The piece described by the New Zealand Dance Company (NZDC) is as follows: “Years of gathered phrases, statements, and insults, will culminate in an embodied live work that explores our tendency to be preoccupied with drama and our fascination with the inevitable”. In some respects, I think the NZDC portrayed this description very well, incorporating some interesting performance elements in stage direction, audience involvement, and costuming. The use of spoken word as much as instrumental music made for an intriguing narrative that developed well throughout the duration of the performance.
However, the piece also lived up to the ‘preoccupation of drama’ a little too much, as the piece provided slight disappointment in the dance department. Although the performers executed some compelling and complex canons during the dance sequences, the technique was not as clean as it could have been. As a personal fan of the NZDC, I enjoyed the piece but it was unfortunately not my favourite; however, the audience seemed elated with applause and cheers at the end.
I suppose the beauty of dance is in the eye of the beholder, this beholder just has 15 years of ballet training that can’t let technique mistakes slide. 6.5/10.
