Symphony In C, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Wednesday August 20th 2017

"Symphony In C", Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Wednesday August 20th 2017

"Symphony In C", Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Wednesday August 20th 2017

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

The Australian ballet has redeemed their repuation after viewing a very ordinary performance of "The Sleeping Beauty" with the "Symphony In C" programme of works.  

In The Australian Ballet's annual subscription brochure this programme was advertised as "Symphony in C" plus two new one act ballets by Richard House and Alice Topp.  When I read that instead of the traditional triple-bill it was to be truncated into one act of five short works, including the two new works by Richard House and Alice Topp, I was not happy.  I wanted to see fully completed one act works by these two choreographers.

Gladly I can say that the night was worth it.  I can understand why the extra three short works were added to act one.  The two new works by these young choreographers were long enough to show their work and I did not feel cheated by the length of their works.  It is better to have quality than quantity.

Congratulations to the Arts Centre for the pre-show announcement with a slightly different message.  The gentleman informed the audience that there were five short works in Act One and requested that patrons please not turn on mobile phones and other devices in between.  People of course still turned them on, and one Stalls' usher shone her light to tell them to turn off their device.  Good on the usher for being so vigilant.  The view from the Dress Circle at times is like watching a Christmas tree light up with the rude patrons switching on their "Fear-of-missing-out" devices!

"From Silence" choreographed by Richard House opened the evening with audible gasps of appreciation from the audience.  The raising of the red curtain revealed the most sumptuously long red train hanging from the back of a Amanda McGuigan.  It was such a breathtaking opening.  Then when she was raised into the air there were more audible gasps of surprise as he had been hiding under the long red train.  The dancing was fine and will become more secure with more performances.  The four dancers did Richard House proud and with more confidence will relish in the beautifully constructed pas de deuxs.  Some of the lifts are tricky and with a new work the dancers need time to be in their "skin".  The first couple were juxtaposed with a second couple who wore costumes to counterbalance the odd splash of red.  Each dancer wore red in a different part of their costume and this is so in keeping with the theme of silence.  You never know where stillness or silence can appear.  The same with the slight red splash - we had to seek it out.

Costumes and Set Design by Kat Chan could have overpowered the work and added to what is hidden beneath the surface of any situation.  The union between dance and costumes paid homage to the iconic Alwin Nikolais.

"The Grand Pas Classique" choreographed after Viktor Bsovksky was brilliantly danced by Lana Jones and Brodie James.  Lana Jones, who has recently returned from maternity leave, danced with impeccable precision and accurate footwork that was like tatting a delicate lace table cloth.  I have rarely seen such precision in my fifty plus years of seeing ballet.  My heart was racing with the excitement and accuracy that this fine couple displayed. She was sharp and he was a fine bravura partner to show off his virtuosity.  Lana Jones displayed the most incredible finesse with epaulement and captured so nuanced movement qualities.  I was gasping and trying to remember the list of movement qualities that I witnessed.  One word: WOW.   Note the capital letters.  Repeat: WOW!
Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that I have not seen Lana Jones dance so well before.

"Pas De Trois From Imaginary Masque" choreographed by Stephen Baynes and costume design by Michael Pearce begins with the two, topless, athletic men on the floor.  The back cloth shimmers and reveals an exotic lady, Rina Nemoto.  Joseph Chapman and Cristiano Martino are strong and robust in this beautiful opening sequence.  They support Rina Nemoto in many complex sequences in a considered and fluid manner.  There is not a hint of doubt these men will honour this beauty as if a piece of fine porcelain.  This pas de trois teased me wanting to see more.

"Little Atlas" choreographed and with costumes designed by Alice Topp.  A large lit ring rose, angled and finally lowered to capture Leanne Stojmenov as if a prisoner of her own environment.  This was easily the best ballet so far and what competition had preceded this new piece.  There was a large curved beam upstage that also acted as a spacial divide between universes.

"Diana and Acteon Pas De Deux" concluded the first act of mixed works.  This pas de deux choreographed after Agrippina Vaganova and Joseph Mazilier was danced by guest artist Gillian Murphy and Ty King-Wall.  The audience laughed at his entrance as he wore a Grecian style tunic that was very camp and ridiculous.  His dancing and bravado made up for the historic and hysterical costume with his clean, sharp and polished technique. He displayed strong lines and crisp finishes to his sequences.  Gillian Murphy's angled her right wrist and poked her chin forward that detracted from her lines.  I do not know if this is choreographed but it looked corny.  "Diana and Acteon Pas De Deux" was my least favourite ballet for the first half of the programme.

