End dance
25/11/2009 11:38:00 a.m.
NZSD Graduation Season 2009, Te Whaea, reviewed by Deirdre Tarrant
THE end of year performances by the students of the New Zealand School of Dance are an opportunity to see the young dancers before they emerge into the profession.
The seven works culminated in Paul Taylor’s Airs (1978) restaged by Richard Chen See. Jana Castillo and Robbie Curtis stood out in a strong cast, and were so much fun to watch.
In the classical works Kathryn Botica as Marie Taglioni in Pas de Quatre and Andre Santos in the Paquita Pas de Trois displayed outstanding technical clarity.
The stand out work for me was Sarah Foster’s Crossed Fingers pas de deux. The choreography let Katherine Grange and Loughlan Prior indulge in unexpected and very demanding movement. Great to see a contemporary work made en pointe and danced with such assurance.
Haere by Cathy Livermore started strongly and Jana Castillo, Gina Andrews and Lucy Marinkovich gave compelling performances but needed to define their differences for more dramatic effect.
Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete made He Taonga – a gift and indeed it was a gift to the all male cast as an ensemble work with power and pulse. Shona McCullagh revisited her duet Love from Quick (1988) for Emmi Coupe and Florian Teatiu and this had moments of breathtaking beauty.
All credit to the staff of the school and director Garry Trinder for an adventurous programme and a real commitment to New Zealand choreography.
THE end of year performances by the students of the New Zealand School of Dance are an opportunity to see the young dancers before they emerge into the profession.
The seven works culminated in Paul Taylor’s Airs (1978) restaged by Richard Chen See. Jana Castillo and Robbie Curtis stood out in a strong cast, and were so much fun to watch.
In the classical works Kathryn Botica as Marie Taglioni in Pas de Quatre and Andre Santos in the Paquita Pas de Trois displayed outstanding technical clarity.
The stand out work for me was Sarah Foster’s Crossed Fingers pas de deux. The choreography let Katherine Grange and Loughlan Prior indulge in unexpected and very demanding movement. Great to see a contemporary work made en pointe and danced with such assurance.
Haere by Cathy Livermore started strongly and Jana Castillo, Gina Andrews and Lucy Marinkovich gave compelling performances but needed to define their differences for more dramatic effect.
Taiaroa Royal and Taane Mete made He Taonga – a gift and indeed it was a gift to the all male cast as an ensemble work with power and pulse. Shona McCullagh revisited her duet Love from Quick (1988) for Emmi Coupe and Florian Teatiu and this had moments of breathtaking beauty.
All credit to the staff of the school and director Garry Trinder for an adventurous programme and a real commitment to New Zealand choreography.
