed by Natalie Allen, Thomas Bradley and Chris Aubrey who shamelessly, energetically and comically gave their all, not only to varied and fragmented movements but simultaneously lip syncing dialogue of fanatics, running through fictitious jungles and battling sword fights in order to surface as the hero. A fun fuelled piece relative to many.

Cacti was originally choreographed in 2010 by Alexander Ekman for Nederlands Dans Theater 2 in The Hague. An apt piece of art that was incredibly humorous, polarizing the all too common question “what does it mean?” when one contemplates the meaning of modern artwork. The underlying concept of this piece is that art often speaks to the subconscious and the meaning is never so black and white, but should rather be interpreted and experienced how one chooses.

Intellect and humour engulfed the stage. Eloquent dancers entered the stage and orchestral players brought the piece to life. Evolving from eloquence to ‘a new decade of utopia’ the dancers aligned themselves, kneeling behind white boxes waiting in stillness and poise through inhalation.  Tribal beats erupted as the dancers beat the boxes in a synchronised yet quirky manner.  Erratic moves gave spontaneity to the piece leaving the us in suspense.  Before one could attempt to identify the meaning, the stage had transformed, boxes had moved with the random appearance and addition of cacti and the momentary freeze of sculptured bodies. Dancer’s rhetoric was demonstrated between two performers practicing a movement sequence. A parity all too familiar to those of the dancing world. The ending was drawn out in a comedic manner that created suspense and laughter throughout the audience as the dancers draw nearer and nearer to the end.

De Novo is highly recommended for an evening bursting with new creativity, bringing freshness to the scene.

Photo (top): Sydney Dance Company’s De Novo. Dancers Jessica Thompson & Chen Wen. Photo by Ellis Parrinder.

Sydney Theatre
Opening night – October 29 2012

By Renata Ogayar.

The world premiere of Project Rameau opened at Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay on October 29th. The collaboration by two incredible Australian performing arts companies, the Sydney Dance Company and the Australian Chamber Orchestra, resulted in an evening of eloquence and sophistication.

Sharing the stage to bring the piece to life, artistic directors Rafael Bonachela and Richard Tognetti together welcomed the spring season with creative ingeniousness and renaissance inspired work to Jean-Philippe Rameau’s 18^th century scores of the Baroque era.

Project Rameau was seamlessly divided into various sections with live music by Rameau, Vivaldi and Bach. The instigated dynamics and nuances of Bonachela’s work were complemented by simple yet sophisticated staging and elegantly understated costumes, allowing movements to sculpture the body.

The contemporary choreography in each section, which consisted of stylish movement phrases in response to orchestrated melodies, created a synergy between the two art forms. Sequences explored fluid circular and connective forms, vibrant lines, segmented and angular anatomical structures that fashioned motion and signature nuances underpinned by hints of classicism.

Kevin Chen’s solo was absolutely beautiful, as was Andrew Crawford’s exceptional extensions and commanding stage presence. Both poised and composed in their performance, contrasting contours to classical executions brought the music to life by form.

Evidently the collaborative work allowed the music to drive Bonachela’s choreographic decisions shaping the dynamics, textures, formalities and structure. The stage transformed in and out of sensual solos, duos and trios whilst the whole company interjected the space with directional and stylistic choreography. At one point ‘Vivaldi’s Four Seasons’ seemed to create an invisible force between the dancers and the ACO, bringing all the elements together.

The trans-generational encompassment of 18^th century scores and composition of contemporary movement created a unique form of poetical language that received an enduring standing ovation.

Rafael Bonachela remarked “We had a ball last night. There has been a huge amount of effort that has gone into to this collaboration and it is amazing that the audience loved it.  I know the dancers and the ACO really enjoyed the energy and excitement in the room. We can’t wait to see how the rest of the season’s audiences respond”.

By Rain Francis.

Creative Director Tony Assness has one of the most impressive portfolios in Australia. He is best known for staging incredible live events, such as the legendary Sydney launch of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rogue, the 75^th Anniversary of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and many summer and winter spectacles for Myer. He is also a stage and costume designer for theatre and dance, having worked extensively with Sydney Dance Company.

