Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2017 i Dance Australia

I’m super excited about the release of Australian film Dance Academy this month… and I’m sure I’m not the only 40-something planning a trip to the cinema. After all, who doesn’t love a dance movie? From Dirty Dancing to Black Swan, dance has long been a source of fascination for both film-makers and punters. Why? Maybe it’s the nature of the dance profession – competitive, physically and emotionally intense, the risk of injury relatively high, the career-span relatively short. There’s plenty of scope for an engaging plot. And then there’s dance’s combination of art and athleticism. The power of a good dance film should not be underestimated. As Michelle Dursun notes in “A boys’ own adventure” (Feb/Mar ’17 Dance Australia), 2000’s Billy Elliot (and the musical that followed) played a…

Recently, the subject of fitness in South Asian dance was raised, a topic often associated with contemporary and ballet dance. But if these genres have now embraced fitness and conditioning, how might this also benefit South Asian dance forms? As the body fatigues throughout a performance, the precision of movements reduces, movement patterns are disrupted and risk of injury is increased. These can affect the aesthetics of the dance and the overall performance, however the onset of fatigue can be delayed through a high level of physical fitness. Kathak involves short bursts of high intensity movement, with percussive movements of the legs and feet, fast spins, and expressive movements of the upper body. Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi can also be described as high intensity movement, but with added deep pliés as…

I’m a bit of an “all-foods” kind of gal, but I do have a soft spot for foods that pack a nutritious punch in a small, convenient and natural package. For busy dancers, these kinds of foods are the basis for a great quality diet, offering a host of benefits for both body and mind. Without further ado, I present to you one of my top five recommended foods - berries! Berries are popular for their sweet flavour and culinary versatility, but also offer many benefits from a nutritional perspective. Forget the marketing hype - berries in their most natural form from your local grocer or market are some of the best “superfoods” around. The berry season peaks from November to April but a strong industry means that they’re available…

Queensland Ballet BESPOKE BRISBANE POWERHOUSE, FEBRUARY 2017 Three works by three different choreographers, each exploring aspects of what it is to be human... Queensland Ballet moved across the river to the home of contemporary performance, the Brisbane Powerhouse, for “Bespoke”, its made to measure program of especially commissioned contemporary dance works. Three works by three different choreographers, each explore aspects of what it is to be human, thematically tying each to the others. Ballet mistress and creative associate Amy Hollingsworth opened the program with Glass Heart, a visually and aurally striking exploration of empathy, featuring all ten Jette Parker young artists. The work soars on the first glorious notes by singer Katie Noonan, who composed the score with electronic music producer, Callun Alexander, both performing live, while Cameron Goerg’s explosive…

CAPEZIO • SUNBURST LEOTARD – TC0039W Like the sun rising in the east, this leotard promises the start of a great day of dance. A dramatic asymmetrical sunburst blazes across your shoulder, while the front offers a sleek uniform look. WWW.CAPEZIOAUSTRALIA.COM BLOCH • ACHEMAR – L58827 Contemporary silhouettes with geometric designs are key to Bloch’s latest collection. Available in Black, Vivacious Red and Empress Green, The Achemar is a wide strap camisole leotard with a Powermesh feature bust. Model: Dusty Button, Principal, Boston Ballet. WWW.BLOCH.COM.AU BLOCH • ALTAIR – L58802 Bloch’s latest collection of dance apparel features modern designs with Powermesh detailing. The Altair – a criss-cross front, V back, cap sleeve leotard – is sure to impress in the studio. Available in Black, Vivacious Red and Empress Green. Model:…

Sydney Dance Company opens the 2017 season with the world premiere of the double bill, “Orb”, described as “an extraordinary lunar mystery”. Together with Ocho, the latest collaboration in eight parts by artistic director Rafael Bonachela and composer Nick Wales, “Orb” presents the world premiere of Full Moon by Cheng Tsung-lung, the artistic director of Taiwan’s phenomenal Cloud Gate 2. The work “harnesses the power of the moon and the mythology, fable and poetry of mankind”. “Living in our modern world, the vibrant city lights have endlessly fascinated me and occupied the interspaces of my sight and feelings at night,” says Cheng Tsung-lung. “. . . the moon, nature’s symbolic beauty of night, shines light into my eyes and helps me uncover the mysteries of the unconscious world which I…