After interval "Symphony In C" choreographed by George Balanchine begins with an opening tableau that received appreciative applause from the audience.

As an aside, remember the name Katherine Sonnekus as her photo did not appear in the programme.  Is she a new recruit, a contractor, a dancer on exchange with another company or from the Australian Ballet School? Who ever she is, she did not stand out but blended in with the style of the company.  I am so curious and look forward to seeing more of Katherine Sonnekus dancing with the company.

Leanne Strojmenov was in top form with Guest Artist David Hallberg in the first movement. They shone as a partnership with his assured support and his dynamic and explosive sautes.   He is as light as a feather and suspends in space with his ballon.  His batterie is sharp and precise.  

The second movement showcased the return of Lana Jones and this time partnered by Ty King-Wall.  They make a great duo and I look forward seeing them teaming up together again in the future.

The third movement saw Ako Kondo partnered by Chengwu Guo in another powerhorse pas de deux.

The third movement pas de deux was danced beautifully by Jade Wood and ANdrew Killian.

The corps de ballet framed the ballet with their neat spacing and accurate port de bras.  It is such a delight to see the dancers coached to display a consistent wrist shape.  One dancer on stage left in the opening sequence was so fragile that her port de bras required effort.

Overall the dancers were in top form and redeemed themselves with a great night of dancing.

Overall this performance obtained a 7.5/10.

Faster, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Wednesday March 22nd 2017

Faster, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne, Wednesday March 22nd 2017

"Faster", a triple bill of contemporary ballets was presented by The Australian Ballet at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne on Wednesday March 22nd 2017.

For those new to my blog I write about the holistic experience of attending the theatre. I buy my own tickets. So if you want a re-telling of the story please refer to the links for further information or for further insights.  Note, that I may provide different links for repeated main words or phrases.  I write for my memories of what I have seen, and is more of a stream of consciousness.

"Faster" comprises of three ballets "Faster", "Squander and Glory" and "Infra".

"Faster", choreographed by David Bintley, originally for the London 2012 Olympics.  The opening tableau shows the dancers in various athletic poses.  They rotate as if on a lazy susan and posture into their poses again.


The costumes by Bec Andrews were fun, and paid homage to some sports more so than others, due to the obvious clarity of design.

The backdrop included the black curtains scrolling into various formations - showing a lit area at the top, middle or bottom.  It was as if we were scrolling through the selection of television stations to choose our sport for the night.  There were lines marked on the stage and up the two sides of the wing tabs, giving the impression of the corridor for each athlete's lane.

"Faster" is a good introduction to sports fans to ballet, but It could be potentially a greater work with more clarity.  Sadly the choreography gets confusing, namely, the duet that appeared to have an injury and seemed to be about fighting.  Wait, my friend read the pages in the program and it explains something about it. Great ballets stand by the choreography, and you should not have to read to explain what it is about for it to work.  We should not have to decipher to interpret the body language. It should be clear.  Great ballets express the kinaesthetic emotional connection to the back of the upper circle in a theatre.

The choreography, at times, had moments of brilliance.  Sometimes sections came across as the local ballet school end of year of performance.  The choreography was passable for "So You Think You Can Dance" group numbers.

Compare David Bintley's confusing choreography to Nijinsky's "Jeux" , or to Graeme Murphy's football ballet "Beyond Twelve" or even to Robert Ray's "Poems"; you can see the clarity and definition of the sports.

David Bintley succeeds the most with the simplicity and clarity of the Walker role, danced with tongue -in-cheek conviction by Ben Davis.  It is also paying homage to the three times joke from "A Funny Thing That Happened On The Way to the Forum".

David Bintley also succeeds with the aerial section that begins with the high jumper, exquisitely danced by the ever-reliable Amber Scott.  She was supported by the magnificent super-heroes Nathan Brook and Richard House.   The two fine men are from the Corps de Ballet!  Wow - what do we have to look forward to in the future from these fine men?  These three stole the "Faster" for me.

