Faster

Faster
The Australian Ballet. Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre. 17 to 27 March, 2017

The Australian Ballet presents its programme of three contemporary ballets under the banner Faster and shows us both the strengths and weaknesses of the company in sharp silhouette.

It’s a long while since I have seen the company so full of vitality and energy. The core physical strength of the dancers is the greatest asset of this programme, juxtaposed with the infuriating inability to dance in unison as an ensemble.

The first offering "Faster" – choreographer David Bintley’s homage to the London Olympics – unfortunately highlights that particular weakness. Even the ‘synchronised’ swimmers couldn’t manage to be totally in sync.

The ballet itself is a good warm-up physically, and contains both whimsy and wit, but it’s ultimately lightweight except for an exceptional pas de deux by Ako Kondo (who grows more exquisite with every performance) and the impressive Andrew Killian, as two fighters in slow motion.

“Squander and Glory” is a world premiere from resident choreographer Tim Harbour. It mirrors, quite literally, the fleeting moments of beauty created in nature when light changes. Kelvin Ho’s amazing design works in conjunction with Benjamin Cisterne’s stunning lighting to complement Harbour’s interesting and disciplined choreography. Behind a mirrored cloth we see a multi peaked monolithic rock whose surfaces are changed with the passing of the light in the natural world. Moments of perfection cannot be frozen in time in a world that is constantly changing. If we do not experience that form in a split second, the energy moves on and the form is lost. Harbour’s choreography gives us breathtaking moments of held energy contained in tableaux before being lost. Harbour has exploited the freedom that Contemporary has once it breaks free from the oxymoronic confines of fluidity that Classical demands. All the dancers excel but, as always, the sheer presence of Kevin Jackson, is ever commanding. It’s an interesting work that will get even better over time. However, it is slightly marred by the repetitive monotony of Michael Gordon’s score.

Just as any feast needs a spectacular dessert, AB saves the most awesome of the works for last.

It’s always a joy to see a new work by Wayne McGregor and “Infra” is quite stunning. The fluidity of the dancers is marked in stark contrast with the LED band of pedestrians projected in Julian Opie’s band of disconnected figures of dots walking high above the subterranean world beneath the city. Of course that world is the subtext of our lives - all the needs and yearnings of our subtextual selves - while, on the surface, we are incapable of connection.

The choreography is both sophisticated and primal, with great emphasis on sustained strength melded with fragility. It’s an awesome piece and indisputably the highlight of the night. Here, the dancers seem to understand McGregor’s theme perfectly and dance to perfection.

This is an enjoyable night with a company that we are rightly proud of. Best of all, the AB seems to have recovered its passion for dance, and we are all better for that.

Coral Drouyn

Photographer: Jeff Busby

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