Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne
Reviewed December 9
Butterfly, created by Lucas Jervies especially for the Australian Ballet School, really is a very clever creation. It takes the conventions of a traditional classical ballet and gives them a new angle. There is the journey from the human world to the supernatural world, where the "hero" (like a hapless Siegfried or Albrecht) finds himself in an enchanted world of supernatural beings; there are "fairies" – in this case butterflies, the enablers of love, who assist the humans in their quest. There are the set pieces of the classical ballet format: the grand pas de deux, the divertissements, the humorous characters. There is a transforming kiss but (spoiler alert) the transformation is not of a girl into a princess but a gauche young man into a handsome butterfly. And as a whole the ballet gives opportunities for the students to shine, demanding technical skills that are probably more difficult than in many of the repertoire works: a synchronised corps, pas de deux, virtuosic allegro and batterie from the males, particularly the Butterfly Men, as well as a more contemporary style.
The cast in the leading roles, Sophie Burke (as Sophie), Mathew Solovieff (as Jack) and Amy Ronnfeldt as the Monarch Butterfly performed these roles in the June season in Sydney and dance with confidence and personality. The "prince" role of Jack Butterfly was performed by a guest artist from the Australian Ballet, Hugo Dumapit, who stepped in at the last minute because of injury. Ronnfeldt has a well-rounded technique - she is strong, flexible, has quick footwork and looks entirely comfortable on pointe. Burke and Solovieff spark off each other well, and manage their more contemporary style of choreography with lightness and ease. Burke is particularly lithe. Also notable were the Mantis Guards (Charlton Tough and Jeremy Hargreaves) for their lovely jetes and the quarreling Pink and Blue butterflies (Evangeline Beal-Attwood and Indiana Scott respectively), paired for their contrasting physiques – together all four made good humour of their roles that were reminiscent of both the Ugly Sisters and the Rose Adagio courtiers in the Sleeping Beauty. Stealing the show, however, were the Queen Bee (Sophie Wormald) and her three tiny, cute-as-buttons bumblebees.
The two-act Butterfly was preceded by a number of short works. I arrived late (thanks to heavy traffic) and unfortunately missed the first item on the program, The Jewellery Box, for Level 5 students. Next was El Tango, choreographed by Stephen Baynes for Level 8, a sleek work in red and black to the music of Astor Piazzolla, consisting mostly of pas de deux of restrained sensuality and a sense of yearning. My favourite section was the trio for three men (Benjamin Cartwright, Matthew Solovieff and Joshua Ballinger).
Next came Pi (created by Lucas Jervies and Oliver Northam) for Level 6 students. The large cast of dancers in green all-overs created their own percussive soundscape while they danced, slapping the floor or their own bodies or shouting and hissing. They somehow managed very complex rhythmic patterns while at the same time dancing in equally complex patterns. This was an impressive display of precision timing and skill as well as being hugely entertaining, and a surprise stand-out of the evening.
Pi was followed by Wolfgang Dance, choreographed to Eine Kleine Nachtmusik by Simon Dow for six girls and three boys from Levels 4 and 5, a charming spoof in Baroque-style wigs and costumes that still displayed beautifully placed classical technique amid the fun.
The final work of this section was In the Memory of the Moment, by Paul Knobloch for the Level 7 students to the music of Einaudi. Costumed in sleek black with a bronze metallic sheen, and on a dimly lit stage, this ballet evokes the cosmos, with its circling patterns and lofty partnerwork. With its difficult, acrobatic choreography and slinky body ripples, it is a sophisticated ballet, yet the young dancers handled it superbly.
This program demonstrated the wide variety of choreography that is now demanded of the classical dancer. So good was the quality of the dancing that it was difficult to remember that these dancers are still only students. Bravo to the ABS - the future of classical ballet is in good hands.
The Australian Ballet School's 'Summer Season with Butterfly 2022' ran from December 9-10.
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