The Sydney Dance Company’s national tour arrived in Perth this week after shows in Albany and Karratha, allowing audiences to experience Rafael Bonachela’s latest work momenta.
Bonachela’s choreography was filled with his signature ‘human origami’ moves where dancers twist, turn and transform in unexpected moves. Running as a single 75-minute piece, the energetic work was on one hand filled with energy, while simultaneously creating a meditative atmosphere that encouraged ponderance and reflection.
Teaming up with regular musical collaborator Nick Wales, the soundtrack was a mix of ambient tones, lush orchestral strings and occasional beats, bangs and blurps. The star of the show though was Damien Coopers stunning lighting design.
At the beginning of the performance a rack of lights hangs from the ceiling, just inches from the floor. The reflective flooring bounces back the light, the mirror images of the dances appear below them like reflections in the water from bright moonlight.
The stage is vast and barren, smoke slowly fills the space. Dancers standing deep upstage appear almost as ghostly visions, transparent. Those close to the audience become silhouettes with the bright lights behind them.
Throughout the show the lights slowly begin to rise, gradually climbing up towards the roof. It does look a little like a spaceship taking flight. Climbing up little by little.
The colours change; gold, purple, red, misty blue, all evoking different atmospheres. Constantly resetting the scene as dancer’s bodies fly across the stage, rolling, tumbling and twisting.
Wales score for the work combines his ambient sounds with phrases of Distant Light by Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks. It was great to hear Vasks’ melodies woven through the sonic journey, his work is exceptional.
Somewhere in my wardrobe I have a t-shirt with the slogan ‘Let me explain through interpretive dance’. Having studied modern dance for many years, and begun my career as a dancer, I always enjoyed the movement and athleticism, but sometimes smirked at choreographers who believed their creations of rolls and turns could bring about deep discussions or societal change.
I think contemporary dance is most enjoyable when it just presented as captivating movement. Journeys through a space that catch our eye. Before the performance commenced a company member welcomed the audience and just asked us to experience the work – let it take you wherever it takes you. It’s a dream in the shadows.
Over the course of momentos there’s impressive solos, duets and trios. Many members of the company have strong individual stage presence, they capture our attention and hold it. The highlights though we when all the dancers moved in unison, like flocks of birds flying high in the sky.
The Sydney Dance Company is at the State Theatre of Western Australia until 3rd August.