Although he finds it “so boring” to talk about the past, Assness’ journey has been an interesting one. South African-born, he and his family immigrated to Newcastle when Assness was 11. Teased for being different, he spent months on end in the relatively safe confines of the school art room or library, absorbing information and feeding his imagination. In his late teens he got a job as a design assistant at Sydney’s Nimrod Theatre Company (now Belvoir Street Theatre). After a year he left to study Visual Arts at the University of NSW, an experience he says was important because “it was the only time I have ever been allowed to fail”.

The decision to go to art school as opposed to NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Arts) spun Assness’ career onto a different path than the one he had envisaged. Finding it difficult to get work in theatres after graduating, he found himself working more in a corporate context. He has since delivered mind-blowing launches for companies such as Red Bull, Verve Cliquot and Foxtel, and orchestrated the 10^th wedding anniversary of Lachlan and Sarah Murdoch on Clark Island – to name just four from quite a stunning list of projects.

With his roots still firmly in theatre though, Assness professes that he loves to work in dance. In 2007 he was asked to generate a new look for Sydney Dance Company, which at that time had no artistic director in place. “It was the first time in 30 years that the dancers were photographed without Graeme Murphy’s direction,” he explains. “I was asked to create a brochure that heralded three new works that had not yet been created. It meant an entire re-imaging of the company to ignite new found interest.”

Tony Assness’ costumes for Sydney Dance Company’s ’2 One Another’. Photo by Ken Butti.

With the appointment of Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela, Assness returned to SDC, to collaborate on Rafael Bonachela’s first work for the new company, 360º . Assness designed sets, costumes and a large scale, integrated video component for the work. It would go on to be critically acclaimed, cementing a new path of success for one of Australia’s most loved dance companies.

The two collaborators joined forces again recently for Bonachela’s latest work, 2 One Another. By that stage, Assness was very familiar with Bonachela’s ethos, movement vocabulary and style of working. “Raf works in a very abstract way,” he explains. “There is always tension between something abstract and something very real and practical, which a costume needs to be – especially a costume for dance.”

He adds that knowing what a choreographer responds to is the “starting point into the world that is being created”. Bonachela, for example, sees the dancers as “shapes and forms, pieces of a whole and who they really are.”

“The dancers in Raf’s pieces are not playing characters in the sense that a dancer in The Nutcracker or Swan Lake would be a swan or a tin soldier,” Assness explains. “They are not even playing an abstract version of a swan or a tin soldier – and added to this, there is an absence of gender codes. I would not be asked to put a dancer in a dress or a suit.”

He admits that the costumes are the most demanding aspect of designing for dance; an ongoing riddle that takes the entire rehearsal process, and then some, to solve. Other elements, such as set and video, play support roles as they interact visually, but physically, they are separate. The costumes on the other hand, need to be like a second skin, and Assness wants the audience to see the dance, not the costume.

“I would like to create a costume that wasn’t there, that did not interfere with the dance in any way,” he adds. “It’s such a strange thing to design something that’s not there… it’s impossible, but this is something that I am always trying to do.”

So, what makes an outstanding costume for dance? Perhaps the obvious answer is that the costume cannot hinder the dancer, and it must be able to be washed every night, which significantly narrows the options in terms of what can be created. “There can be nothing extraneous, and there has to be an idea, a good one, that drives the whole thing,” says Assness. “The challenge, which is really exciting, is to take a restricted pallet and not be hindered by it.”

Maybe it’s this spirit of embracing challenge that has brought him to the top of his game. Although he is used to directing some of the most extravagant parties and launches in Australia, he says he would love to be asked to “design a Shakespeare with $300 and be told to do it all from Lowes.”

“I think in Australia you have to be very versatile,” he says. “I just focus on whatever I am doing and find a way to take that project to the highest level possible within the budget and time parameters that I find myself in on any given day. I think I am lucky and it’s a privilege to be doing what I get to do.”

