Horizon

Bangarra Dance Theatre
Canberra Theatre Centre, season closed
Reviewed by Samara Purnell 

Photo by Vishal Pandey

“Kulka”, choreographed by Sami Townson, opened Bangarra’s Horizon. In a different format from previous shows, Horizon had an interval with separate dance acts. Beautiful, delicate and intricate costumes by Clair Parker had dancers clad in dark unitards, sheer in parts with what looked like shimmery scales. It kept them blended against a darkened backdrop and highlighted the sky-blue ruched dress of the feature dancer as they lifted her, often inverted, towards the sky and stars. Amy Flannery’s composition of melodic violins and singing accompanied the dancers. 

A tilted mirror hung at the back of the stage and running the full length of it reflected angular lines, bloodlines, being projected onto the stage, and a strikingly realistic effect of reflections and dancing in shimmering water. This drew the eye to and from the dancers with some things only visible in the mirror. The trio dancing Crocodile God was especially effective with the mirror and the beautiful unitards. Thumping beats and a contemporary style in Adrenaline closed the first act. 

“Kulka” is thematically centered around the Universal Mother, the wind, the stars and constellations and totems, primarily the crocodile, from the clans of the Saibai island in the Torres Strait. The dancing is presented with angular arms, a lot of lifts and carrying. The details of the dance vocabulary, shapes, gestures and personal references will only be known by the creatives, dancers and those who are told, but upon hearing about these post-show, the details and stories imbued in these dances becomes even richer.

“The Light Inside” was split into “Saltwater”, choreographed by Bangarra alumnus Deborah Brown whose inspiration was her mother’s stories and the sea. And “Fresh Water” choreographed by the CEO and AD of the New Zealand Dance Company, Moss Te Uruangi Patterson.

“Salt Water” depicted pearl-divers, with females in Jennifer Irwin’s sparkly soft-pink dresses and incredible, detailed costumes to include the jagged edges on sleeves of reefs, sails or breaking surf. A sparkling blue star danced against the night sky and the intriguing backdrop was revealed to be a stunning canvas that slowly rose from absolutely real-looking rocks along a beach, into a rock wall and mountains, even appearing wet, as Steve Francis and Brendon Boney’s soundscape of bells and waves gave way to rainfall. Emotional music in the final piece, with the dancers in soft, long, green and blue skirts and using palm fronds, segued perfectly into the New Zealand Wai Maori “Fresh Water” part of the performance.  

The arrival by sea to Aotearoa was depicted by whirlpools and The Lake of One Hundred Winds/Taupo Hau Rau. The glistening peaks around the lakes of Aotearoa’s central north island were the backdrop to these dances. 

Softer arms and rounded shapes were used in the choreography, surprisingly, as the haka calling on government to uphold Te Tiriti o Waitangi was depicted, in a highlight of the show. The sharp exhalations, the vocalisations and the stances were performed by both men and women with their bodies smeared with handprints like blood. Whilst the music was strong and rhythmic, the movements were actually quite graceful and less aggressive than often seen.

Photo by Vishal Pandey

Birth and death cycles tied in choreographically with earlier dances as a “new-born” is lifted and unfurled. Continuing with gender integration in most of the dances, a traditional story of Sacred Hair/Makawe Tapu was performed by a trio entwining their long hair to give Maui knowledge, strength and courage.  A meeting house frame formed in the ghostly mist and the dancers, in flowing, soft, ombre lilac skirts gently invoked the feminine deity, to connect, rest and be at peace, with the meeting of two waters.

Horizon is a mammoth task for the dancers, many of whom are new to the company. As well as being on stage for most of this production, they had to learn a myriad of dance languages and cultural references, working with three choreographers. Horizon is starkly different from previous shows, with a distinct shift to more contemporary choreography, integration of genders in the dances, a slightly different soundscape and the inclusion of the Maori stories.  

Thematically the production is tied together with a focus on the feminine, stars, sea, migration and homecomings. And in Moss’s words, “To hold onto the grace, wisdom and beauty…of the matriarchy.” The detailed, delicate and beautiful costumes were a real highlight. Horizons is richly melodic, visually sumptuous, textural and mesmerizing. Look across the horizon, where the sea meets sky and the heart meets home.

Image of curtain call by Samara Purnell