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SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY
ARTISTIC PROGRAM
2017
SydneyDanceCompanyopensthe2017seasonwiththeworldpremiereofthedoublebill,Orb-anextraordinarylunar
mystery.TogetherwithOcho,thelatestcollaborationineightpartsbyArtisticDirectorRafaelBonachelaandcomposer
Nick Wales,Orbpresents the world premiere of Full Moonby Cheng Tsung-lung. This striking piece by the Artistic
Director of Taiwan’s phenomenalCloud Gate 2,harnesses the power of the moon and the mythology, fable and
poetryofmankindtothrilltheaudience.
“Living in our modern world, the vibrant city lights have endlessly fascinated me and occupied the interspaces of my
sightandfeelingsatnight.Onthecontrary,themoon,nature’ssymbolicbeautyofnight,shineslightintomyeyesand
helpsmeuncoverthemysteriesoftheunconsciousworldwhichIdonotknow,yetIfeelexist.”-ChengTsung-lung.
Orb opens at Sydney’s Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay on 28 April, ahead of seasons at Arts Centre Melbourne,
opening17May,andCanberraTheatreCentre25May.
From 5 October, Sydney Dance Company presents the 100th performance of an international masterpiece, 2 One
Another at Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay. Since it’s 2012 premiere, Rafael Bonachela’s multi award-winning
masterpiecehasleftcriticsandaudiencesspeechlessandmustbefelttobebelieved.Cracklingwithexultantpower
and intricate physical conversation, a pulsing pixelated backdrop, baroque-meets-electronica soundtrack and
fragments of poetry.2 One Anotheris
a bright hour of irrefutable sensuality, delivering a visceral charge that has
Sydney Dance Company
The Wharf, Pier 4, 15 Hickson Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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rockedaudiencestheworldover.
Following 78 performances at 19 venues around Australia in 2016, Sydney Dance Company continues its strong
traditionofinternationaltouring,showcasingAustralianculture,ideasandtalentontheglobalstage.From24February
to12March,thecompanywillperformFrameofMind,RawModelsandWildebeestthroughouttheUSAinNewYork,
Boston,SwarthmoreandAmherst.
Launching at Sydney Opera House on 14 March and being delivered to primary schools in Western Sydney, with a
regional tour to follow, Sydney Dance Company and Co3 Australia will present Antony Hamilton’s Crazy Times; a
fascinatingexplorationofthefastchangingworldwearebornintotoday,andtheunknownworldthatwewillfacein
the future. Four dancers will embark on a dream-like journey through a world where things are not always as they
seem. Filled with fantastical costumes andtheanimationofeverydayobjects,thispiecewilltakechildren on a lo-fi,
surrealist,action-packedadventure,drivenbythepulseofhighenergyandmind-bendingdancemoves.Childrenwill
beimmersedintheinteractiveelementsofthisprogramandwillhavetheopportunitytoparticipateinamovementbaseddemonstrationwithacclaimedSydneyDanceCompanydancers.
In June, Sydney Dance Company hits the road again for a national tour with a wildly powerful double bill featuring
Rafael Bonachela’s multi award-winning Frame of Mind and the smash-hit Wildebeest by Australia’s own Gabrielle
Nankivell.
InFrameofMind,RafaelBonachelabringsthepresenceandpowerof17ofAustralia’smostaccomplisheddancersto
thestageforanemotionallychargedperformance.Inafadedroom,timepassesfromdaytonight,andoveragain,as
thedancerstransitionfromimpassionedsolostotenderduets,intricatetriosandhigh-energyensembles.Inspiredby
thedesiretobeintwoplacesatonce,FrameofMindisperformedtoapulsingcontemporary-classicalsoundtrackby
UScomposerBryceDessner,bestknownasamemberofhitrockbandTheNational.
TheFrameofMindnationaltouropensinParramattaon23June,aheadofseasonsinregionalNSW,regionalVictoria,
Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory until 26 August. See the full list of venues at
sydneydancecompany.com/tours.
SydneyDanceCompany
2017SEASONDETAILS
SydneyDanceCompany
SydneyDanceCompanyisalegendaryforceincontemporarydance,touringgloballyundertheArtistic
DirectionofHelpmannAward-winningRafaelBonachela.
2017
‘Anensembleoftechnicallyblessedyoungdynamos.’–HeraldSun
1. InternationalTouring
Sydney Dance Company
The Wharf, Pier 4, 15 Hickson Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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From24Februaryto12MarchtheCompanywillperformFrameofMind,RawModelsandWilderbeest
throughouttheUSAinNewYork,Boston,SwarthmoreandAmherst.
2.CrazyTimesbyAntonyHamilton
AntonyHamilton’sCrazyTimestakesprimaryschoolaudiencesonalo-fi,surrealist,actionadventure,drivenby
thepulseofhighenergyandmind-bendingdancemoves.
LaunchingatSydneyOperaHouseon14Marchandavailableforin-schoolperformancesinSydneyfrom20
Marchto6April,followedbyaregionaltour(datesandlocationstocome).
