Choreographed
by Rafael Bonachela – Lighting design by Damien Cooper
Music-
Original Score: Nick Wales –“Distant Light”: Peteris Vasks
Set and
Costumes designed by Elizabeth Gadsby- Associate costume designer: Emma White
Canberra
Theatre Centre Playhouse June 21 and 22, 2024.
Opening
night performance reviewed by BILL STEPHENS.
As Charmene
Yap explained in her charming curtain speech just before the performance began,
Momenta is the plural of momentum, which means movement or motion, so it was
the opportunity to explore concepts of momentum that led to the creation of “Momenta”
by Rafael Bonachela.
It’s Bonachela’s
interest in the possibility of exploring intellectual challenges through dance
that separates him from other choreographers and has resulted in a succession of
engrossing abstract dance works.
Then just
when you think he can’t possibly outdo his last creation, he raises the bar
again.
“Momenta” is
a sublime work which commences with a lone male dancer in a spotlight
performing a series of convoluted intricate movements.
A change in the lighting state reveals ten
more dancers lying on their backs who repeat the movements, executing them in
perfect unison. One by one the dancers
rise from the floor and continue with individual complex moves, careering
around the stage, connecting and disconnecting in a kaleidoscopic whirl of
movement before disappearing into a thick mist.
As the mist
begins to clear, huge flying saucer-like set of lights begins to ascend from
the stage its fierce light revealing four dancers who continue inventing movements
while the others observe then from the sideline until they too share the
spotlight in a complex series of duos, trios and quartets.
Eventually
the lights tilt then slowly rise further to reveal more and more of the stage
and the movement expands into exhilarating broad, sweeping choreography which
dazzles with its complexity and invention until, after seventy minutes, in a
shower of silver flitter-flutter, fifteen superb dancers resume their original
positions on the floor and the space-ship lights lower to focus on the lone
male dancer who continues to maintain the momentum until the final blackout.
The total
effect is mesmerising. Damien Cooper’s lighting design with its changing
intensity and beguiling use of colour is as essential a component as Nick Wales’
hypnotic soundscape which contains its own surprises with its sudden change of
atmosphere and dynamics resulting from the introduction Peteris Vasks’
classically based composition "Distant Light”.
Although “Momenta”
is determinedly plotless, constantly changing groupings tease the viewer with
suggestions of sensual possibilities, aided by Gatsby and White’s body-hugging,
flesh coloured costumes which although individually designed for each dancer,
tended to render them anonymous. A factor not helped by the lack of a printed
program.
For although
this reviewer was provided with a digital copy of the excellent program,
audience members wanting to access artist biographies and creative’s
explanations had to rely on the
ubiquitous QR code, available in the foyer. Very few appeared to bother with
those.
Therefore as
each of the extraordinary ensemble of dancers deserves recognition for their contribution,
here are their names. Timmy Blankenship, Anika Boet, Dean Elliott, Riley Fitzgerald,
Tayla Gartner, Liam Green, Luke Hayward, Morgan Hurrell, Ngaere Jenkins, Sophie
Jones, Naiara de Matos, Connor McMahon, Ryan Pearson, Piram Scott, Emily
Seymour, Coco Wood, Chloe Young.
Another masterpiece
from the fertile imagination of Rafael Bonachella, “Momenta” is touring widely.
When it comes your way don’t miss the opportunity to see this example of the
Sydney Dance Company at its very best.
Images by Pedro Greig
This review also published in AUSTRALIAN ARTS REVIEW. www.artsreview.com.au
