Australian Dance Awards 2013

On August 5, this year’s Australian Dance Awards, the first held in Canberra, showcased live on stage a good deal of truly remarkable talent.. Whilst the Awards did a fine job of excerpting half-minutes of performances illustrating talents as various as lighting design, composition, choreography, and of course dancing, short bursts of video can convey only so much; so we were fortunate to have on stage not only the deserving recipients of almost all awards but also eight powerful performances in a range of dance styles.  And what a wealth of talent it showed.

It’s true that many dance styles were absent from this mix. Hip-hop, for instance, made no appearance amongst several contemporary dances; nor did we see a hint of latin.  But the range even of contemporary dance was a feast for the muscle senses: as various as an excerpt from QL2’s energetic Hit the Floor Together, Force Majeure’s excerpt from Never Did Me Any Harm, and Phly Crew’s aptly named Happy.  And, though some of the moves may have seemed familiar from street dancing or modern jazz or Michael Jackson, each performance was fresh, original, artful, and exciting.  That we had a taste also of the West Australian Ballet’s Swan Lake and Wayne Scott Kermond’s extraordinary tap talent amid a small ensemble was a bonus.

The physical virtuosity of three companies in particular who performed on the night cannot go without mention. Phly Crew’s superb control and coordination allowed its dancers perfect expression of the joy in the soundtrack accompanying Happy, continually urging one’s muscles to join in.

Sydney Dance Company gave perhaps the most physically demanding performance, an excerpt from its forthcoming Project Rameau (in conjunction with the Australian Chamber Orchestra), its energetic choreography fulfilled with perfectly beautiful coordination.  Along with rising talent Chen Wen, this featured Charmene Yap (Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer), whose understated fire was riveting.

But for clarity in communication through movement, nothing could outdo the delightfully original choreography of Force Majeure’s excerpt from Never Did Me Any Harm.  The conflicts, the difficulties, and the limitations of the new parents whom Kristina Chan and Josh Mu played, torn in their unfulfilled wish to raise their child in joy rather than in a power struggle, were almost overshadowed by our delight in how perfectly every step, every surprising move, reflected the piece’s accompanying monologue.  That dance could so aptly communicate the complexities of tragic young love came as a shock and caused much laughter to the point of dissipating the piece’s real tragedy.

One can always regret the great talents who did not perform, such as Ronne Arnold, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award, and Kimball Wong, recipient of the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer; but the night was already very full.  This was a big night.  The acceptance speeches, which varied from short and almost tearful to a rewarding intricate reminiscence by Dr Alan Brissenden (inducted into the dance Hall of Fame for distinguished services to the dance profession), without fail attributed credit for the received accolades amongst the recipients’ co-artists, families, and supporters, without whom, all of them said, they’d have been unable to achieve what they have.  This is a great aspect of dance in Australia: the true humility of the most outstanding artists.

Images (top): Sydney Dance Company, in 2 One Another awarded Outstanding Performance by a Company 2013. Photographer: Wendell Teodoro; (middle) Charmene Yap, awarded Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer 2013. Photographer: Peter Greig. (lower) Kimball Wong, awarded Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer 2013.

John P. Harvey

The 2013 Awards

Hall of Fame: Alan Brissenden

Lifetime Achievement Award: Ronne Arnold

Services to Dance: Shane Carroll 
Services to Dance Education: Jackie Hallahan

Outstanding Achievement in Youth or Community Dance: Tracks Dance Company

Outstanding Achievement in Choreography: Rafael Bonachela

Outstanding Achievement in Independent Dance: Antony Hamilton


Outstanding Performance by a Company: Sydney Dance Company 
Outstanding Performance by a Female Dancer: Charmene Yap 


Outstanding Performance by a Male Dancer: Kimball Wong


Outstanding Performance in Commercial Dance or Musical Theatre: Tap Dogs Outstanding Achievement in Dance on Film/New Media: Sue Healey