Assness has lots of great advice for anyone interested in a career in costume and stage design: “Do whatever it takes to get a gig. Whatever that is, keep working and over deliver – and make sure you get paid. Try and get an agent who can mentor you and put you in front to people. Go to shows, read, travel, absorb everything and always be prepared. And perhaps go to NIDA. Learn to draw and study colour theory and teach yourself to write.”He adds that it is important to be a very good listener, and to be “fundamentally selfless. I never work from the point of view of ‘what I will get out of this?’.”

Keep an eye out for the much-anticipated 2013 film, Luhrmann’s The Great Gatbsy, in which Assness has the magnificent job title of Party Design Consultant. The combination of Luhrmann and Assness’ unique and lavish visions – plus Gatsby’s famed, decadent parties – equals the promise of some pretty wild visual feasts.

Top photo: Costumes by Tony Assess for Sydney Dance Company’s 360°. Photo by Jez Mead.

Correria /Agwa
Mourad Merzouki

Sydney Opera House
August 30 2012

As part of Spring Dance 2012

By Elizabeth Ashley.

Spring Dance 2012 curator, Rafael Bonachela, was determined to provide a dance program that was both challenging and inspiring to a wider audience.  His aim was to demonstrate that contemporary dance can be accessible, engaging and “for everyone. Dance that is full of joy”.

This raw energy and joy at the heart of dance is evident in the two-fisted work of Correria (running), and Agwa (water) by French choreographer Mourad Merzouki.

Merzouki worked with Rio-based street dancers with the intention to bring their street energy to audiences around the world. In Merzouki’s words, “I didn’t want this dance to just stay on the street. I wanted to bring it to the theatre…use costumes and lights… because for me, hip-hop isn’t just for young people or for the street, it can be for everyone in the theatre.”

The first piece, Correria, explodes on stage with the thunderous percussion of well-known Brazilian song Magalenha, as the cast of eleven male dancers fuse acrobatics, capoeira, hip hop and circus arts to explore the theme of speed and running. With little in the way of sets or props the audience hears film reels rolling whilst a video backdrop plays a jerky silent film of a runner cleverly mirrored by one of the live dancers on stage. The music is an interesting mix of jaunty ragtime, electronica and gypsy music.

Whilst the predominant dance forms are street based hip hop, samba and capoeira, Merzouki seems determined to place the dance strongly on stage without the expected hip-hop music, competitive gesturing and fashion of the associated cultures. Instead, Merzouki seems to be inspired by the aesthetics and music of the silent movie and jazz era.

The dancers convey hip hop’s versatility as they bring a street-based freedom and inventiveness to music as varied as samba, bossa nova, ragtime, tango and even opera.

In contrast to Correria, the second piece Agwa, is more colourful, light-hearted and witty as it comments on the planet’s most precious resource, water. The piece relies on utilising a grid formation to highlight the malleability of water with the choreography following a parallel inventiveness.

Unlike Correria, with its dispersed and almost monochromatic mood, Agwa is a brighter, more optimistic piece where the choreography combines collective regimentation with intervals of individual dancer engagement with the audience.  The clever use of glasses of water as stage props and the absence of distracting video backgrounds makes Agwa the more accomplished piece.

While Merzouki is determined to bring the streets to life on stage and remove the more juvenile and commercial elements of hip hop culture from his work, the two pieces seem somehow diluted by the transition.

The removal of all traces of conflict and competition, also removes drama, creating works that undertake wide-ranging changes with no apparent development. Whilst being inventive in some aspects of its vision, the choreography is emotionally unengaging and seems to leave the task of emotional engagement and investment solely with the music.

Eleven male dancers with similar dance styles also remove any degree of dramatic contrast that both works may have accentuated. The limited solo and partner work doesn’t provide sufficient change in the performance dynamic as we wait in anticipation for the burst of passionate innovation to be unleashed.

It’s only during the final breakout piece where the dancers finally seem to revel in engaging the audience beyond the constraints of choreography that we directly experience the hinted freedom and joy in their dance.

One wonders if in translating the vivid language of contemporary street dance culture to the contemporary dance stage something was lost?

Photos by Jess Bialek

iOU Dance Solo Series
Sydney Opera House, as part of Spring Dance
August 24 2012

By Nicole Saleh.

The Sydney Opera House warmly welcomed Sydney’s best independent solo dance artists to take centre stage for Spring Dance 2012.

