FORTE at the Concourse Chatswood

Here's what I thought for Sydney Arts Guide

https://www.sydneyartsguide.com.au/forte-projection-dance-company/

FORTE: A SHOWCASE FOR STRENGTH AND TECHNIQUE

JULY 16, 2018 LYNNE LANCASTER LEAVE A COMMENT

FORTE is a collaboration between Australian choreographer Tim Podesta and Principal Guest Artist of the Royal Ballet Mara Galeazzi.  It brings together James Pett and Travis Clausen-Knight, contemporary dancers from the UK who for the past four years have danced with Company Wayne McGregor, and a cast of Australian and international dancers. Forte is a programme of five short works produced by M&T In Motion for Projection Dance Company. The word Forte means strong or strength and showcases the great strength and excellent technique of the dancers .

There were no set designs as such , rather the stage of the Concourse Theatre was stripped right back .

First up was Sextet Fall choreographed by Tim Podesta with the six dancers (the ‘ junior Artists’) in flowing white trousers and various colours of tops. Podesta’s choreography is very demanding, with circular arms, sinuous wiggles, pantherine soft jumps, curved backbends, ferocious knee drops . There are perhaps hints of Cunningham’s style in the precise counts and off-balance poses.  Fascinating solos and pas de deux and fine ensemble work are also included. The relentless electronic music by Carl Craig and Robert Hood drives the work to its conclusion .

A highlight of the evening would have to be La Porta Dell’Inconsio ( The door of the unconscious) a solo for Dominic Ballard choregraphed by Simon Hoy with music by Ezio Bosso . Ballard is an Australian , now working with Ballet West in Salt Lake City. He is the tall blonde princely type( think Peter Martins).  For this work he is barefoot and in a short skin coloured rather revealing outfit. Traditional ballet poses are melded with contemporary styles, angularity was contrasted with fluidity and there was a fabulous display of menage turns in a charismatic demanding solo that required precise timing and excellent technique.

The third work was Architecture of Loss, choreographed by Tim Podesta and danced by Kristy -Lee Denovan to music by Valgeir Sigurdsson . Denovan, dark, petite and intense, wore a short blue and white outfit possibly tie-dyed and soft ballet slippers. The music crackled and popped.  It was a strong , sharp performance with flicks of the arm, laser sharp long stretched legs,a nd displaying Denovan’s beautiful epaulement.

Before interval was Proximity, choreographed and  performed by James Pett and Travis Clausen– Knight.   They are barefoot in loose black suits with white shirts.  It is as if they are two halves of a single being perhaps sometimes they mirror each other, sometimes they dance in unison, at others it is like a tender, intimate conversation between the two.  Choroegraphy includes backward runs, spiky rolling floorwork and  also fluid floorwork.  There are some most interesting lifts and balances . The ending is sad, sudden and unexpected.

After interval was FORTE itself, another work choreographed by Tim Podesta, to music by Carl Craig, John Hopkins, Ben Lukas Boysen and Nils Frahm, with a distinguished cast of six. The soundscape crackles, beeps, thrums and bubbles and there was some quite dramatic lighting. The dancers were fluid and feline, full of fluid flickering movement which demanded incredible control. Podesta’s choreography, at some points Bejart like in style, required sinuous, rippling arms and sudden whirling turns, angular shoulder rolls and some very difficult lifts and partnering. Each dancer had a short mini solo breaking out of the group, which flowed into some memorable duos and trios .

An intriguing programme .

FORTE was for one performance only at The Concourse, Chatswood July 14 2018 and is touring nationally.