The synchronised swimming section was, at times, anything but synchronised.  Choreographically, there was a huge opportunity of the flashy and over-the-top entrance by competitors, the robotic and Instagram-moment of their pose before they dive into the pool.  Sadly, these moments were lost as they were not choreographed into the ballet.  The dancers showcased just how good the real synchronised swimmers actually are.  Remember, synchronised swimmers dance under water and are more synchronised than these dancers were.  

The basketball section could have played with the use of the group dynamics more, rather than the four dancers performing the unison ball-bouncing, throwing or leaping sequences.  Yes they executed this reasonable well, though one dancer was clearly not hitting their poses as cleanly as the other three dancers - it looked as if they were marking or walking their moves.

The Marathon section reminded me of a poor cousin to Twyla Tharp's "In the Upper Room".  I actually did enjoy the criss-cross of different groups and the pulsating of the various formations. The costumes were appropriate and realistic for the runners.  I most admired the dancers for their aerobic ability and their commitment to this work.

This ballet obtained a 6/10 both for choreography and for execution.

"Squander and Glory"  choreographed by Tim Harbour was a real surprise package.  Tim Harbour  has developed into a fine choreographer, though the opening group sequence reminds me of something I have seen before.  I am not sure if it was the Taiwan ballet and the history of Taiwan or another ballet.  Tim Harbour used this opening sequence and then surprised me with the break away formations.  The alternate groups dance different combinations that harmonised his work in a way  that I have not seen before.  I was so excited and was keen to watch this ballet progress.  

The male costumes by Peggy Jackson were not flattering at all.  The costumes did not work for me with the leggings with the bunched up fabric and crease which is not conducive to dance.  From the B Row in the Dress Circle, the men looked as if they had varicose veins  from the knees down with the lighting, the leggings, or both.  

The setting had a large mirror, reminiscent of "A Chorus Line" as the backdrop.  A large sculpture hung from above.  We could see the conductor, Nicolette Fraillon, in the mirror at times.  

The positioning or staging of the dancers with the lighting was frustrating at times until I realised the use of the mirror was integral to the action.  The mirror was part of the choreography, and cleverly drew our focus to ensure we moved with the dancers to get the best possible view of them.  Sometimes we had to watch the dancers, other times their reflections or both simultaneously. 

The dancers were so committed to this work with their steadfast resolve to look their best.  The entire cast danced so beautifully and should make Tim Harbour proud.

I adored the final image: the twelve dancers lying on the ground in a semi circle with the two main dancers centre stage, while we could see the conductor, Nicolette Fraillon framed so clearly in the mirror. It was as if she was a part of the ballet orchestrating and overseeing their every move as if God.

This ballet obtained a 7.5/10 both for choreography and execution.

"Infra"  choreographed by Wayne McGregor  reminded me of a play "Aladeen" I had seen in about 2004 at the Melbourne Festival.  The play was about call-centres in Mumbai and then how some of the characters moved to London.  The reason why I draw the comparison is that both pieces had a heavy reliance on the use of technology as a part of the action.  The difference here was that the technology was not overpowering, the figures projected on the backdrop were a part of the action.

This ballet also reminded me, and paid homage to the pedestrian walking scenes from the brilliant Jerome Robbins' ""The Concert".   Although there were no umbrellas in "Infra", the technology was its substitute.

The dancers connected with the music and to each other to bring magic to life.  They created electricity on stage with their various combinations and formations in such a way that the entire cast looked like principal dancers.

The dancing was brilliant.  To think there were numerous principals dancing, all of the dancers stepped up to Wayne McGregor's complex and demanding choreography, and they all danced to such a high standard.  

I have to make special mention of the young male dancer in the white t-shirt.  I think it was Jake Mangakahia who took my breath away.  He owned the stage without upstaging anyone.  Whenever he danced I could not take my eyes of his performance with his pure lines, and his dynamic athleticism.

The costumes by Moritz Junge were flattering for the dancers and complemented the work.

The figures scrolling across the backdrop highlight the short concentration span of modern life.  As the people they walk across the screen, it is as if  they are swiped from a phone or tablet after a viewer gets their endorphin hit.  It highlighted to me the disposable nature of people, friends or family.  Wayne McGrego shows us about connection for people and the juxtaposition of disregard for others.

