Dance commission means the world to Canberra

By Helen Musa

CANBERRA Theatre loves nothing better than a world premiere, and it’s hit the straps with Sydney Dance Company’s “Ascent”, co-commissioned by Canberra Theatre Centre.

Although the company has become a permanent fixture in the Canberra Theatre’s annual season, the co-commission is a first initiative, part of the theatre centre’s drive to make itself central to Australia’s performing arts scene while it gears up for a new building.

Billed as full of “electric movement and emotional force”, “Ascent” is intended to portray the “now” in dance, but it’s not entirely new.

The centrepiece of the triple bill will be the reprise of a groovy work, “Forever and Ever” by the Hamilton brothers – choreographer Antony and composer Julian Hamilton, known as half of the electronic music duo The Presets. Together the brothers have woven dance and music together to create what they call “an eerie and jarring” milieu.

The actual world premieres will be two new creations, “I Am-ness” by the artistic director of Sydney Dance Company, Rafael Bonachela, and “The Shell, A Ghost, The Host & The Lyrebird” by Spanish choreographer

Marina Mascarell, who is about to move to Copenhagen as the new director of Danish Dance Theatre, a company often likened to Sydney Dance Company.

There’s more than a bit of serendipity in having her here, as Bonachela explains when we catch up.

Although he comes from Barcelona and Mascarell from Valencia, they have Spanish in common and a lot more. Bonachela, for instance, under her close tutelage, is learning how to make a really good Paella, Spain’s most famous dish but one originating from Valencia. It rather tickles him that they both have international careers, but not in Spain. Nonetheless, old habits die hard, and he’s really enjoying their get-togethers – “there’s something about being Spanish, the laughter, the joy of spirit,” he says.

Bonachela admits that the 35-minute

Hamilton work is the centrepiece of the show. It’s only been shown in Sydney and he wanted to take it to the rest of Australia, so has built a triple bill around it.

It’s six years since they’ve had an international choreographer working for the company, so he’s obviously excited about having Mascarell on board to create her 30-minute work.

Known for approaching the dancing body as a form of resistance rooted in political and social action, her choreography has never been seen in Australia, but most of her collaborators are Australians. Her composer Nick Wales, with whom Bonachela himself frequently works too, previously created music for a production by Mascarell with Lyon Opera Ballet in France.

Her chosen designer is Australian contemporary artist Lauren Brincat, who has created a set made of sails from boats – “very light but very beautiful” Bonachela says.

As for Bonachela’s own work, “I Am-ness”, it’s just 13 minutes long, set to beautiful music by Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks.

“I’m in love with his beautiful violin and string orchestra,” he says, adding that he hopes it will make the evening complete.

“I feel that for contrast I want to do something gentle and pure and soft…I’m usually all-go but this will be done in a gentle way,” he says.

“Never in my 15 years at the Sydney Dance Company have we premiered outside Sydney.

“When we proposed to have the world premiere of two works in Canberra, the Canberra Theatre Centre jumped in and made it happen.

“They’ve invested in the work and Canberra’s name will go along with the production around Australia and overseas –that’s a wonderful thing.”

Sydney Dance Company, The Playhouse, March 9-11.