Choreographed
by Frances Rings – Set Design by Elizabeth Gadsby
Costume
Design by Jennifer Irwin – Lighting Design by Karen Norris
Composed by
Leon Rodgers – Guest composers: Electric Fields.
Canberra
Theatre 20 – 22nd July 2023.
Performance
on 20th July reviewed by Bill Stephens
It has been
interesting to watch Bangarra Dance Theatre’s gentle transition under the
Artistic Directorship of Frances Rings. Rings has always been a passionate
exponent of the use of dance to portray Australia’s history through the lens of
the indigenous experience.
With
“Yuldea” she has focussed on the Great Victorian Desert and the Far West Region
of South Australia where she herself grew up. It was an area for the gathering of many
tribes, with a rich history of colonial incursions, among them, the building of
the Trans-Australian Railway and the atomic testing at Maralinga.
“Yuldea” attempts to portray the effects of
these events on the traditional life of the original inhabitants of this land.
As with all
Bangarra Dance Theatre presentations the design elements are superb. A
throbbing soundtrack heralds the opening scene which is performed behind a
scrim. Through the haze groups of dancers suggest the arrival and departure of
itinerant tribes.
Lighting
design by Karen Norris takes advantage of every opportunity offered by Elizabeth
Gadsby’s spare, sculptural setting to endow it with a pervading sense of
mystery and atmosphere. A horizontal light-filled
column, which initially hovers above the dancers, then later frames them in a
giant arc, dominates this setting which is backed by a graceful string curtain which
allowed the dancers enter and exit the shiny, ochre strewn stage.
Jennifer
Irwin continues to amaze with her bold combinations of soft textured fabrics
and bare skin to achieve a feeling of primitiveness and high fashion that compliments
the bodies of the dancers, as well as serving the drama of the subject matter.
Nowhere is her aesthetic better exemplified than in the stunning Kapi Spirit duet performed by Lillian Banks and Kallum Goolagong.
.jpeg) |
| Lillian and Kallum Goolagong in "Yuldea" |
Responding
to an evocative soundscape by Leon Rodgers, Rings choreography is
sophisticated, resourceful and captivating to watch. Often embracing acrobatic
elements and beautifully resolved groupings, it is danced with precision, drama
and commitment by the dancers.
However,
despite the beauty of the images throughout, it was often difficult to
recognise the intended significance of the symbolism ensconced in the various
sections as suggested in the information provided in the printed program.
However “Yuldea” still provides a memorable evening of superbly presented
dance.
Images by Kate Longley
This review first published in CITY NEWS on 21.07.23