Review by Gemma Keliher
A true celebration of Queensland art, Soirée blends music, visual art, and dance in a moving showcase of the talented students of the Queensland Ballet Academy. This year’s Soirée was a definite hit, presenting new works that were inspired by a range of pieces from Queensland artist William Robinson AO.
There was a clear thoughtfulness to the evening’s program, with a lovely shift from the quieter, moving pieces to moments of comedy and romance. The flow of the performance took the audience along a journey, and this same thoughtfulness was present in the individual works themselves. Choreographers Louise Deleur, Paul Boyd, and Natalie Weir all designed well rounded works that showcased the dancers’ strengths and paid homage to Robinsons emotive artwork. Each scene was backed by the projected artwork which inspired it, which added a deeper level to the interpretation of both performance and artwork.
The emotional journey of each piece was greatly aided by scores from various composers beautifully performed by Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra. Not only is it always a treat to have live music, but particularly special to have the wonderfully talented musicians as a featured part of the show, as they performed downstage. This didn’t distract at all from the pieces, with the dancers holding their own for attention.
We opened with a lighthearted piece from the dancers of the Contemporary Course, as they transformed into fireflies through insect like movement and glowing costume. Louise Deleur’s Drift was inspired by two artworks, the second of which allowed contemporary dancers Callum Paterson, Isabella Magnus, Sophie Hewett, Ava Smith, Kiara Lindsay, and Lili Bar to excel in the choreography. The flowing sequences and rise and fall of tempos provided a true sense of nature and was an incredibly touching and effective piece, completed by one of my favourite scores of the evening.
Paul Boyd’s Aventures d’une sieste l’après-midi (Adventures of an Afternoon Nap), performed by the Level 1 Ballet Course, had plenty of heart, cheek and French flair. Opening with a touching image of an older couple sitting on a park bench, complete with dancers as the surrounding blackbirds, it reflected the first of many chosen artworks that Boyd wove into his narrative. Soon, the couple’s younger selves appear, very cleverly from a well-designed park bench, and take us on a journey from a hustling Parisian café to a quiet moment in a museum. The scene inspired by Robinson’s Unanimous self portrait was particularly comedic and I enjoyed the difference in Boyd’s approach.
Act II brought out the Pre-Professional Program dancers, first with Natalie Weir’s The Dome of Space and Time. This piece was inspired by multiple artworks, and primarily focused on the multiple stages of the journey of ‘The Man’, performed by guest artist Camilo Ramos, before being portrayed by his reflections Eli Southurst, Asher Flynn-Kann, and James Willis. My personal highlight of the evening was Ruby Day’s solo ‘Silence’. Day’s passionate performance, Weir’s choreography, Kathryn Lee’s costuming combined with a moving score formed an emotive and stunning piece of work. Asher Flynn-Kann’s performance inspired by Self portrait with goosefeathers, and Ruby Day and James Willis’s pas de deux were also touching moments that did justice to Robinson’s works.
There was a high bar set for the two following student works, Catharsis, choreographed and performed by Jeannie Mok, and 水鏡 (suikyo), choreographed and performed by Saya Hibino & Moeki Kojima. Both pieces showed the skill and talent of Mok, Hibino, and Kojima not just as dancers but choreographers. These works are evident that the Academy dancers are being trained as well-rounded artists that can survive in the challenging performing arts world.
Of course, the night would not be complete without a reminder that we are watching artists at the early stages of their careers, and to celebrate the young dancers of the Queensland Ballet Academy. Paul Boyd’s Academy Défilé brought us a full stage of students from Level 6 up to the Pre-Professional Program. Set to Tchaikovsky’s score, Boyd leant into more traditional choreography that artfully highlighted the skill of each level as they each took their brief moments of attention on the stage.
A highlight of the year, Soirée was a wonderful demonstration of a quality collaboration between choreographer and dancer, as well as music and art. The student dancers showed great skill and stage presence to work alongside the impressive talents of the Camerata and powerful works of William Robinson AO. Working so successfully alongside industry professionals shows a bright future ahead for these students and for the Queensland Ballet Academy.
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