Every year, for the February/March issue of Dance Australia, we invite all critics from around the country to join our own team to nominate their choices for our Critics' Survey. They make their choices in a range of categories, including Most Outstanding Dancer and Most Outstanding Choreographer. Who do you think was nominated this year? You will have to buy our print issue to find out, but you can take a sneak peak at critics Chris Boyd, Jordan Beth Vincent, Deborah Jones and Valerie Lawson’s nominations below.
Do you agree? You can nominate your own favourites in the comment section below. Last year our readers made quite a number of suggestions for Most Outstanding Dancer, and one of them was so popular that we had to make him our cover boy – Ty King Wall (in the August/September issue). So let us know what you think – your choice might once again end up as our cover story!
Critic's name and media outlet
Chris Boyd (Melbourne)
The Australian & The Morning After
Highlight of the year
In her first Melbourne Festival program, “Push”, Sylvie Guillem completely exceeded my expectations. I wouldn't have traded her two brief solos for a glimpse of any other performance, any role, in her long and illustrious career.
Most significant dance event
Josephine Ridge's first Melbourne Festival had precious little locally produced dance, but Ridge endeared herself to the dance community by seeing practically all of the dance on offer during the Fringe Festival in the weeks leading up to her own festival.
Most interesting Australian group or artist
Antony Hamilton, again, this time for Black Project 2. If anything, the sequel eclipsed the multi award-winning original work.
Most interesting overseas group or artist
Ireland's Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre with Michael Keegan-Dolan's Rite of Spring, an ingenious and unselfconsciously theatrical piece with broad appeal.
Most outstanding choreography
With its solos like soliloquys, Alexei Ratmansky's Cinderella (Australian Ballet) is a terrific piece, entertaining and modern. I've almost forgiven Ratmansky for his lazy and deadly dull Scuola di Ballo (Australian Ballet).
Best new work
Proximity (Garry Stewart) ADT. If anything, the piece has improved since it premiered in Adelaide in 2012.
Conversation piece by Lucy Guerin, Lucy Guerin Inc & Belvoir, for Dance Massive. Cast changes for the Melbourne season kept this piece sizzling.
Most outstanding dancer
James Pham, especially in Aorta (Chunky Move)
Lauren Langlois, especially in A Small Prometheus (by Stephanie Lake) and 247 Days (Chunky Move)
Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev did to the Australian Ballet (in Don Quixote) what the AB has been doing to the ballet world for the last 50 years. They showed us that perfection isn't the end point, it's a start point. Learn the rules, know them intimately, then break 'em.
Dancer to watch
Melissa Jones as a dancer and choreographer. Jones's piece Disquiet was a highlight of the Melbourne Fringe Festival, daring, complex and absorbing.
And pretty much anyone associated with the 2nd Toe Dance Collective: Frankie Snowdon, Benjamin Hancock, Adam Wheeler, Madeleine Krenek...
Lowlight
Hofesh Shechter's Sun (Melbourne Festival) Such extraordinary dancers and dancing, such scintillating choreography. And yet Schechter's finished work was inane, brutally blunt, and theatrically inept. A completely wasted effort.
Check out Chris Boyd's blog here
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Critic's name and media outlet
Deborah Jones, The Australian; deborahjones.me
Highlight of the year
The internal politics of the Bolshoi are getting worse by the week but the mid-year Brisbane visit showed a dance company in radiant form. Go figure, as the Americans would say.
Most significant dance event
Queensland Ballet’s extra performances, full houses and big increase in subscriptions in Li Cunxin’s first year as artistic director.
Most interesting Australian group or artist
Sydney Dance Company’s Rafael Bonachela for his stimulating collaborations with Australian artists from other fields.
Most interesting overseas group or artist
Akram Khan. I found iTMOI flawed but the range of Khan’s interests is exhilarating.
