Season’s Greetings and some highlights (and other issues) from 2024

Just recently a friend sent me some images she had taken in Adelaide while visiting the exhibition ‘Garden Cycle’ in the Adelaide Botanic Gardens. The exhibition consisted of works by American glass artist Dale Chihuly. ‘Is this the kind of thing you saw in Seattle?’ she asked. The question sent me back to my collection of shots taken on a visit to Seattle in 2013 when Chihuly’s work was on display, indoors and outdoors, in the Seattle Space Center.

This was an excuse to use one of my Seattle shots for the header image for this post. Chihuly’s amazing work has to be the best of many aspects of artistic endeavour.

• Best production: Coco Chanel. The LIfe of a Fashion Icon. Queensland Ballet

In 2024 audiences were treated to some spectacular new dance—the Australian Ballet’s productions of Oscar and Carmen spring immediately to mind. And I was thrilled by Silence and Rapture, the Sydney Dance Company’s exhilarating collaboration with the Australian Chamber Orchestra. And many more great shows!. But it was definitely Queensland Ballet’s production of Coco Chanel. The Life of a Fashion Icon, from choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, that takes first place for me. I was really pleased too to see that my review of this show for Limelight made the top ten reads of reviews for 2024. It came in as 10th even though it had been available to read for just six or so weeks.

Coco Chanel was beautifully choreographed, fabulously danced and totally absorbing from beginning to end.

• Keep an eye out for …

I am looking forward to seeing how Alice Lee Holland manages her role as artistic director of Canberra’s youth organisation, QL2 Dance, following on from many years of direction by Ruth Osborne.

I am also looking forward to seeing who becomes artistic director of Queensland Ballet after the sudden departure of Leanne Benjamin. It was a thrill to hear that Liam Scarlett’s Dangerous Liaisons, a sensational QB production going back to 2019, is on QB’s 2025 calendar. A good sign that the strength that Li Cunxin brought to the company may continue perhaps?

• Obituaries

2024 was a sad year in many respects. The following dancers, choreographers, writers and historians, who have had an influence on my writing and viewing, died during the year. They worked across Australia and elsewhere and I felt as though I was constantly writing obituaries.

Joan Acocella
Edith Campbell
Arlene Croce
Joy Dalgliesh
Roz Hervey
Rowena Jackson
Eileen Kramer
Hilary Trotter
Frank van Straten

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Have a great holiday season, and to all those who have logged on to this site over the past 12 months, my heartfelt thanks.

And more by Chihuly from Seattle.

Michelle Potter, 22 December 2024

Featured image: Dale Chihuly, Section of ‘Persian Ceiling’. Seattle 2013.