More than a sketch
Deirdre Tarrant
Sketch, New Zealand School of Dance Choreographic Season, Te Whaea. Reviewed by Deirdre Tarrant
SKETCH is a performance made up of ten works by ten young dancers in their annual choreographic exploration as students of the New Zealand School of Dance.
Overseen by Paula Steeds-Huston (head of contemporary dance) and Victoria Colombus (artistic coordinator)with production management by Steven Whiting the works are connected by black costuming and intriguing animation by Paul Bradley.The energy was excellent and the technical standard of every dancer onstage was exciting to watch. The works were varied and there was inventiveness aplenty. Each choreographer contributed immensely to the overall strength of the show. Moments that stood out for me from the dancers as they performed in a range of choreographies came from Carl Tolentino, Yan Hao Du, Rebecca Bassett-Graham, Daniel McCarroll, Samantha Hines and Jonathan Selvadurai. Three works in particular found a way to deliver a context and purpose that was engrossing. The use of light and lighting is critical to choreographic voice in a theatre setting and Alice Macann’s exploration in Ignite was inventive as her dancers grouped around a manipulated light source. Another work that drew strongly on group relationships was Zoe Dunwoodie’s Variations on a Team – an all male exposition with a real sense of humour. Left Unsaid, by Rebecca Bassett-Graham was an emotive duet danced with control and desperation by Samantha Hines and Matt Roffe.
Contemporary dance is a strong artistic force in New Zealand and these young dancers have it all - not only as beautifully trained exponents of their very challenging art form but clearly they have something to say and the confidence and encouragement to say it.
SKETCH is a performance made up of ten works by ten young dancers in their annual choreographic exploration as students of the New Zealand School of Dance.
Overseen by Paula Steeds-Huston (head of contemporary dance) and Victoria Colombus (artistic coordinator)with production management by Steven Whiting the works are connected by black costuming and intriguing animation by Paul Bradley.The energy was excellent and the technical standard of every dancer onstage was exciting to watch. The works were varied and there was inventiveness aplenty. Each choreographer contributed immensely to the overall strength of the show. Moments that stood out for me from the dancers as they performed in a range of choreographies came from Carl Tolentino, Yan Hao Du, Rebecca Bassett-Graham, Daniel McCarroll, Samantha Hines and Jonathan Selvadurai. Three works in particular found a way to deliver a context and purpose that was engrossing. The use of light and lighting is critical to choreographic voice in a theatre setting and Alice Macann’s exploration in Ignite was inventive as her dancers grouped around a manipulated light source. Another work that drew strongly on group relationships was Zoe Dunwoodie’s Variations on a Team – an all male exposition with a real sense of humour. Left Unsaid, by Rebecca Bassett-Graham was an emotive duet danced with control and desperation by Samantha Hines and Matt Roffe.
Contemporary dance is a strong artistic force in New Zealand and these young dancers have it all - not only as beautifully trained exponents of their very challenging art form but clearly they have something to say and the confidence and encouragement to say it.
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