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Canberra Today 16°/18° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Review: Bonachela’s dazzling dance

 

dance

“The Land of Yes & The Land of No”

Sydney Dance Company

At Canberra Theatre.

Reviewed by Bill Stephens

 

CONTINUING the collaboration with composer Ezio Bosso, which inspired his two previous works seen in Canberra , “We Unfold” and “6 Breaths”, Rafael Bonachela has revisited, revised and expanded an earlier work for 16 dancers of the Sydney Dance Company.

Lasting just 70 minutes and danced to Bosso’s throbbing, insistent score, this work, apparently inspired by everyday signs and symbols, is a dazzling abstract creation, stunningly well danced by this company of superb dancers, each of whom wears a chic white individually-styled pleated costume designed by Theo Clinkard.

The work is divided into 11 sections with titles such as “One Way”, “Diversion”, “Cross” and “Roundabout”, but as the dancers move quickly through brilliant frenetic ensemble passages and quirky duets, most would have found it difficult to grasp the significance of the titles or differentiate between the sections to concentrate on individual performers.

However, none is likely to forget the brilliance of Charmene Yap, who opens the piece with her arresting solo, and Richard Cilli, who joins her for the duet “Entrance”. Cilli later performs a stunning solo entitled “Cross” to vocals by Ezio Bosso. Also outstanding are Andrew Crawford and Jessica Thompson in their duet “Speed Limit” and again Crawford with Juliet Barton in the tender, sensuous duet “Merge”.

Alan Macdonald’s harsh angular white fluorescent-light setting, softened by Guy Hoare’s green/red lighting design provides the perfect ambience for this latest masterpiece from Rafael Bonachela.

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