‘HATCH’ is this year’s Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) Contemporary Dance Season’s fresh and exciting showcase. The very varied, 2-Act – 10 performances – show has been choreographed by the 3rd Year, graduating dance students. The accompanying music and creative soundscapes have been composed and played by the Composition and Music Technology students.
The 150-minute, energy-packed performances by these talented students can be seen at the Dolphin Theatre, in the grounds of their host, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley. The curtain rises each evening at 7.30, until Saturday 27th August. There is one matinée on the Saturday at 2.00 pm.
In this selection of new dance works, each performance has been choreographed by a different student and performed by their peers. The idea is to make each piece unique, not simply to an established genre of dance movement. There are varying degrees of technically difficult and some have a narration.
The dance students are aided in bringing their dreams to the stage, by first year design students.
‘The Antisocial Social Club’ is quite a sad act choreographed by Nikki Tarling, with music by Dane Yates and design by Georgia Manning.
A shy, new schoolgirl looks at a group of students wondering how she can break into the clique. A group that is ever changing its favourites.
‘Ligne de fuite’ (in English ‘Creepage Distance’) is imaginative, choreographed by Anneliese Kirk, with music by Dane Yates and design by Eilish Campbell. The cellist was Ash Lazenby.
Sitting in an old armchair, a young woman and her partner recall their memories in the home that is decaying around them.
‘20:50’ is impressive, choreographed by Sarah Sim, with music by Ash Lazenby and design by Aphra Higham.
As a girl ‘empties’ her brain, she then regathers the sweet happenings and memories. Friendship, happiness, her partner’s love and, final in a powerful ‘lift’, the foetus of her child.
‘Something Lemon’ is unusual, exotic’ dance-theatre’ choreographed by Lauren Catellani, with music by Alexander Turner and design by Georgia Manning.
A ‘lemon’ can be thought of as a loser. We see people being served lemons by the jealous people around them, not for the benefit of their health, but to maliciously drain their powers and make them losers.
‘Sloth’ is hilarious ‘dance-theatre’ choreographed by Mani Mae Gomes, with music by Jacob Morris and Jesse Bach, with design by Georgia Page.
Half a dozen sloths shuffle around, when a group of ‘keep-fit addicts’ run past and mock their lethargy. The sport people try to inspire the physical failures of nature.
‘Bluets’ is visually spectacular, choreographed Ellen-Hope Thomson, with chanter (?) music by Rebecca Riggs-Bennett and design by Ashley King.
A girl falls in love with the colour blue. Wearing midnight blue the dancers take us through shades of blue, blue emotions even to the coast to experience the blue ocean.
‘Synapse’ is exceptional, choreographed by Philippa Mills, with music by Dane Yates and design by Maeli Cherel.
With UV light causing the nerves glow. We see two neurons – joined at the head, this is the synapse. As the nerves become activated, the signal rippled down their length.
‘Her Bones’ is impressive, choreographed by Mitchell Spadaro, with music by Robert Van Den Berg and design by Elise Stratton.
I must admit that I did not get the theme, but the choreography was graceful and packed with energy. Some offerings are simply to enjoy. A beautiful piece.
‘This Is Our First Rodeo’ is exciting and remarkable, choreographed by Michelle Aitken, with music by Azariah Felton, and design by Eilish Campbell.
With the dancers in black cowboy outfits, edged in red, we are welcomed into the rodeo – or could it be a Highland Gathering? The fiddle music was catchy, and one of the dances reminiscent of a Scottish ‘Strip the Willow’. Who are the stars of the rodeo, the cowboys or the beasts? – This routine made one think.
‘Flux’ is extraordinary, choreographed by Keshia Ollivierre, with music by Dane Yates, and design by Maeli Cherel with projection design by Jesse Cummings.
An energetic display of dancing, showing several genres this act gave a powerful end to a brilliant production.
These phenomenal performances are not always meant to be understood. The amazing thing is that each member of the audience possibly saw a completely different, but wonderfully satisfying interpretation. Many of these prodigious presentations left the audience gasping at the versatility, strength, suppleness and clever interpretation. I have seen a few of these third-year presentations and this was one of the best.
The dancers – some of whom appeared numerous times – were:-
Alex Abbott, Michelle Aitken, Mitchell Aldridge, Joshua Arkey, Andrew Barnes, Kristen Barwick, Noah Beck, Sophia-Rose Berini, Sasha Brampton, Jordan Bretherton, Hayley Bruce, Denzel Bruhn, Jessie Camilleri-Seeber, Laura Carella, Aaron Carey-Burrows, Lauren Catellani, Jesse Clune, Romey Cresswell, Heather Crow, Briannah Davis, Corey Derrick, Alina Doyle, Khia Emslie-O’Brien, Bridget Flint, Scott Galbraith, Mani Mae Gomes, Celina Hage, Billy Halton, Hua Han, Karen Haruta, Olivia Hendry, Lilly King, Shae Larsen, Cassady Mann, Valentina Markovinovic, Morgan Martin, Esther McDonald, Philippa Mills, Ana Music, Keshia Ollivierre, Kimberley Parkin, Hannah Phillips, Evelyn Roberts, Jack Ryan, Madisson Salan, Elena Salerno, Sonja Simonato, Georgia Smith, Mitchell Spadaro, Ryan Stone, Nikki Tarling, Ellen-Hope Thomson.
A very clever collection of performances, amazing dance routines and talented dancers. A special night out, try and catch the show.