The Dream Dance Company: The Secret Society
Parade Theatre NIDA, 14th July 2016
The Secret Society is an entertaining new work choreographed by Candace Brown for the Dream Dance Company’s second season. Run by founder/artistic director Marko Panzic, this Sydney-based commercial dance company has already started to build a reputation for bold and exciting new performances. Given that commercial dance is so often used in conjunction with other types of performance, such as video clips or musical theatre, it is a novelty to see it taking centre-stage, and the company’s sixteen dancers really take ownership of the Parade Theatre’s vast stage and Candace Brown’s choreography to impress their audience.
Although it is divided into different sections, music producer Aaron Lee’s seamless mash-up of pop, dance and R&B hits gives the impression of a continuously evolving atmosphere for The Secret Society’s duration. At one hour, this is a relatively brief show but they pack a lot of varied routines into one hour. There were a number of costume changes throughout the performance which ranged from ‘black tie’ evening wear, to the short, colourful skirts of a dance party, and more conventional black athletic wear. Similarly, the shoes worn ranged from stilettos to flat soled black sneakers, depending on the routine.
A loose narrative is established by showing video scenes interspersed with dance numbers. Videographer Frace Luke Mercado’s scenes are projected on a large scale and have the aura of an old style, cinematic glamour. With few sets and props to speak of, the videos are essential in establishing the outward exclusivity, privilege and wealth of this ‘secret society’. This is important because it provides a dramatic counterpoint to later scenes in which the dancers seemingly let loose with the kind of hip-hop moves that evolved on the street, or the seriously sexy, hip-swivelling moves that might have scandalised viewers in America’s prohibition era, where jazz music and dance developed in defiance of society’s rules.
Audience interaction and response is encouraged and on the night I attended there were some vocal and enthusiastic supporters in the audience. From the stalls, the experience felt less formal and more spontaneous than your average theatrical production but make no mistake, these dancers were very well rehearsed. Technically the dancers moved easily from one style to another. It is difficult to single out individual dancers as they were listed only as a group in the program. Two standouts I was able to identify on the night were Lauren Seymour and Shivawn Joubert, but they were not the only ones.
- GERALDINE HIGGINSON