Australian Chamber Orchestra & Sydney Dance Company: Project Rameau -
Sydney Theatre, 30 October -
Project Rameau is very much cut from the same cloth as Rafael Bonachela’s other works. The set is simple and visually striking, a series of receding proscenium arches with thin frames of cold light, while the costumes are all variations on a theme that reveal and flatter the bodies of the dancers. As usual music closely informs the choreography although here the connection is much more pronounced, not only in the title that refers to the composer to whom this piece pays homage, but also because the Australian Chamber Orchestra itself is seated upstage.
Bonachela’s fascination with the trio is strikingly apparent in this piece. The many trios in which dancers weaved around one another were satisfyingly intricate, yet such extensive repetition of the form became monotonous. Like its aesthetic counterparts, on the whole the choreography followed a pattern similar to previous works, beginning with solos that often developed into duets or trios, broken up by whole ensemble unison sections. The same trios are repeated by a different set of three dancers and groups run back on when the music is heightened to execute the same choreography that we saw thirty seconds previously. Bonachela has refined a sure-fire choreographic formula, aesthetically pleasing and textbook perfect but not particularly challenging.
The dancers were technically magnificent as always, changing swiftly between sharp and fluid dynamics. Surprisingly however some ensemble unison was noticeably out of time, problematic in a piece that relies on an exact relationship with the music. In these sections it seemed as though the company could have used a little more rehearsal.
It was gratifying to note that there were some new standout dancers in this piece, notably Andrew Crawford whose height is always conspicuous but who was given a chance to demonstrate his surprising speed, flexibility and virtuosity in several solos and duets. Natalie Allen really came to the forefront and her brilliantly performed cheeky solo not only showed some personality but was genuinely the choreographic highlight of the work.
There is much to like in Project Rameau, but there are major weaknesses. The frequency of repetition coupled with the extremely close relationship between movement and music created an overwhelming sense of predictability. Most disappointing however was the fact that, for those who have seen previous Sydney Dance Company works, we have essentially seen this all before.
- EMILINE FORSTER
Top image: Dancers Natalie Allen and Richard Cilli. Photo: Peter Grieg.