Scorched Earth | Attic Projects
Scorched Earth is a phenomenal testament to the respective powers of theatre and dance, and needs to be seen to be believed. Equal parts dreamlike and nightmarish, it’s more of an experience than a conventional narrative act, and I hope to see more works like it on local stages in the next few years.
Escape | Diavolo: Architecture in Motion & Brisbane Festival
Escape is a captivating, athletic and fast-paced blend of acrobatics, circus skills, and contemporary dance. Expect moments of break dancing, powerful contemporary dance, incredible aerials, circus leaps, and acrobatic tumbles. Be ready to delight in the almost balletic door duet, and be amazed at the often-surreal imagery, jumps and moves.
Bleachers | Sprung Dance Theatre
Bleachers reminds me of why dancing in a kitchen at 2am with the people you love can feel like the best thing in the world. It’s a vital and moving piece of work, the creative outcome of an accomplished group of collaborators challenging assumptions about who gets to take up space on our stages. If you like a gut punch that leaves you feeling hopeful, this one's for you.
No One Gets Out Of Here Alive | The Farm
I found the show to be very touching, and honest about grief while also being honest and appreciative of the everyday miracles of connection, love, and the bliss of enjoying the moment and each other. We all live a doomed life - but we also get to live, and that is where the magic happens.
Shel We | Tupua Tigafua & Brisbane Festival
But it is those movements of activity and communal dance that are the absolute highpoints of the piece. It is an absolute delight to see those moments when the majority of the cast move together in a powerful, contemporary response to the music of Vivaldi and other classical composers. The extended ‘curtain call’ reprise of the moments of tumbling, fast, and frenzied dance is a very special way to remind us of the skill of the performers, leaving the audience wanting more.
Sheltering | Bangarra Dance Theatre
The Bangarra dancers move beautifully as an ensemble throughout all three pieces. The choreography is often technical and dense, yet they move incredibly well together without losing individual expression in the process. I can recognise what look to me like references to traditional dance styles, mixed in with a more common contemporary dance language. The result is choreography that feels both distinctly Indigenous as well as captivatingly modern and fresh.
god eater | Jag Popham
Jag has been successful in making something destabilising and original. The show delivers on intensity, discomfort and strong choices. This is not an entry-level contemporary dance work, but if you like pieces that make you work a little and feel a lot, god eater is an interesting contribution to the contemporary dance genre.
Bahala/o | Buddy Malbasias
Bahala/o is a new, genre-defying experience. You can’t order this one online, or have it delivered to your door. This is a rice dish that is worth leaving home for.
kaisiki | An Invitation to Witness the Ebb and Flow of Feminine Grace
“There’s something incredibly empowering in being part of a space where women uplift each other, share their vulnerabilities through art, and grow together. That quiet sisterhood - the shared breath before a performance, and the knowing glance in rehearsal and the mutual respect- has been one of the most beautiful parts of this journey.”
Unveiling Shadows | Joshua Taliani
Taliani expertly leads the audience on a journey through krump, bounce, and other hip-hop or street styles; vogue femme and hands performance; and the intersection of these styles with his contemporary dance background as well as his First Nations cultural practises. I use expertly here in the senses that he is (1) a phenomenal technician of all these styles, (2) an exceedingly evocative storyteller, and (3) the master of the world this work takes place in
Elements of Freestyle | ISH Dance Collective
Elements of Freestyle is the definition of defying gravity— a thrilling collision of dance, extreme sports, and classical music. Imagine raw power meeting refined artistry in a high-octane performance that shatters genre boundaries and challenges every expectation. From start to explosive finale, it held the audience spellbound. You can’t afford to look away. Simply put: Wow!
Bad Nature | Australasian Dance Collective, The Club Guy & Roni, Studio Boris Acket and HIIIT
Immersed in Bad Nature, and in the worlds created by the talented team of creatives and performers, I reflected on the news footage of current wars around the world and the reporting of the climate challenges we all face. Coming out of Bad Nature, I described it to my waiting friends as an otherworldly, thought-provoking, dystopian meeting of The Matrix with elements of The Terminator and other sci-fi favourites.
Gems | L.A. Dance Project
Gems is a true Brisbane Festival gem, and it was a privilege to experience this artistic event. It is wonderful to see talented dancers, where the creative collaboration that brings world-class choreographers, visual designers, musicians, dancers, and composers creates a special opportunity for our local community.
Preparing Ground | BlakDance & Brisbane Festival
Through the medium of contemporary dance—strongly supported by cultural dance forms—these three multi-talented Blak females unpacked themes that authentically conveyed their deep connection to Country. Their multidisciplinary approach also unpacked the dehumanising colonisation of First Nations people, the generational trauma of their forced removal, the unjust banishment of speaking their language, the sorrowful devastation of Country brought about through greed, and finally the desecration of Country in order to appease rapidly growing infrastructure—and simple, tangible elements were cleverly used to convey this profound message.
Altimate Showdown - Heat 5 | Alt Entertainment
What do Jessica Rabbit, a praying mantis with udders, and a lap dancing Gandalf the Grey have in common? All three were featured in heat 5 of Altimate Showdown at The Brightside, and after attending this show, it’s easy to see why this yearly competition is becoming one of the most anticipated alternative events in the Brisbane arts scene.
The Next 14 Seconds | Phluxus2 Dance Collective
The Next 14 Seconds was, in essence, a call to recognise and embrace the humanity in friends and strangers alike in a matter of seconds. Its attempt to answer it in its uniquely unpredictable way was laudable.
Lamina | VOiiiD Collective
They entered in brightly coloured heat mapped leotards and perfectly groomed and shiny Gattaca-esque heads. They moved beautifully, fluidly in one scene, in tandem for a note, again an element of robotic science fiction. The wearing of wigs as a taking on and putting off of the Role Of Woman.
Common People Dance Eisteddfod 2024 | Common People Dance Project
The message of the evening was loud and clear – dance was and is for everybody and EVERY BODY. Every single team served and slayed in its interpretation of its respective chosen theme. Every fibre of their being seemed to scream cries of unadulterated joy.
Assembly Vol. 1 | Australasian Dance Collective
Assembly Vol. 1 truly lived up to its name, and that is what made it feel so special. In the end, it turned out to be an assembly not only of talented artists, but also of everyday people united by their love for the arts
Private View | Restless Dance Theatre
Private View is a work that encourages us to dream wildly and let others dream wildly of the love, desire, kindness, lust, and affection we all deserve. It shows us its dreams and gently invites us to remove the barricades and barriers we have within our own. And, with every dream it liberates, I know it changes our world for the better. It’s just bloody lovely, is what it is.