Most outstanding choreography
The Bright Stream, Ratmansky, the Bolshoi for QPAC International Series; The Rite of Spring, Michael Keegan-Dolan, Fabulous Beast, Brisbane and Melbourne festivals.
Best new work
Ratmansky’s Cinderella for the Australian Ballet is a dark-tinged romance set in a Surrealist dream-world. Sophisticated, visually stimulating and overflowing with luscious dancing.
Most outstanding dancer
Daniel Gaudiello, AB, in Cinderella and La Sylphide. Getting the opening nights he deserves.
Chengwu Guo, AB. Rocked it as Basilio in Don Q.
Lucinda Dunn, AB. We don’t see her much these days but she was scorching -- and ageless -- in The Four Temperaments and Dyad 1929.
Dancer to watch
Ako Kondo, AB. Spark and glamour.
Ingrid Gow, AB. The corps member was a standout in Bella Figura.
Lisa Edwards, promoted to soloist at QB. A formidable Myrtha.
Sarah Sutcliffe, WAB, a lovely Olga in Onegin.
Lowlight
The Sydney Opera House’s decision to end Spring Dance – a blow to Sydney’s fragile dance culture. The Russian National Ballet Theatre Nutcracker on an extensive Australian tour: no orchestra, classroom choreography, expensive tickets.
See Deborah Jones's blog here
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Valerie Lawson (Sydney)
www.dancelines.com.au
& Dance Europe
Highlight of the year
The Paris Opera Ballet season of Giselle in Sydney in January with many different etoiles in the roles of Giselle and Albrecht.
Most significant dance event
The appalling attack on Sergei Filin, artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet and the ongoing machinations within this company.
Most interesting Australian group or artist
Queensland Ballet due to the energy and ambition of artistic director, Li Cunxin.
Most interesting overseas group or artist
Bolshoi Ballet.
Most outstanding choreography
The Bright Stream, Ratmansky, Bolshoi Ballet.
Best new work
Cinderella, Ratmansky (AB).
Most outstanding dancer
Mathieu Ganio, Paris Opera Ballet, Albrecht (Giselle);
Daniel Gaudiello, Australian Ballet, Don Quixote, Cinderella, La Sylphide;
Marie-Agnes Gillot, Paris Opera Ballet, Myrtha (Giselle);
Natalia Osipova, Australian Ballet guest, Kitri, (Don Quixote).
Dancer to watch
Robyn Hendricks, AB, in Paquita - a brief appearance but one that reinforced my belief in her special qualities of grace, elegance and compelling stage presence.
Lowlight
Aurelien Scannella, the new artistic director of the WAB holding an audition in France for WAB dancers before he took up his new job in Perth. Lack of faith in Australian talent?
See Valerie Lawson's blog here
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Jordan Beth Vincent (Melbourne)
The Age/DanceTabs/Dance International Magazine
Highlight of the year
Cinderella (Alexei Ratmansky for the Australian Ballet).
Most significant dance event
Dance Massive 2013.
Most interesting Australian group or artist
Dalisa Pigram (Marrugeku); KAGE
Most interesting overseas group or artist
Sylvie Guillem; Hofesh Shechter Company.
Most outstanding choreography
The AB’s Vanguard: Balanchine, Kylian and McGregor on one bill!
Lucy Guerin Inc. and Belvoir for Conversation Piece.
Best new work
Cinderella (Alexei Ratmansky for the AB).
Most outstanding dancer
Kimball Wong (ADT - Proximity); Lauren Langlois (independent artist, in A Small Prometheus/ 247 Days); Leanne Stojmenov (AB); Amy Harris (AB).
Dancer to watch
James Pham (Aorta (choreographed by Stephanie Lake for Chunky Move):
Halaina Hills and Ingrid Gow (AB); Benjamin Hancock (Independent Artist)
See Jordan Beth Vincent's blog here
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Photos: Rafael Bonachela; Leanne Stojmenov and Daniel Gaudiello in 'Cinderella'; Robyn Hendricks