The iOU Dance Solo Series featured six home-grown solos by talented choreographers, each performing their own unique work showcasing their versatility as an artist. This solo series was originally created as a tribute to the Io Myers Studio at the University of NSW, where many independent artists research and develop their works. From the rehearsal room to the Opera House, Spring Dance curator, Rafael Bonachela, has given these vibrant artists an iconic platform to share their creativity and artistic spirit to a much wider audience.

The evening started with a fascinating performance of Anton’s SuperModern 2.1, an adaptation of his full length work, SuperModern – Dance of Distraction. Dressed in a plain t-shirt and sweat pants with his feet firmly planted on the ground, Anton’s structured improvisation of his upper body with hectic and repetitive. Shaking and twitching movements from his head to his fingertips seemed to demonstrate the unrest we can feel by the constant bombardment of technology in our lives. Strong and powerful lighting direction enhanced this work, with light streaming onto the stage to form a square box. This conveyed a sense of being trapped, and that Anton was energetically trying to break free. Anton’s choreography and execution was highly engaging, and I’m eager to see how it translates into his full length work.

Martin del Amo. Photo by Jess Bialek

Another highlight of the evening was the simplicity of Craig Bary’s modern choreography, and his ingenious use of a chair in his work titled Awaken Absence for Josh. Craig explored the notion of how you can still feel a presence when a space is empty, as if it should be occupied. A specially commissioned music piece by Eden Mulholland, provided the momentum for Craig’s swift movements. His interaction with the chair was as if this object was a person, and he used all parts of his body from his hands, legs and even his head and neck to glide the chair effortlessly around the stage. His strong yet fluid movement saw him playfully jump, turn, tumble and envelop himself around the chair. Craig’s strong sense of emotion in his performance allowed him to easily connect with the audience.

Martin Del Amo presented two short works. Part 1, Disorientation and Part 2, What Good Is Sitting Alone In Your Room, a tribute to the style of Bob Fosse. In his second work Martin unexpectedly appeared in a short black dress and stuck a series of poses and static movements that mimicked the characteristic silhouettes of Fosse’s choreography. This highly unique work by Martin paid homage to one of the greatest choreographers of our time that has influenced both cabaret and jazz dance.

Bringing a spiritual flavour to the evening was Narelle Benjamin’s piece titled Nobody, inspired by Hindu Goddess Kali. With the jingling sound of bells and use of a sword, Benjamin’s amazing flexibility and core strength allowed her to twist and shape her body into yoga inspired poses and headstands that marvelled the audience.

It was wonderful to see incredible women showcased in this solo series including Kristina Chan. In her work Lost and Found, Kristina sought to find her place in the world. With a strong sense of curiosity, her movement at times was reminiscent of an animal in the way she twisted her arms behind her, along with alert and sharp head movements. Although this work did not showcase fully Kristina’s amazing ability as a dancer, it did strongly deliver the message of being on a journey to discovery.

Kristina Chan presents 'Lost and Found'. Photo by Jess Bialek

The last solo of the evening by Timothy Ohl, was a departure from dance in its purest form, to physical theatre. In this highly entertaining work, Timothy took on the persona of a reality TV star named Jack. Not taking himself too seriously he made fun of pop culture and the need for people to find fame. Essentially he is a ‘jack of all trades and master of none’. Competing to win a reality dance contest, Timothy showed his breadth of dance styles from tap to break dancing and even included a flash back to the era of 80s jazz dancing, complete with a sparkling blue unitard! He engaged the audience through his use of humour and cleverly incorporated technology into his work where he sang a duet on stage with himself on a TV screen. Even though this work pushed the boundaries of dance and entered the arena of physical theatre, the audience appreciated its relevance and gave it the greatest response.

With a varied and eclectic program, the iOU Dance Solo Series has successfully put independent dance theatre on the map for all to see, showcasing the diversity of talent within this dance community. Even in a world renowned venue like the Sydney Opera House, the artists couldn’t resist bringing a sense of local community to the theatre, inviting the audience after the show to join them in the Opera House foyer for a chat and a snag from the Aussie BBQ.

