The dancers of Elizabeth Dalman’s Mirramu Dance Company are currently in residence at Mirramu Creative Arts Centre, on the shores of Lake George, Bungendore, rehearsing for L. The current Mirramu company consists of Dalman herself, Vivienne Rogis, who co-founded the company with Dalman, Miranda Wheen, Janine Proost, Amanda Tutalo, Mark Lavery and the newest recruit, Hans David Ahwang, a recent
21 June 2015, Joyce Theater, New York The Polish National Ballet holds a certain fascination for many Australian dance-goers, given the Polish company’s previous connections with Léon Woizikowsky and Raisse Kuznetsova, both of whom toured to Australia at various times. Kuznetsova, of course, also established the Polish-Australian Ballet, which was operational from 1939 into the 1950s. The company’s present director,
20 June 2015, Whitney Museum of American Art, New York Merce Cunningham made Crises in 1960 and it premiered on 19 August of that year at the American Dance Festival at Connecticut College. Made for four women and one man, it was, in Cunningham’s own words, ‘an adventure in togetherness’. He said: ‘I decided to allow for the dancers …
I recently had the pleasure of recording an oral history interview for the National Library with Marilyn Jones. I first interviewed Jones in 1990 as part of the Esso Performing Arts and Oral History Archive Project, so this 2015 interview was a follow-up after 25 years. The image below captures, I think, the essence of Les Sylphides and Jones’ ability to
22–24 May 2015, St. James Theatre, Wellington (and following national tour)Reviewed by Jennifer Shennan Dear Horizon—choreography, Andrew Simmons; music Gareth Farr Soldiers’ Mass—choreography Jiri Kylian; music B. Martinu Salute—choreography Johan Kobborg; music H.C. Lumbye Passchendaele—choreography Neil Ieremia; music Dwayne Bloomfield with New Zealand Army Band Rolf Gjeltsen, cello Graham Hickman, conductor This program is strong, the season short, dance and music
21 May 2015, Canberra Theatre Centre This is an expanded version of a review published by Fairfax Media online on 22 May and which will appear shortly in print in The Canberra Times [published 25 May]. Giselle is one of the great works of the balletic repertoire. Its story of love, betrayal and forgiveness needs powerful acting as well as exceptional
My review of Fortuity from Mirramu Dance Company with guest artists from Taiwan is now available on DanceTabs at this link. Elizabeth Dalman and her guests also appeared on several occasions during May in various public places and institutions around Canberra. I was able to see two such performances, one in the National Gallery of Australia and one in the Canberra
My review of Rotunda, a very special piece of dance theatre from Shona McCullagh and her New Zealand Dance Company, has now been posted on DanceTabs at this link. Take another look, too, at Jennifer Shennan’s comments on Rotunda at this link. Michelle Potter, 20 May 2015 Featured image: Scene from Rotunda. The New Zealand Dance Company. Photo: © John McDermott, 2013
16 May 2015 (matinee), Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House After feeling less than satisfied with my earlier viewing of the Australian Ballet’s triple bill of Ashton works—Monotones II, Symphonic Variations and The Dream—it was such a pleasure to have a second look and come away feeling much more fulfilled. Monotones II was danced by the same cast that I
1 May 2015 (matinee), Lennox Theatre Riverside, Parramatta Tukre’ means ‘pieces’ in Hindi and Raghav Handa’s solo show was a series of moments from his life—memories, thoughts, recollections. These intimate pieces from his life as an Australian of Indian heritage were spread across about 50 minutes of dance, conversation and projections. Handa is a beautiful mover and his qualities as a