Bespoke

Now in its seventh year, Queensland Ballet’s Bespoke is a celebration of the fusion of contemporary dance styles, eclectic musical choices and fabulous costumes. It’s a super-creative playing field and a wonderful way to experience the talented dancers residing in Brisbane. Three pieces. Three choreographers. Three incredible imaginative worlds to experience with 40 dancers.

In the first dance, ‘gundirgan, wise woman’, choreographed by Katina Olsen (Co-Artistic Director for Dance Makers Collective), guest artist, Tara Robertson (Bangarra Dance Theatre) brings to life the story of Aunty Maureen Williams, a Wakka Wakka woman from Ban Ban Springs. The piece uses an ensemble of around 20 dancers from the First Company and Company Artists to create the Queensland countryside and settings in Maureen’s life – including church and fair grounds – to live music courtesy of Southern Cross Soloists (SXS), with Chris Williams (Maureen’s grandson and SXS Artist in Residence) on didgeridoo, joining more traditional chamber music instruments. The music by Seán O’Boyle AM and Chris Williams combines indigenous chants and didgeridoo with folk and hymns to tell an emotional tale of one woman’s struggle with colonialisation and her desire to remain connected to her country. Tara Robertson emits a graciousness and strength that makes this an emotive piece. In a unique pas de deux between dancer and musician, Chris and his didge glide across the stage followed by the mesmerised Tara – a joyful expression of Maureen’s affinity to her sacred land of the Rainbow Serpent. A musical and visual treat from start to finish, with costumes by Noelene Hill and lighting by Ben Hughes.

‘Birds of Paradise’, choreographed by Milena Sidorova, a Ukrainian-Dutch artist (Dutch National Ballet), proves that comedy and dance can go joyfully hand in hand. The fabulous ensemble, including Laura Tosar, Neneka Yoshida, Edison Manuel, Brooke Ray, Chiara Gonzalez, Alexander Idaszak, Jessica Stratton-Smith and Callum Mackie (Patricio Revé is scheduled for future shows) perform a series of vignettes that compare human courting behaviour to the dance of the Bird of Paradise. Consequently, the women are clad in beige while the men wear dayglo brights (costumes by Milena Sidorova and Timothy Corne) and show off their tattoos and best moves to attract a mate. Hilarity ensues amid the sweet sonic sensations of Django Reinhardt, Mama Cass, and Elvis Presley. One bird, performed perfectly by Luca Armstrong, is happy to be single and dance with a street lamp! This fabulous piece left the audience on a high.

‘Papillon’, choreographed by Jack Lister (Queensland Ballet and Australasian Dance Collective) features a scratchy, rusty, rhythmic sonicscape by Louis Frere-Harvey (Perth-based composer, percussionist and DJ), crazy fur and velvet costumes by Jack Lister and Zoe Griffiths, and atmospheric lighting by Ben Hughes to transport the audience to a post-apocalyptic industrial wasteland, inspired by the life cycle and survival of the butterfly. Dancers take to the rafters and walk towards the audience from the lighting rig, and emerge on the stage from an underground hideout reminiscent of something from HG Wells, giving the ensemble of Company Artists and Jette Parker Young Artists a cinematic piece to enjoy experimenting with. Their enjoyment fuelled the audience who enthusiastically applauded this collection of inspiring and energising scenarios.

Bespoke is a very popular event in Queensland Ballet’s repertoire and regularly sells out. It runs at the Thomas Dixon Centre until 3 August.

Find out more: www.thomasdixoncentre.com.au/events/bespoke/

Beth Keehn

Photographer: David Kelly