Bangarra's 'Blak'

Here's what I thought for Sydney Arts Guide 

http://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/2013/06/bangarra-dance-theatres-blak/

In three parts, some of this dance journey worked extremely well, some less so. All three sections were strong, the first two especially dark, dealing with major social and cultural issues. Technically the dancing was strong featuring the distinctive Bangarra style, blending contemporary dance and traditional forms.
Overall the production values were, as always for Bangarra magnificent, and included dramatic, atmospheric lighting. I particularly liked the spectacular rock design for the third section ,’Keepers’ with the wonderful use of what seemed to be water and mist ,and the fine line of raining sand at the end ,a terrific visual ‘coup de theatre.’
For me while the first section was very powerful it was the least successful. It was about men being initiated into the clan. The dramatic lighting created an ominous feeling. The dancers wore leather jackets and grey/black leggings. Some of the choreography resembled martial arts and there was a militaristic feel. Spears materialised from t-shirts. It was disturbing and threatening with hidden brutality just under the surface. The ‘clan’ or group was represented by white paint on the forehead. It was perhaps a bit messy and overlong and the pulsating, beeping, throbbing soundtrack was overloud and quite dominating.
‘Yearning ‘, the middle section, had seven women in five short sequences exploring various issues related to domestic violence, suicide and asserting personal identity. The long dresses with the linear designs were wonderful. There was a section where a female answered the repeatedly ringing phone ( a hanging payphone) and left the phone off the hook – she was comforted by her friends or were they watchful, supportive yet uneasy spirits? Another sequence has all the women in a row on hard plastic seats as in a hospital waiting room and they have short solos. The soundtrack for this section included speech and sounds of domestic violence.
The third section ‘Keepers’ had, as already mentioned, a fabulous rocky backdrop.  A ‘homage to the legacy of their elders, all those who went before them ‘, it was as if the dancers were the spirits of the environment .There was a great sense of ritual to the techno beat soundscape. The dancers wore skimpy black costumes (meant to be seaweed? ) Choreographically in some ways I was reminded of Macmillan’s ‘Rite of Spring’. There were huge group circular dances and the choreography at times demanded great fluidity of movement and sudden soft feline like jumps. There were also excellent slithery pas de deux.  A powerful piece provoking much discussion afterwards.
Bangara Dance Theatre’s BLAK, running 90 minutes without interval, opened at the Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House on Friday 7^th June and runs until Saturday June 29 and then goes on to play Canberra and Brisbane.