Wayne McGregor gets us to focus on the real dancers and challenges us with our short memory spans to appreciate the fragility of life.  Sadly some audience members still do not get these images or messages as they have their eyes down on their mobile devices.  My neighbour tapped the gentleman in front on the shoulder to stop him playing on his phone.  Sadly his behaviour was not conducive to the major sponsor he was representing!.

I would love to see Wayne McGregor create a ballet with technology to demonstrate how Benesh Notation works to demonstrate the complex art of notation, and to highlight the amount of memory and skill involved in precision and execution compared to what is the ideal or desired execution of a choreographer's vision.  

I look forward to one day The Australian Ballet performing a triple bill of Wayne McGregor's works. That would be magical and may "Infra" be a part of that program.

This ballet obtained an 8/10 both for choreography and execution.

The printed cast sheet had a font so small, it is was illegible by most trying to read the fine print. Many audience members were laughing at the size of the small print.  The quality of the printing of the nightly cast sheet has deteriorated.

Overall this production obtains a 7/10.

The Dream, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 10th 2015

The Dream, Australian Ballet, State Theatre, Wednesday June 10th 2015

The Australian Ballet presented a triple bill of works by Sir Frederick Ashton.  Two were more successful than the third.

"Monotones" was my favourite work of the evening.  We were entertained by what I think was the B Cast.  Amanda McGuigan is so supple and this flexibility is a pre-requisite for the choreography as she was dragged, spun and postured into extreme positions.  Some of these positions were en pointe and Amanda McGuigan held these definite positions with strength, grace and dignity.  The men were like the frame to her pictures.  They too became the picture with such masculine poise and assurance.

"Monotones" reminded me of the Ruth St Dennis musical visualisations, as the choreography sang from the first movements with the musical score by Erik Satie.

Occasionally there was a dent in their lines as the wrists were not consistent in their requisite angularity or softness.  One of the males had a wider fifth en haut position and it jarred from the other two.  Congratulations to the cast also comprising Brodie James and Richard House.

I have seen the second ballet "Symphonic Variations" both on film and by another company many years ago.    "Symphonic Variations"  was the least satisfying work of the evening for a number of reasons.  Firstly, it was most of the dancers first night performance as an entire cast together.  They were either the E or F cast (depending on how you read the cast lists on the Australian Ballet website.)  Secondly, the clarity of the choreography at times seemed very vague, particularly the sharp changes of direction.  At times, it was quite messy to say the least.  Thirdly, the footwork was sloppy and ill-defined at times.  I appreciate that the footwork is tricky but it looked very under-rehearsed at times.  I wanted crispness and definition and confidence at all times.

It was great to see Christiano Martino sporting his hairy chest rather than the fashion of shaved chests.  He was a terrific partner and will make a great Spartacus in the future due to his robust masculinity, strength and assurance.

The most obvious and glaring moment was the devellope to arabesque by Natasha Kusch with a sloppy foot that finished with the pointed foot on the extension.  But then there is more!  Not the steak knives!  No, the kink of the foot (the cheating sickle) to give the impression of the longer line.  I would have preferred a cleaner devellope with a pointed foot all of the way rather than the added punctuation mark!  This jarred and emphasised that her style looked of place to the other dancers. Sir Frederick Ashton has a particular lyrical style that all dancers need to comply with.

Musically the timing of the port de bras varied between the dancers.  Some were on the beat, others slightly behind and one lagged behind the other dancers with their port de bras.  This was not a canon!  It was more like a stutter as the timing looked wrong.

I have seen these dancers in better form and know that they will all become cleaner with their execution.  One not so good performance does not make you a bad dancer!  You are all exceptional dancers and I would be remiss if I did not call it honestly as I saw it. It just looked under rehearsed.

Oh yes and who can forget our regular TWANKERS in the Stalls with their mobile phones?    Bored darlings?  Why bother coming to the ballet to show everyone your photos during the performance?  The lighting cue change is for the lighting technicians not for the our resident TWANKER! The light flashes and distracts us in the Dress Circle.  But sorry ladies it is all about you in D Row in the stalls.   I reported this to the Dress Circle usher and sadly this D Row Stalls violator continued during "The Dream."

I have been fortunate to see "The Dream" many times over the years both on film and live.  There were some great performances and a few wonderful surprises.