3.Orb
OchobyRafaelBonachela
FullMoonbyChengTsung-lung
#SDCOrb
Thedouble-billOrbpresentsOcho,thelatestcollaborationineightpartsbyArtisticDirectorRafaelBonachela
andcomposerNickWalesandtheworldpremiereofFullMoonbyChengTsung-lung.Thisstrikingpiecebythe
ArtisticDirectorofTaiwan’sphenomenalCloudGate2,harnessesthepowerofthemoonandthemythology,
fableandpoetryofmankindtothrilltheaudience.
28Apr–13May
RoslynPackerTheatreWalshBay
17–20May
ArtsCentreMelbourne
25-27May
CanberraTheatreCentre
Singleticketsfrom$30*.Booknowsydneydancecompany.com/orb
4.AustralianTour:FrameofMind
23June–26Aug
AwildlypowerfuldoublebillfeaturingRafaelBonachela’smultiaward-winningFrameofMindandthesmash
hitWildebeestbyAustralia’sownGabrielleNankivell.
23–24June:RiversideTheatres,Parramatta,NSW
28June:CapitolTheatre,Tamworth,NSW
1July:DubboRegionalTheatre&ConventionCentre,Dubbo,NSW
5July:TheArtHouse,Wyong,NSW
8July:CivicCentre,WaggaWagga,NSW
12July:TheCapital,Bendigo,VIC
14July:FrankstonArtsCentre,Frankston,VIC
19July:TheatreNorth,Launceston,TAS
21–22July:TheatreRoyal,Hobart,TAS
Sydney Dance Company
The Wharf, Pier 4, 15 Hickson Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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2August:SirRobertHelpmannTheatre,Mt.Gambier,SA
5August:NorthernFestivalCentre,PortPirie,SA
9August:MiddlebackTheatre,Whyalla,SA
12August:ChaffeyTheatre,Renmark,SA
17–19August:NorthernFestivalCentre,Adelaide,SA
23August:AraluenArtsCentre,AliceSprings,NT
26August:DarwinEntertainmentCentre,Darwin,NT
5.2OneAnother
ByRafaelBonachela
#SDC2OneAnother
2OneAnotherisamultiaward-winningtourdeforceofastonishingstaminaandphysicality.Havingtouredthe
worlditreturnstoSydneyforits100thhigh-octaneperformancethisOctober.Setagainstapulsing,pixelated
backdrop,thismulti-dimensionalpiecefeaturesabaroque-meets-electronicasoundtrackandexquisitepoetry
fragmentsbySamuelWebster.
5–14Oct
RoslynPackerTheatreWalshBay
ABOUTSYDNEYDANCECOMPANY
SydneyDanceCompanyisAustralia’sleadingcontemporarydancecompany,presentingnewworksinSydney,
aroundAustraliaandinternationally,undertheArtisticDirectionofRafaelBonachela.Since1985theCompany
has been resident in purpose-built studios at Pier 4 in Sydney’s Walsh Bay, minutes from the city’s famed
HarbourBridge.ItsstudioshousethelargestpublicdanceclassprograminAustralia,attractingnearly80,000
participants each year. A legendary force in contemporary dance in Australia, Sydney Dance Company will
celebrateits50thyearin2019.Moreinformation,www.sydneydancecompany.com
CHOREOGRAPHERBIOS
RAFAELBONACHELA
ArtisticDirector,SydneyDanceCompany
RafaelBonachelawasborninBarcelonawherehebeganhisearlydancetrainingbeforemovingtoLondon,and
in1992joinedthelegendaryRambertDanceCompany.
HeremainedwithRambertasadancerandAssociateChoreographeruntil2006atwhichtimehesuccessfully
setuptheBonachelaDanceCompany(BDC)toconcentrateontherapidriseofhischoreographiccareer.
As a choreographer, Rafael has been commissioned to make works for Candoco, George Piper Dances,
ITDANSADanzaContemporaneadeCuba,TransitionsDanceCompanyandDanceWorksRotterdamamongst
others.
In 2008, he premiered his first full-length production 360° for Sydney Dance Company. Less than six months
later,hewasappointedArtisticDirectormakingheadlinesaroundthedanceworld.
Sydney Dance Company
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Rafael’s vision for the Company embraces a guiding principle that has seen the repertoire grow with the
additionofcommissioneddanceworksfromAustralianandvisitinginternationalguestchoreographers.
Thesepremiereworksareoftenprogrammedalongsidehisowncreations,ensuringdiversityforaudiencesand
providingmuchsoughtafteropportunitiesforhisremarkableensembleofdancerstobeexposedtothework
ofsomeofthemostin-demandchoreographersofourtime.
Overthepastsevenyears,RafaelhascreatednumerousdanceworksforSydneyDanceCompanyincludingwe
unfold(2009),6Breaths(2010),LANDforms(2011),2OneAnother(2012),ProjectRameau(2012),Emergence
(2013),SimpleSymphony(2013)LesIlluminations(2013),2inDMinor(2014),ScatteredRhymes(2014),Frame
ofMind(2015)andVariation10(2015).
Inaddition,hehasremountedoutstandingrepertoirefromBDCsuchasSoledadandIronyofFate(2010)and
TheLandofYes&TheLandofNo(2011).