Top photo: Timothy Ohl performs at iOU Dance Solo Series. Photo by Jess Bialek

Sydney Opera House has unveiled a vibrant and eclectic program for Spring Dance 2012 – Australia’s only international festival of contemporary dance – curated by Rafael Bonachela.

Brimming with energy, and with an international flavour, the two week festival will be a celebration of movement, infused with Rafael’s spirit and his passion for dance. The festival, which will take over Sydney Opera House’s Western Foyers, includes an evening of four world premieres, three Australian premieres and offers up an assortment of dance and music styles to Spring Dance audiences.

Running from 20 August – 2 September, this year’s festival will get off to a sizzlingly sensual start when Sydney Opera House welcomes back Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. He will perform on stage for the first Australian presentation of Dunas, created and choreographed with renowned flamenco dancer María Pagés who will perform in Australia for the first time.

TAO Dance Theatre. Photo by Matthew George Johnson

The French choreographer Mourad Merzouki and his troupe of 11 dancers from the favelas of Rio de Janeiro will take Sydney by storm with their energetic fusion of hip hop, capoeira and samba with their double bill Agwa and Correria. By contrast, Beijing’s TAO Dance Theatre will also make their Australian debut, presenting the elegantly pared-back dances Weight x 3 and 2, set against the music of legendary minimalist composer Steve Reich.

Sydney Opera House and Sydney Dance Company will shine a light on female choreography with the world premiere of Contemporary Women – a series of four innovative works created by female Australian choreographers and performed by Sydney Dance Company’s dancers. The pieces, currently in development, will be further illustrated by a specially commissioned film and photography exhibition in the Western Foyers by Peter Greig.

Also celebrating home-grown talent will be Clouds Above Berlin choreographed and performed by Antony Hamilton and Melanie Lane; and iOU dance solo series which will showcase the best of Sydney’s independent dance scene.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and María Pagés’ Dunas. Photo by David Ruano

Spring Dance curator Rafael Bonachela said, “From the intellectual and innovative to the joyous and lyrical, there will be so much on offer at this year’s Spring Dance. For dance aficionados there will be some beautiful yet rigorous work presented by some truly inspirational artists. And for those people walking the streets of Sydney who don’t yet know that they love contemporary dance – we’re going to find them and welcome them to our community of dance lovers!”

Executive Producer Jonathan Bielski added, “We invited Rafael to lead Spring Dance not just because he is an artist of international acclaim, which he is, or because he is the most charming man in Sydney, which he most certainly is, but because he is a gifted programmer of other artists’ work and this talent is rare.”

Spring Dance will be accompanied by a series of on-site events including post show Q&As and artist-led masterclasses. The Australian Ballet’s Artistic Director David McAllister will lead a free outdoor ballet class and there will be a free jazz class taught by Rafael Bonachela and Ramon Doringo.

For the first time, the festival will be documented by a photographer in residence, Justin Ridler – keep an eye on the Spring Dance blog to stay up to date with his behind the scenes images.

There will be a one-off free film screening of Rudolf Nureyev and Robert Helpmann’s 1973 performance of Don Quixote for The Australian Ballet, introduced by David McAllister, offering a rare opportunity to revisit the first official public performance in the Sydney Opera House Opera Theatre.

The documentary film Never Stand Still, made at the Jacob’s Pillow festival in Massachusetts, will be screened at the Drama Theatre, offering an insightful glimpse into the world of dancers and choreographers. Tickets are $15.

Tickets for Spring Dance performances are only $35 and can be purchased via sydneyoperahouse.com or by phone on 02 9250 7777.

Top image: Mourad Merzouki’s Agwa and Correria

SDC’s Artistic Director shares his advice for the upcoming company auditions.

By Rebecca Martin.

“I will create a group of dancers who will be unique. A group who will inspire choreographers and make them want to work with us. It’s about blossoming and opening up … rebirth.” Rafael Bonachela, Sydney Morning Herald

Since Rafael Bonachela’s controversial appointment as Artistic Director of Sydney Dance Company in 2009, the company has gone from strength to strength. Sydney Dance Company has presented stunning new works with some of Australia’s best dancers, including we unfold, 2 One Another, and 360°, and toured locally and overseas to rave reviews.