The first surprise is the cover of the programme.  Where was this costume in the production?  Neither my partner, myself or our regular neighbours recognised this advertising logo for the ballet.    There was a paler green costume worn by Oberon but nothing like this photo.  It seems a little deceptive.  Oh but they call it marketing!

We were entertained by the B Cast.  Lana Jones was exquisite as Titania and was ably supported by the coryphee,  Jared Wright.  What a terrific partnership and we are so honoured to see this young man develop and support such a sublime Lana Jones.

The fool proof role is Puck which is a fun role but requires superb technique to master some of the complex jumps.  Brett Chynowyth danced superbly as Puck with his spiritedly cheekiness and well defined characterisation.  Brett's ronde de jambe en 'lair saute were clean, crisp and bouncy. Brett has a tennis ball accuracy to his ballon.  His batterie was clean, sharp and accurate.

I have seen a young man develop over the years.  In his early days in the corps de ballet Jacob Sofer had a stiffness.  Now, Jacob Sofer commands the stage as if he owns it.  His body stiffness went years ago and he now dances with pure confidence and assurance.    A joy to watch particularly with his comedic timing.

The first couple Lysander (Rudy Hawkes) and Hernia (Dimtry Azoury) were terrific.  Alongside the unhappy Helena (Natasha Kusen) and Demetrius (Jacob Sofer) provided some of the funniest moments of the night.  These four dancers worked together to create such wonderful memories with their comedic timing and beautiful character dancing.   These fine dancers had the audience in the palm of their hands.

I have seen Bottom danced well before.  Christopher Rogers-Wilson did not dance Bottom well.  He danced the best Bottom I have ever seen with his distinctive characterisation.  Christopher Rogers-Wilson became the donkey and the pointe shoes made more sense as they became his hooves,  rather than the awkwardness of the bravado of another trick.  His dancing was pure masculinity without the campiness of "Les Ballets Trockedero."

At 8.45pm our lady in the stalls had to check her mobile phone and write a message or a note.  The lights flashed as she held up her phone.  Yes it was distracting and she was obviously bored by the two short solos.  One of the dancers in the corps de ballet had a fall around this time.  I hope that this young dancer is okay and she was brave enough to get back on her feet and continue to dance.

Unlike our D Row TWANKER who distracts the stalls and the Dress Circle.  I wish this TWANKER had the discipline, let alone the courage and bravery of the young dancer who fell,   Please just switch off your mobile phone for the whole performance.  You are such a rude person to annoy those around you.

My heart goes out to this brave young dancer who fell.  You enriched the performance with your determination to be a team player and continue.  I hope that you did not hurt yourself.  I also wonder if the selfish checking of the mobile phone in D Row stalls (our resident TWANKER) distracted any dancers.  It is high time that the Australian Ballet and the Arts Centre Melbourne were more vigilant in ensuring that the public turn off their mobile phones and iPADs etc.  This can be dangerous as that sudden flash of light can catch a dancer's eye as they are spotting to make a turn etc.

I am an advocate for appropriate use of mobile phone in appropriate settings.  I am against inappropriate use, as I am concerned about for respect for others.

The Australian Ballet was not at their best with this programme.

'Monotones" 7/10
"Symphonic Variations" 5.5/10
"The Dream" 6.5/10

Bodytorque - DNA June 18 2014

Bodytorque - DNA June 18 2014

State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre, Melbourne.

This is the first time that the Australian Ballet has presented their Bodytorque season in Melbourne. The theme this year was DNA and five works were presented with varying degrees of success.

"CORPUS CALLOSUM" choreographed by Richard Cilli with music by James Wade and costumes by Monica Morales was easily the highlight of the evening.

This piece had the best flow and segues between movements.  Visually it made sense like an animated science explanation of DNA.  The groupings and relationships created a variety of shapes and images.  At times it was like we were looking under a microscope with the ripple effect of moves.

This work seemed to be the most polished of the evening with their precision and finish to the choreography. It did not appear to be just a series of impressive groupings or tricks but instead showed us a depth of choreographic understanding to keep the audience intrigued.

