Australian Youth Dance Festival: Emergence

 

Australian Youth Dance Festival: Emergence
Meat Market, Melbourne, 21 April 

The Australian Youth Dance Festival took place in a major city for the first time this year, and, in another first, brought together six youth dance companies from around Australia in a performance under one roof. Called “Emergence”, the one-off show was produced by Ausdance Victoria and directed by Adam Wheeler, who directs a youth company, Yellow Wheel, of his own. Young dancers between the age of 14 and 25 converged on Melbourne for the school holidays for a program of “technique tasters” and dance and choreographic workshops, culminating in a final performance at the cavernous and awe-inspiring Meat Market. "Emergence" provided a rare opportunity for Melbourne audiences to see what is happening in youth dance around the country.

What clever and creative minds we have in charge of these youth companies! The works in this program were all admirably crafted and absorbing to watch. Most had a point to make and conveyed their concerns with clarity and inventiveness. This was a program that celebrated inclusiveness and teamwork. Instead of virtuoso solos and technique, we were given the language of the group; instead of competitiveness So You Think You Can Dance-style, we were given the fruits of collaboration.

 Stompin from Tasmania opened the program with an excerpt from Fully Grown, which explored “how ideas, attitudes and belief systems change as we get older”, choreographed by Catlin Comerford in collaboration with Wheeler. Several dancers performed solo under spotlights amid the audience to recorded voices dispensing advice about coping with being young.

 The threat to the environment was a frequent subject. Wagana and Dust Dancers, a group of Indigenous and non-Indigenous dancers from the Blue Mountains, NSW, presented PL@STI*X, an expression of dismay about plastic pollution. The dancers conveyed the need to look after the land with a mix of contemporary and Indigenous technique, using plastic bags as props and tenderly brushing the floor.

 In 6492 0222, fLING from the Bega Valley in NSW used a format of spoken words, phrases, numbers and dance to tell us about themselves and their experience. Next, students from Jason Coleman’s Ministry of Dance in Melbourne introduced a change of pace and technique with The Moment I Said It, choreographed by Adrian Ricks inspired by Mia Michael’s choreography of the same name. Chris Dyke, the disability ambassador for Dance North in Townsville, provided the only solo of the evening – Lionheart, in a digital-age answer to Joseph’s Technicolour Dreamcoat. I would have liked to know who designed his illuminated suit.

 After interval, Flipside, from Newcastle, NSW, presented a well rehearsed and cohesively choreographed work called Crossing the Line, beginning with twisting, fluid arm movements and performed with great professionalism by the young dancers. Next, Melbourne-based Yellow Wheel presented the impressively choreographed Reset, a post-apolcalyptic vision that fortunately wasn’t too bleak, though the soundtrack was not pleasant. The evening ended with A Hellish Thing by Quantum Leap from Canberra, whose depictions of slurping, oozing forms was contrasted with cheeky wit and infectious dancing.

 The program for the show was only available as a download and was scant on information – it would have been nice if all the artistic directors and choreographers had been named. They are clearly talented people and deserve to be given credit.

 The commitment and enthusiasm on this night were palpable. Our young dancers are in good hands.

 - KAREN VAN ULZEN

Quantum Leap performing 'A Hellish Thing'. Photo by Maylei Hunt.