CounterMove | Sydney Dance Company | 2016
Photography: Images by Pedro Greig
Sydney Dance Company opens 2016 with CounterMove — an exhilarating double bill that will intrigue, move and entertain you.
Rafael Bonachela’s world premiere, Lux Tenebris explores light and darkness with fiercely physical movement and deep, electronic beats by composer Nick Wales (long-term collaborator of Sarah Blasko). While Alexander Ekman’s Cacti is a brilliantly conceived, laugh-out-loud funny piece that dares to poke fun at contemporary dance. Featuring a string quartet live on stage, Ekman’s witty and energetic choreography returns to Sydney having left a global trail of rapturous reviews.
The highlight of last week was a special invitation to The Sydney Dance Company (my happy place) to an open rehearsal with Rafael and his amazing team of dancers rehearsing for CounterMove. During the performance Rafael spoke passionately about ‘finding the light in the darkness’ the inspiration behind his latest Sydney Dance Company production. With the contrast of 'positive and negative light' as a central theme throughout, CounterMove is rich with “brutal salsa, tribal beats, intimate moments and a hint of sparkle” says Bonachela. The highly acclaimed Cacti is sure to leave everyone smiling. “From one of Barcelona’s most successful choreographers, Cacti is a show that the Australian audience will connect with” says Bonachela.
What an honour it was to be invited to watch this sneak peek performance and catch up with the dancers afterwards. From what I have seen of rehearsal, CounterMove is sure to delight an eager Sydney audience at the World premier on Friday night. Thank you to the Sydney Dance Company for this wonderful opportunity.
With limited performances in Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra be sure to get your tickets as they are sure to sell out fast!
Cacti
Choreography + Costumes: Alexander Ekman
Stage Design: Alexander Ekman and Thomas Visser
Lighting Design: Thomas Visser
Lyrics: Spenser Theberge
Lux Tenebris
Choreography: Rafael Bonachela
Composer: Nick Wales
Lighting Design: Benjamin Cisterne