Rafael’s achievements in dance have been widely recognised both within the industry and in the broader
community.
In2012hewaslistedasoneofSydneyMagazine’sTop100MostInfluentialPeopleforhiseffortstopopularise
dance since taking on the job of Artistic Director with Sydney Dance Company and as curator of Australia’s
internationalfestivalofcontemporarydance,SpringDanceattheSydneyOperaHouse.
In2013hewashonouredwithanOfficer’sCrossoftheOrderofCivilMeritbyHisMajestytheKingofSpain,
andwasnamedwinnerofthedancecategoryforTheMonthly’s2013ArtsAwards.
Rafael’s2012work,2OneAnotherhaswonnumerousawardsincluding‘BestEnsemble’(GreenRoomAwards
2012), ‘Outstanding Achievement in Choreography’ (Australian Dance Awards 2013), and ‘Outstanding
Performance
bya
Company’
(Australian
Dance
Awards
2013).
Most recently, his 2015 production, Frame of Mind was awarded ‘Best Choreography in a Dance Work’ and
‘BestDanceWork’atthe2015HelpmannAwards.
Rafael’sinternationallyrecognisedtalenthasseenhimworknotonlywithcontemporarydanceatthehighest
levelbutalsowithartistsfrompopularculture.Heembracestheopportunitytocollaborateonbothdanceand
cross art-form projects, a philosophy which has seen him work with companies artists including singers Kylie
Minogue,TinaTurner,SarahBlaskoandKatieNoonan;fashiondesignersDionLeeandToniMaticevski;visual
artistsJenniferAlloraandGuillermoCalzadilla(forRevolvingDoor,13Rooms,KaldorProject,2013);andartist
MiraCalix(InsideThereFalls,SydneyFestival,2015).
With Sydney Dance Company he has also collaborated with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney
SymphonyOrchestraandQueenslandSymphonyOrchestra.
Rafael is currently working on a new piece, Lux Tenebris, which will premiere as part ofSydney Dance
Company’s season of CounterMove , opening 29 February 2015 at Roslyn Packer Theatre Walsh Bay, touring
nationallyuntil17August.
www.sydneydancecompany.com/people/artistic-director/
CHENGTSUNG-LUNG
ArtisticDirector/Choreographer,CloudGate2
Sydney Dance Company
The Wharf, Pier 4, 15 Hickson Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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ChengTsung-lunggrewupinTaipei,Taiwanwherehisfamilyownedaslipperfactory.Hawkingslippersonthe
sidewalkswaspartofhischildhoodandadolescentlife.Thedynamicsofstreetlifeandpedestrians’behaviour
laterbecamethesourceofinspirationforhischoreography.
After graduating from the Dance Department of Taipei National University of the Arts, Cheng performed
internationally with Cloud Gate Dance Theatre of Taiwan from 2002 to 2004. He served as the Resident
ChoreographerforCloudGate2from2006to2010.
HeisthewinneroftheNoBalletInternationalChoreographyCompetition,Germany(2006),thePremioRoma
Danza International Choreography Competition in Italy, the 16th MASDANZA Choreography Competition in
Spain(2011),andtheTaishinArtsAward(2012)-themostprestigiousartsprizeinTaiwan.Chengwashonored
as“Artistof2011”bythePerformingArtsReviews,Taiwan,andawardedthePerformingArtsFellowshipbythe
AsianCulturalCounciltospendtenmonthsinNewYorkin2012.
Cheng has choreographed and restaged works for Transitions Dance Company at the Laban Centre, London;
Expressions Dance Company, Brisbane, Australia; the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts; and Focus
Dance Company, Taiwan. His productions with Cloud Gate 2 include: A Dignified Joke, Change, The Wall,
HappinessandMusic,Crack,BlueHour,DorianGray,andBeckoning.
In2016,hiswork13Tongues,commissionedbyTaiwanInternationalFestivalofArts(TIFA),waspremieredby
CloudGate2attheNationalTheater,theNationalPerformingArtsCenterinTaipei,Taiwan.
AntonyHamilton
Choreographer
Antony Hamilton is an independent choreographer. His award winning creations involve a sophisticated
melding of movement, sound and visual design. His major works include the seminal Black Project 1 (2012),
critically acclaimed MEETING (2015) and NYX for the 2015 Melbourne Festival. He has created numerous
national and international commissions including Keep Everything and I Like This for Chunky Move, Black
Project3forTheLyonOperaBalletandSentinelforSkanesDansteater.
AntonywastheinauguralrecipientoftheRussellPageFellowshipin2004,TanjaLiedtkeFellowshipin2009,a
Creative Australia Fellowship in 2012, and Sidney Myer Creative Fellowship in 2014. He was guest dance
curatoratTheNationalGalleryofVictoriain2013-14,honoraryResidentDirectoratLucyGuerinIncin2014
andinauguralResidentArtistatArtsHousein2015.
MEDIACONTACT
Forinformation,imagesorinterviewscontact:
AlexandraBarlow,Publicist,[email protected]
Sydney Dance Company
The Wharf, Pier 4, 15 Hickson Road, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia