Contemporary dance fans in Adelaide will be thrilled to hear that Batsheva Dance Company will be playing the 2014 Adelaide Festival. The Israeli company brings Sadeh21, an abstract and intensely emotional work that juxtaposes explosive, frenetic bursts of energy with graceful, tender, lyrical passages. The word “sadeh” means “field of study” in Hebrew and the work is a series of movement studies in the form of solos, duets and ensemble formations. Sadeh21 plays the Festival Theatre, 5-8 March.
The Festival will also present the world premiere of Blackout, a new work by Adelaide-based theatre and dance creative team Jo Stone and Paul Castro. Blackout is both hilarious and tragic. It takes place as the guests at an intimate and formal, yet cheap wedding on a boat struggle to come to terms with the impending end of the world. Blackout begins with inappropriate dry speeches, food, mingling, more speeches and the first dance; and in an abrupt moment transforms into an unveiling and awakening of our primal survival instincts. In taffeta, faith and desperation, the guests and crew abandon all of their former façades and begin a fight for survival. Blackout plays the AC Arts Main Theatre, 5-9 March.
The third dance work on the program is Shaun Parker’ & Company’s latest production, Am I, which will head to Adelaide after playing the Sydney Festival. A collaboration between the company’s artistic director Shaun Parker and composer Nick Wales, Am I combines dance with world music and cult-like singing and features 14 dancers and musicians including international guest artist Shantala Shivalingappa.
Am I is an exploration of the meaning of “I”. The work sees seven individuals seeking to re-establish a new civilization, observing the frailties and mishaps of those who have gone before them. Religion meet science in this new world order as society fluctuates between conflict and harmony. Am I plays Dunstan Playhouse 27 Feb – 2 March.
Look out for Emma Sandall's interview with Ohad Naharin from Batsheva in the February/March issue of 'Dance Australia'.
For more information about these shows and others go to www.adelaidefestival.com.au