2 minute read
Cuatro
“The idea is simplicity itself, and speaks volumes. (The dancers in Cuatro are) using the body without reservation to express emotion for which words are inadequate.” Deborah Jones, The Australian
As the initial shock caused by the cancellation of all our performances wore off, the creative heart at the core of Sydney Dance Company began to beat again and with it came the momentum needed to carry the Company through such a deeply challenging time. In May, from the depths of the tightest restrictions, Cuatro was born. A collaboration between Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Cuatro was conceived and created through the lens and screens of a new world. The eight virtuosic artists - four dancers and four musicians - began the collaborative process online, working with choreographer Rafael Bonachela and creative director and film-maker Pedro Greig to conceive and realise four unique films that responded to the extraordinary moment. Online discussions and sharing of music took place over several weeks, with each element finally filmed in isolation at Sydney Dance Company’s Studios in Ultimo, Sydney. The dancers were filmed separately on one day, the musicians on another, and to this day, they have not yet met in person! A post-performance wrap party has been a long time coming! In June, all four works were unveiled in a virtual premiere, followed by the subsequent release of each film as a standalone work, over four consecutive Fridays, on social media and both Sydney Dance Company’s and Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s websites. Rehearsal Associate Charmene Yap returned to performance to feature in the first film with Diana Doherty, who played Heinz Hollinger’s Sonata for solo oboe, I. Präludium. Davide di Giovanni danced to Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Op.1: No. 11 in C performed by Andrew Haveron. Juliette Barton and Umberto Clerici (cello) created an intense world with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Suite No. 1 in G major, BWV 1007: IV. Sarabande. And the suite concluded with the light and hopeful Cuatro 4, with Chloe Leong and Emma Scholl (flute), who performed Claude Debussy’s Syrinx. Cuatro was an incredible opportunity for creative expression when making work was at its most challenging and audiences responded with delight. The suite of films has since been viewed over 210,000 times and will remain a testament to the power of collaborative partnerships and the capacity for creativity in crisis.
“When performing there is always this giving and receiving from the artists to the audience and the audience to artists. In this situation with no audience, the performance felt intimate and personal. It was a joy to be moving in that way again ... performing the piece was like performance for myself. It brought me back to why I wanted to be a dancer in the first place; it’s a gift that you give to yourself and others.” Chloe Leong, Sydney Dance Company dancer