Melbourne’s Dancehouse has expanded, and now boasts a new world class multi-use dance studio. Named Skylab, it is one of the first initiatives to be funded though the Room To Create fund, an initiative of Yarra City Council in partnership with Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation which is designed to create and maintain quality affordable and sustainable creative spaces and keep the arts in the area. SKYLAB is the first phase of a $50,000 package of creative infrastructure works for the contemporary dance hub. The opening of SKYLAB coincides with Dancehouse’s 25th anniversary.…

The West Australian Ballet is thrilled to have enticed the Cuban dancer Oscar Valdes to join its ranks. The dancer appeared as a guest artist in 2015 and thrilled audiences with his “placement, spectacular jumps, wonderful beats and never-ending pirouettes,” as described by Dance Australia critic Margaret Mercer. “For many decades Cuba has produced incredible ballet dancers who have shined all around the globe and Oscar Valdes is a perfect product of that amazing Cuban school,” says artistic director Aurelian Scannella. “I am thrilled to welcome him back to Perth for the joy and excitement of our public.” Audiences can see him in action in the company’s season of Lucette Aldous’s production of Don Quixote, which runs from May 11-27 at his Majesty’s Theatre in Perth.…

Melbourne’s Lucy Guerin company has appointed independent choreographer Prue Lang (pictured) as its resident director for the year. In 2013 the Company identified a need within the Australian dance sector to create a pathway for independent choreographers to transition into significant leadership roles. The position is offered to one choreographer a year – an artist who is approaching mid-career and is interested in running a company or developing a way of working more consistently than their current project funding allows. Lang has an impressive body of work as a choreographer, much of it in Europe. Most recently she presented a work-in-progress at Dance Massive in March.…

When I meet Holly Doyle late one afternoon, she has spent a full day in class and rehearsals at Sydney Dance Company’s iconic studios. Artistic director Rafael Bonachela has started choreographing Ocho, a new work that will form part of the “Orb” program opening in Sydney at the beginning of May, and choreographer Cheng Tsung-lung (the artistic director of Taiwan’s Cloud Gate 2) is soon to arrive. He will be creating a new work called Full Moon for the “Orb” program. Meanwhile the dancers are rehearsing some more familiar works in preparation for a season at the Joyce Theatre in New York. Despite being physically tired after a strenuous day, Doyle is happy to talk about her dance training and somewhat unusual pathway to a professional career with Sydney Dance…

WHY do audiences love pirouettes? Perhaps it’s because the human body is patently not designed to spin. Maybe it’s the danger factor… balancing on demi pointe or pointe is precarious in itself, but when you add rotation, the stakes are so much higher. Or maybe it’s just the sheer spectacle. Strong turns are a vital part of a professional dancer’s skill set. The very thing that makes pirouettes so impressive, however – the risk factor – can also make them daunting for the aspiring dancer. So what can you do to get on top of your pirouettes? We spoke to staff at the Australian Ballet School, the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and Royal Academy of Dance to get the lowdown on pirouettes. Anatomy of a pirouette What is…

Where were did you grow up? In Concord (inner western Sydney). Were you into design and or theatre when you were younger? Sort of. I was more in to the engineering side of design. I really liked to find out how things worked. Always pulled things apart to get to the inner structure. When did you first become interested? Probably high school. I moved to Balmain High in Year 9 and had a great English teacher. She and the drama teacher fostered my interest. It took me some time to finish high school (going to various TAFEs and colleges) because I ended up working in all the little theatres in Sydney and finding other things to do with my time. That work did put me in contact with designers and…