Sydney Dance Company's Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela

Being a member of Sydney Dance Company is a dream of many dancers, and opportunities to join the company are rare.  This year, SDC is holding an invitation only audition in August for both male and female dancers.  Dance Informa picked Bonachela’s brain to get some advice for dancers hoping to successfully audition…

A contract with SDC is such a coveted position. Can you give readers an idea of what you are looking for in a dancer?

We are looking for outstanding dancers with demonstrated experience working with professional choreographers. They need to be creative, open-minded, highly intelligent, adaptable and also capable of following direction. Physically they need to be very fit with incredible stamina, strength and flexibility, and highly developed intrinsic core strength. They need to be confident with task work and improvisation as well as repertoire and be willing to question and challenge, and be challenged themselves.

Why is it essential for only dancers with vocational training to submit an application?

We find that these applicants are the best prepared for the way we work and can hit the ground running.  In our experience dancers who have been in full-time training are best prepared for the level of intensity, exactitude and endurance that is required in our dancers.

Given that dancers need to firstly submit an application for an audition, what suggestions do you have to help them have their applications stand out? Or are you simply looking for previous training/experience that ticks certain boxes?

Read our requirements carefully and submit your application according to this – spend some time making sure your CV clearly demonstrates that you have the right combination of skills and experience. Don’t neglect your basic CV skills. Use an easy to read, clear font and be succinct – 2 pages is enough! Also make sure you are using a recent headshot and that it is embedded on the first page of your CV so we can clearly and easily identify you.

Sydney Dance Company performs '2 One Another'

It’s also a good idea, for future audition opportunities, for dancers to attend our intensive week so that we can see you and put a face to a name when an application comes in. And of course watching our performances when you can is very important to get a sense of the repertoire and company ethos.

What advice do you have for dancers at the audition?

We will be providing more details to dancers who are invited to audition but a few general rules always apply such as being here in plenty of time and wearing comfortable dance clothes (including some form fitting clothes so it is possible to observe your physicality as a dancer).  Be mentally and physically prepared – you need a positive mind set and willingness to be creative and give 100% .

What can dancers expect when they join SDC?

The dancers can expect to work hard. The workload is high, however, the artistic rewards are there and we have some very exciting things lined up for the next couple of years. We do challenge our dancers and we expect them to always be fit for work. There is excellent support for their artistic development and care.  There is a great energy and goodwill within the company and we expect dancers to contribute to this ethos.

Sydney Dance Company is a full-time commitment. To give applicants an idea, in 2011 there were more than 70 performances across 14 cities and 5 countries. Usually there will be two major seasons in Sydney plus national and international touring. A standard rehearsal day in the studio is from 9.30am – 6.00pm, including class, rehearsal and breaks, but there are plenty of variations on this through the year. A standard performance day in the theatre is 12pm to the end of the performance.

What is your vision for the company?

At Sydney Dance Company we strive to create world-class work that stimulates audiences and dancers alike. We work with both Australian and international collaborators – each one chosen for his or her capacity to contribute artistically to a whole. I want to work with the best dancers and showcase the incredible talent of the Company on stages around Australia and the world.

Audition Information:

All applicants must have a vocational qualification, professional experience in contemporary/classical dance and be 18 years or over. Applicants must hold either Australian or New Zealand citizenship or a valid visa to work as a dancer in Australia.

To be considered you must be experienced in developing movement with a professional choreographer, display high levels of stamina and flexibility, possess strong improvisation skills and an understanding of Sydney Dance Company’s creative outputs.

To apply: If you meet the criteria outlined above then please send a current CV, ONE headshot and ONE full body dance shot to audition@sydneydancecompany.com. Please ensure all attachments do not exceed 1MB and that each attachment is saved as your Full Name as the file name. Only emailed applications to the specified address will be considered.

Deadline: Friday 13 July 2012. Late applications will not be accepted.
Successful applicants will be invited to audition on August 4 & 5 2012 in Sydney at their own expense.

www.sydneydancecompany.com/company/employment

Top photo: Sydney Dance Company in rehearsal.