Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October 2024
CDT dancers presented Fluctuations at The Drill Hall Gallery in the presence of Euan Macleod’s Flux.
Birds of a Feather
Like Gretel Burgess’s solo work The Bower Bird, this dance was inspired by Aura Parker’s award-winning children’s book Bowerbird Blues. During the creative process each dancer chosea favourite bird and explored their nesting, gathering, bathing and flocking habits.
Choreography Gretel Burgess in collaboration with the dancers
Assistant Amy Macris
Music Bird by Dead Can Dance
Dancers Brydie Bulley, Amelia Hefren-Webb, Lucinda McClusky, Tara Nguyen, with Amy Macris and Gretel Burgess (percussion)
Costumes Gretel Burgess and Amy Macris
The Expanse
Choreography Jenny Atkins
Music The Expanse (epic extended version) by Clinton Shorter
Dancers Shannon Ashman, Chelsea Bradford, Anastasia Kalloniati, Juanita Rodriguez, Olivia Sutton, Teresa Wojcik
Rumination
Inspired by themes of connection in response to the isolation, which can be experienced during long cold winters.
Choreography and Direction Rachael Hilton
Music Loftið Verður Skyndilega Kalt (The Air Gets Suddenly Cold) by Olafur Arnaulds
Hilal Dance Australia Suzanne Carroll, Rachael Hilton, Melissa Lee
Mafia Zurna
Choreography Zoe Berry, Imbibe Fusion Bellydance
Music Mafia Zurna (Trap Remix) by Golden Tbilisi
Dancers Bronwyn Buasavanh and Casa Dalton
Moonlight Sonata
A response to the sense of loneliness that Jenny and Shannon saw in the exhibition Flux and feel in the music.
Choreography Jenny Atkins and Shannon Ashman
Music Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata (first movement)
Dancer Shannon Ashman
Motown
Pan’s People were quintessential to televised music before the era of the music video clip. Re-creating this joyous choreography by the 1960’s sensation Pan’s People has been an indispensable tonic of fun and frivolity.
Choreography Pan’s People (Flick Colby)
Rehearsal Director Rachael Hilton
Music Cool Jerk written by Donald Storball and performed by The Capitols
Bona Dea Dancers Gretel Burgess, Suzanne Carroll, Nikki Hilton (Sunday only), Rachael Hilton, Melissa Lee
Costumes Melissa Lee
Precarious Connections
The landscapes of Euan McCloud’s Flux are captivating, majestic and awe-inspiring. Yet there is a sense of foreboding and danger. Immersed in their ever-changing moods, we are drawn to connect with each other and the environment, however precariously.
Choreography Sue Andrews and Vilaisan Campbell
Music Grief by Namyeon Lee
Dancers Sue Andrews and Vilaisan Campbell
Red Dress
Every second somewhere in the world a truckload of clothing goes into landfill. Through this work we consider our relationship to clothing and fashion. We explore our relationship to the special clothes we keep hold of and the clothes that can’t possibly last.
We reflect upon the ways in which we use clothes to attract, provoke, warn and intimidate: potentially inferring a more quiescent glamour, mystery, wildness or sexuality than might otherwise be construed. We also explore the flipside – without clothing, who are we? Are we enough? Vulnerable and defenceless, at the mercy of those looking at us, we suggest that maybe, just maybe, we are. If you are kind and seek something or someone real, honest and true.
Choreography Katrina Rank in collaboration with the dancers
Rehearsal Director Philip Piggin
Music Witness, Red Dress and Aware by Adrián Berenguer
Dancers Graeme Collin, Sue Colwell, Edna Dundas, Jacqui George, Charmaine Hallam, Glenys Harris, Mary Hinchey,
Merilyn Jenkins, Carol MacKay, Penny Mullbacher, Julie Rickwood, Diana Sandeman, Andrew Stuart, David Turbayne
Costumes Katrina Rank, the dancers and Pam Diver
Production Team
Artistic Director Jacqui Simmonds
Sound and Lights Nathan Vincent
Photography Lucy Chetcuti, O&J Wikner Photography
Front of House Frances Christodoulou and Janet Simpson
Our sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to Fluctuations, including Drill Hall Gallery staff (especially Lucy Chetcuti and Sonja Sagar), the ANU, CDT Board Members and Volunteers, choreographers, rehearsal directors, dancers and their families.