FRAME OF MIND – SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY REVIEW
Dance has always been something that I have admired and respected as an art form but never really delved into; so when the opportunity popped up to see the much anticipated Frame of Mind by the Sydney Dance Company at Her Majesty’s Theatre on the 18th of August I snapped at the chance and boy was I glad I did!
The curtains opened and we were treated to our first act Wildebeest and for the next 30 minutes my eyes were glued to the stage and I found myself completely immersed into an entirely different world. Wildebeest saw the dancers as wild, mysterious animals and as the act went on they transformed through to humans, machines and everything beyond, Wildebeest traces an evolution as wild as the animal’s path as stated by choreographer and Adelaide’s very own Gabrielle Nankivell.
Nankivell’s choreography was performed with enormous energy by the dancers and partnered with the visual effects of moody lighting, lightning flashes, the use of strobe lights and the accompanied noises viewers found themselves drawn back as the strength and strong reputation of the dance company came to life.
Frame of Mind by award winning choreographer Rafael Bonachela brought to life the story of one who desired to be in two places at once. Bonachela describes the performance as an acknowledgement of our emotional lives, our vulnerability, our empathy, our fragility and our strength; and the performance was all of those things and more. Each move and action was executed flawlessly by every dancer and was a credit to the company as a whole as I was often left dazed at how humans have the ability to perform in such a way and quickly devoted all of my attention. Frame of Mind showcased exceptional passion and whether the dancers were all in union, in duets or alone the entire 34 minutes were mesmerising.
Upon leaving Her Majesty’s I found myself in complete awe of what I had just seen. Each dancer, when bowing down at their applause, beamed with immense pride displaying that they love what they do just as much as I had loved their performance.
All of the dancers performed with immense tenacity and energy and is a praise to the Sydney Dance Company as well as showcasing the exceptional talent we have here in Australia.
Words: Olivia Fabris
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