Brisbane Festival’s 2014 dance program is a veritable feast of from a mix of international and local artists.
The American Ballet Theatre’s two programs need no introduction to our regular readers. For those who haven’t yet discovered that ABT is coming to Australia for the first time ever, head here to read more.
A festival highlight for lovers of contemporary dance will, no doubt, be Akram Khan’s DESH which is play the Festival 6-13 September. Inspired by Khan’s struggle to reconcile his Bangladeshi and British identities, DESH is Khan’s first full-length solo theatrical and dance piece. In it he draws together kathak and Western contemporary dance, charting a magical journey that sees everyday objects morph into boats, elephants and a monsoon of ribbons.
Fans of Expressions Dance Company will be interested to know that the company will be involved in Philip Glass’s latest opera, The Perfect American, which will play the Festival from 15-20 September. It’s the sinister story, based on a fictional biography by Peter Stephan Jungk, in which Walt Disney’s final months as a shuffling hospital patient are imagined. The choreography for the opera is created by Britain’s Ben Wright, and will bring together dancers from EDC and the UK’s Improbable theatre company.
Deluge is likely to strike a chord with Queensland audiences. Created by Jeremy Neideck in collaboration with composer Dane Alexander and installation artist Sarah Winter, the work explores the destructive power of water and how it affects the human body, using a mix of dance, theatre and song. The choreography draws inspiration from traditional Korean performance, mythology and shamanic tradition, as well as from Judith Wright’s 1951 poem “Flood Year” which depicts the threat of Australia’s unpredictable environment.
Deluge will make its world premiere at the Brisbane Festival from 17-20 September.
Another world premiere, Ocean’s Skin, will see the Whale Mall at Brisbane’s South Bank transformed by a wash of sound and music. It’s a collaborative work between Topology Music and Heidi Duckler Dance Theatre (US). As well as five musicians and four dancers, Ocean’s Skin features a newly-developed musical instrument – phototransistros are placed under water in shallow pools or fountains. The sensors will pick any changes in light caused by ripples in the water and turn the signals into sound, ranging from chords and naturally occurring tones to recorded speech and sound manipulation.
A free event, Ocean’s Skin plays the Whale Mall 23-27 September.
The festival will include two other free events involving dance. The first is "Pesta Rakyat" (the Party of the People) will take place 14 September. It’s a chance to enjoy traditional Indonesian performances, arts and crafts, and cuisine. At night, the Saman Dance (thousand hands dance) and other dances will be performed, as well as a traditional Indonesian fashion parade.
The other free dance event is "RAPcity", presented by Brisbane’s RAW Dance Company. Taking place on 21 September, RAPcity will feature break dance, rap & hip hop comps along with live street art, dance and music performances.
For more info about these events and others head to www.brisbanefestival.com.au