Review – Homemade Jam – BalletCollective Aotearoa – Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance

Review – Homemade Jam – BalletCollective Aotearoa – Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance

Tapere Nui, Te Auaha

Wellington

6 July 2024

Reviewed by Lyndsey Knight

The inaugural Pōneke Festival of Contemporary Dance presents Homemade Jam, an inspiring triple bill by the project-based BalletCollective Aotearoa, featuring dance students from Tawa College and offering three innovative and well synthesised works, each approximately 20 minutes long. 

Choreographer Sarah Knox’s work Last Time We Spoke, is a “…contemplation on absence, memory and joy..”. This beautifully executed work expresses joy, pain and isolation as the dancers move through states of connection and disconnection. With fresh moves that seem to swim through time and space, Callum Phipps opens the work with a graceful solo and drives it to its conclusion. As Knox’s choreography progresses dancers swirl in large movements, enveloping space through expansive extensions and liberated delivery. In larger venues it is easy to forget that professional dancers are skilled actors as well, but the impact of their emotional expression is felt clearly in Te Auaha’s intimate space. 

Photographs by Lokyee Szeto

preference for reason is the outcome of BalletCollective Aotearoa’s 2024 MOE-funded Creatives in Schools programme. The original work is performed by Tawa College Yr 11,12,13 students, Kaiako Dance Sarah Holswich, and BCA dancers under the creative direction of Brigitte Knight supported by Elora Battah, Callum Phipps, Amelia Chandulal-Mackay.  preference for reason explores the conflict and division experienced in a divisive world when rational thinking and close listening seem lacking.  Programme notes outline “…the traditions of the ancient world (Greece, Rome, India, and the Buddhist world) when reasoned, sound, structured philosophical debate and critical thinking was integral to citizenship and humanity … the arts draw us back into our shared humanity, our care for one another, and our joy and energy creating art together…”. Performed to a commissioned score by Kit Reilly, the work opens with a motionless dancer who is joined by others, faces set in blank expressions of isolation. As the music progresses the dancers respond, twisting in conflict and engrossed in their own space. This is impressively demanding choreography for college students who rise so admirably to the challenge, with some outstanding performances in the mix. After the surprisingly technical pointe sequence, an all-male section heralds a change in mood, tempo, and movement, and the music and feelings fly high.  These students achieve a connection with the audience that is both admirable and moving.

Photographs by Lokyee Szeto

The last piece Subtle Dances by choreographer Loughlan Prior is performed to an original score by composer Claire Cowan. It offers a flirtatious conversation of saucy posturing, exploring themes of sexuality, the rituals of courtship, and jealousy. With dramatic solo dancing, integrated with ever changing ensemble groupings, this mesmeric choreography is filled with passion and resonance. Cowan’s score is spicy and perfect for flirting. Prior’s work blurs lines of gender and progresses into beautiful turmoil, ending with a solo figure on stage.  Amongst a cast of standout performers, guest artist Luke Cooper, appearing courtesy of the Royal New Zealand Ballet and newcomer Kyoka Takahashi were especially engaging and technically precise.

Home Made Jam is a celebration of kiwi creativity; dancers, composers, technicians, musicians, choreographers. Turid Revfeim’s BalletCollective Aotearoa delivered to a full audience a heart-warming performance on a chilly Wellington night.

Photographs by Lokyee Szeto & Lisa Taylor