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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
