Weight x3 / 2
Extreme physicality and precision will hypnotise you at Spring Dance 2012.
Overview
Prepare to meet the edges of human physical skill with TAO Dance Theatre's Australian premiere of Weight x3 / 2. Rather than an obscure mathematical equation, this double-bill is a study in precision, synchronicity and exceptional athleticism by the Chinese choreographer Tao Ye.
A big word here is minimalism — a necessity to focus the audience's attention onto the virtuosic quality of the TAO dancers' movements. It is such craft that has led Rafael Bonachela, curator of Spring Dance 2012 and artistic director of the Sydney Dance Company, to observe that these master movers are "at times seemingly floating on air".
Scoring Weight x3 and 2 are the legendary composer Steve Reich and the haunting Chinese folk-rock composer/musician Xiao He. Though each composer creates a very different sound, their own minimalist scores are a sublime accompaniment to the measured choreography, allowing for a performance so in sync as to be hypnotic.
Audiences are best urged to keep this last word in mind as Tao Ye believes that "a good dance has the power to let the viewers temporarily forget who they are". Given how successful TAO Dance Theatre's recent world tour has been, let's hope that Spring Dance give out name tags with every ticket.
Image by Matthew G. Johnson
Information
- CP Picks: The Editor's Gift Guide —What the CP Team Is Giving (and Hoping to Receive)
- CP Picks: The Best Gifts for Arts Lovers — From Gallery Prints to Music Gigs
- CP Picks: The Best Gifts for People Who Are Never Home — According to Travel Writers
- CP Picks: From Hot Sauce to Handblown Glasses — Small-Batch Gifts for Big Foodies
- The Best Restaurants in Sydney to Take Your Dad This Father's Day (or Any Day)
- Twenty-Five Exceptional Films by Indigenous Australian Filmmakers That You Can Stream Right Now