TALENTED, young ACT dancers are poised for the biggest contemporary dance performance of their lives. 

In collaboration with professional dance educators and choreographers, Suzy Piani and Bonnie Neate, the dancers will perform in “Unveiled”. 

Since January, Suzy and Bonnie have been working with 20 pre-professional level dancers aged between 15 and 23 years old who, they say, had attained a high standard in dance but found, outside the traditional dance eisteddfods and end-of-year shows, limited local options to take their dancing skills to the next level of performance. 

“We know the calibre of the dancers we teach and through eisteddfods we have seen the high level of contemporary dancers in local studios,” says Suzy, who works alongside Bonnie at Dance Central studio.
Bonnie says that “end-of-year shows” are not enough for these dancers, who were travelling interstate to attend workshops and other classes to extend their dance experiences. 

She says that she and Suzy, who are both trained dance educators and have had successful careers as dancers locally and internationally, could see potential for creating a show that would attract these talented dancers and create a unique contemporary dance performance that would be rigorous and challenging. 

The result is “Unveiled”, a full-length contemporary work that will take the stage at Erindale Theatre on July 16-17. 

Inspired by the classic ballet “Giselle”, first performed in Paris in 1841, the ghost-filled performance tells the tragic, romantic story of a beautiful young peasant girl, Giselle (performed by CGGS year 12 student, Anna Hosking) who falls for and is betrayed by the deceitful nobleman, Albrecht (Joshua Walsh, who recently completed a professional dance course at the NZ School of Dance). 

“’Unveiled’ has been an eye opener for the students. They have all worked very hard and had to hone their skills and techniques,” says Suzy. 

Suzy and Bonnie warn the audience to “expect the unexpected” with the performance promising to be quirky, dark and comical in parts. 

They hope that this self-funded program will become an ongoing funded project that will continue to attract and keep advanced-level dancers in the ACT.

“We are two female choreographers in the arts community trying hard to do something different and to give dancers more,” says Bonnie.

“Unveiled” at Erindale Theatre, 7pm on July 16 and 17. Tickets via stickytickets.