"I CANNOT KNOW" with  choreography and costume design by Joshua Consandine  and music by  George Lentz showcased an Alice In Wonderland style adventure.  Starting in silence before the main curtain our "Alice" type character reveals a galaxy of moving images.  They could be stars, moons or comets.  It was like a variation of the above animated science explanation of DNA, each moving in their own unique manner.

The dancers wore beautiful black and sparkling unitards which glistened against the blue lit back curtain.  These costumes made an instant impact that wanted you to watch these bodies move.

The choreography varied at times and really showcased the dancer's strengths.  This was evident in Chengwu Guo's brilliantly executed and explosive jetes and sautes.   Yes it made you sit up and take notice that he created dynamic shifts in attention but to the detriment that his impressive solos were jarring and incongruent to the rest of the choreography. 

I loved the partner work and worry there is not always a natural flow to create the final beautiful image of various challenging lifts.  Some of the lifts or images are created at the expense of the choreography.  What I really admire is the ability of Joshua Consandine to create such innovative lifts and images.

"SAME VEIN" choreography and costume design by Alice Topp with music by Sergei Rachmaninov began with a soloist toying with a pair of antlers and creating various images.

The media artist Brendan Harwood provided a swirling kaleidoscope of images.  This to me was where the real dancing occurred and distracted from the physical dancers.  I thought there was too much reliance on the multi media as at times it was hard to see the dancers against the rear backdrop and due to the lighting design.

The "fluffy" costumes were impracticable as "fluff "was falling off and could be dangerous if a dancer slipped on them.  These costumes were designed for impact and not for the rigours of dance wear.

The stillness moments or freezes were shaky and needed more composure.  This was the work that I thought needed more refinement to the choreography - when I  could see it against the competing multi-media backdrop.

Act Two began with "CONTROL" choreographed by Richard House and music by Gabriel Faure and costumes by Kat Chan.  This was supported by Graham Silver's lighting design of green spotlights and white fluorescent lights that created a pulse and a dance of images.

This work showed us variations of what is to be in control and when out of control.  It was like a visualisation of Martin Seligman's master work "What You Can Change and What You Can't."  I loved how one partner controlled the other in off-balance positions.  It showed the reliance on each of the dancers.  This was evident in the over-extended pointe-work and the exaggerated shifts in their centre of balance.

The men wore black shorts while the women wore black leotards with various designs. The most impressive costume was Ingrid Gow's costume that had a horizontal cream stripe across her upper chest and a stripe down the  side of her body. The choreography seemed to be made to highlight this costume superbly.  The most impressive image was when her stripes were highlighted in a seamless extension of her arabesque penche en-pointe.  They showed to great dramatic effect - either the strip on her chest or along her side depending on whether she was in epaulment or not.  The lines were perfect and the image is imbedded in my mind.  Even though the other women's costumes looked great, it was a shame that they did not create such a holistic image in concert with the choreography. 

I thought this piece was so well rehearsed and danced beautifully with poise, grace and respect for their partner.

"EXTRO" choreography and costume design by Timothy Harbour was danced to harpsichord music by Henrik Mikolaj Gorecki.   This work was like a ballet class with enchaiments joined together with some linking phrases. 

At times, due to some of the groupings, this reminded me of a ballet class version of the "Jets" and "Sharks" from "West Side Story."  Also with the repeated and explosive developpe with arms through fourth  reminded me of the opening sequence of the above movie.   This overused phrase had wrists flapping inconsistently with both the men and the women.

This piece was like a historical musical visualisation by Ruth St Dennis.  The men seemed to be like Ted Shawn with their crawling positions.  The men seemed to be the introverts when they were in the crouching and crawling positions similar to Hofesh Shechtor's "Political Mother."

The harpsichord music and the groupings reminded me both the music of Phillip Glass' and the frantic pace of Twyla Tharps' "In The Upper Room."

The finale image was powerful with the support of the focused triangular shaped lighting was like an advertisement for "So You Think You Can Dance Australia."

 I enjoyed this work though felt it could do with some refining and polish of some arm positions and purity of group line formations.

Overall, three out of five good works and two that need a bit of work. 

Let us hope that Bodytorque is a regular event that is shown in more cities annually.  This will give an opportunity for these new works to be seen by more audiences and give the dancers an opportunity to showcase new choreographers.  I think that Bodytorque should be a part of the Australian Ballet's season and would be the perfect vehicle for a second arm to their touring arm.