Who were the most outstanding dancers of 2016?
Every year we ask that question and more to a panel of critics from around Australia in the annual Dance Australia Critics' Choice survey. You'll be able to read the results of the survey in the February/March edition of Dance Australia... but if you can't wait that long, here's a sneak peek at what Dance Australia Sydney correspondent Geraldine Higginson had to say...
Geraldine Higginson, Dance Australia, Sydney
Highlight of the year
The quality of recently commissioned and brand new contemporary dance works presented this year.
Most significant dance event
The return of the Genée competition to Sydney.
Most interesting Australian group or artist
Nick Power, for Cypher, presented at Sydney Festival.
Pepa Molina, for Bush Bailando, presented at Parramatta Riverside Theatre.
Most interesting overseas group or artist
Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company.
Most outstanding choreography
Jasmin Sheppard’s Macq for Bangarra Dance Theatre (BDT).
Gabrielle Nankivell’s Wildebeest for Sydney Dance Company (SDC).
Best new work
Stephanie Lake’s Double Blind (Sydney Festival).
Most outstanding dancer
Bernard Knauer (SDC) and Charmene Yap (SDC) in Gabrielle Nankivell’s Wildebeest.
Dancer to watch
Alisdair Macindoe and Amber Haines in Stephanie Lake’s Double Blind.
Boos!
Funding cuts in dance, including those to Ausdance National, Legs on the Wall and Force Majeure. It is disappointing to see the end of organisations that have been carefully built up over many years.
Encore please!
Performances by Marko Panzic’s The Dream Dance Company, and Mitchell Turnbull’s Limitless Dance Company. May they both live long and prosper.
You can read the rest of the critics' thoughts in the February/March edition of Dance Australia, out any day now! Buy Dance Australia at your favourite magazine retailer or subscribe here, or purchase an online copy via the Dance Australia app.
Picture above: Charmene Yap in Gabrielle Nankivell's Wildebeest.