1 TANJA LIEDTKE FELLOWSHIP WINNER The winner of the 2017 Tanja Liedtke Fellowship is Lauren Langlois. An award-winning dancer, Langlois has earned a reputation as a vivacious and charismatic performer, working most recently with Chunky Move. http://www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/2017-tanja-liedtke-fellowship-winner-announced 2 ADT RETURNS TO MELBOURNE Australian Dance Theatre has just announced that it will be returning to Melbourne for the first time since 2013, this time with Garry Stewart’s ‘Be Your Self’. It will then tour a reduced format of the work to Townsville, Lismore, Toowoomba, Parramatta, Frankston and Mildura.www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/adt-returns-to-melbourne 3 MBC CELEBRATES 10 YEARS Melbourne Ballet Company will mark its 10 year anniversary this March with a contemporary ballet ‘Being & Time’, to be presented at the Hawthorn Arts Centre.www.danceaustralia.com.au/news/melbourne-balletcompany-celebrates-10-years…

Most people know Kip Gamblin from his many acting roles in television dramas such as Home and Away, Neighbours and Dance Academy. However, dancers know him from his time as an important member of the Australian Ballet and Sydney Dance Company before his good looks were snapped up by the film world. Now he returns to the stage in a role that combines those skills – as the leading man in The Bodyguard. Adapted from the 1992 film, The Bodyguard opened in 2012 in London. It will reach our shores on April 21 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre. Gamblin plays Frank Farmer, a Secret Service agent turned bodyguard who is hired to protect superstar singer Rachel Marron (played by Paulini) from an unknown stalker. The resident choreographer in Australia is…

Choreographer Sarah Boulter is no stranger to making work for the screen. She's been a choreographer for all three seasons of ABC TV's Dance Academy, and all three seasons of So You Think You Can Dance Australia, as well as a season of the UK version of the show. She has also choreographed for the Network Ten's Puberty Blues and ABC Kids show Giggle and Hoot. Now we're going to see her choreography in cinemas, when Dance Academy hits the silver screen in April. Featuring the cast of the television series, the film picks up 18 months on from Season 3's finale. Boulter’s break into choreographing for television happened “by accident”, she says. After spending eight years overseas, performing in musicals such as Notre Dame de Paris in London and…

The route to realising your ambitions is not usually the most expected one.” Q How do you recommend dealing with the transition from student and professional? What can I do now to make myself more employable as an artist and content creator? – Male, Tertiary Dance Graduate Dear Dancer, The period of transition from student to professional is challenging, uncertain and exciting all at once. On one hand you feel you need more experience under your belt to be given serious consideration; on the other, you know you have youth on your side with fresh ideas and energy. Rest assured, many directors and choreographers like hiring bright young things precisely because they are bright young things. Still, to get to that stage, and onto their stage, you have to have…

Go solo “Spend some time on your own,” says Weidemann. Find a spot in studio and turn. Try different things. Don’t film yourself. Be inside the moment.” Feel it “Pirouette with your eyes closed, rather than using the mirror,” says Dow. “The image a person sees in the mirror is not truthful most of the time.” Go back to the basics “Every pirouette starts with the simple information that helped you the first time you ever did one correctly,” observes Dow. “Sometimes that takes an external eye, a teacher or a fellow dancer, a choreographer, or even someone who knows nothing about dance!” Don’t compare yourself to others “For someone who is not a natural turner but needs to become a developed turner, it’s really important they don’t compare themselves…

In 2013, the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet, Sergey Filin, was blinded when a company dancer threw acid in his face. The spiteful barbarism of the attack made headlines throughout the world. The author of this book, Simon Morrison, uses it as the springboard for this 500-page tome that promises to be both a serious and salacious history. Morrison gained exclusive access to state archives and private sources to write this book, and it is thorough to the point of tedium. He begins with the company’s establishment as the Petrovsky Theatre in 1776 by Englishman Michael Maddox which burnt down in 1805. Following the Napoleon invasion, the theatre was rebuilt in 1825 in its now more familiar incarnation as a symbol of Russian identity. It was rebuilt again in…