TWISTED ELEMENT is a young, struggling company that should be greatly encouraged and developed.
This third season, the program called SHADOWS, explored the idea of the ‘shadow self’ – do we hide it in everyday society or acknowledge and unleash it?
There was some excellent dancing and some fine ensemble work. Visually the stage was bare except for a giant projection screen at the back with a bench below it.
The women wore exquisite, short white dresses with the skirts cut on a diagonal line. Each dress was subtly different in the cut of the neckline, textured insert in the bodice or similar .The men wore jeans and torn blue tops.
The work began and ended with crowds and the ebb and flow of a heavily populated large city in peak hour (eg a train station or an airport perhaps).Everyone is concentrating in their own space, yet eventually a couple’s eyes connect …
Hamilton-Hill’s choreography is fresh and exciting .There were some great short, sharp solos and angular movements leading to some flowing pas de deux. There is also some intriguing use of floorwork .At times the deep Graham plie was used (as well as the ‘contraction’) and there were other Graham influences for example in the use of the black stretchy material at one point that turned into a black jacket/cardigan later .At one point all the women in the cast become a writhing, sculptural mass. The men were featured in a terrific trio that showcased their magnificent jumps.
A lot of the time the women seemed disturbing and threatening, almost Vampire like – the materialisation of dark dreams?
One section towards the end had large stretchy lines of what appeared to be black elastic strung across the stage, the dancers leaning on them, pulling them, dancing on or under or beside them .At one point there was a spectacular Bonachela like backwards spider like entrance and a very demanding use of a very flexible back. Lunges and falls were featured in one segment.
However I did not really see the appropriateness of the film footage before and after the performance where we met some of the company and learnt about their passion for dance .Nor did I like the crashing , pulsating, jarring ‘techno – pop’ soundscape ,which for me didn’t quite work ( although the younger audience members apparently really liked it ) .
A most interesting, exciting work but it could possibly do with some tightening and reworking.
There were two performances of ‘Shadows’, running time just under an hour, by Twisted Element Dance Company at the NIDA Parade theatre on 3 November. 2012.
© Lynne Lancaster
5th November, 2012
Tags: Sydney Stage Reviews- SHADOWS, Twisted Element Dance Company, Sydney Arts Guide, Lynne Lancaster
