Sydney Dance Company 2 One Another
As the music builds, becoming more intense and more chaotic the group of dancers fill the stage, each performing their own erratic movements with the beat of the song. Toned arms and legs are thrown around as the dancers move across the stage, lifting one another up, twirling, leaping and jerking their bodies in different directions. Suddenly, the music dies down and the room is quiet as the dancers sit at the front of the stage in a long line. Each one making a different action with their hands or face, only the sound of breathing can be heard. The dancers slowly walk off leaving only a man and woman behind. A melancholy violin starts to play as the couple dance together. Their bodies intertwine and simultaneously resist and pull each other in, as the music plays softly in the background. This captivating moment of the performance beautifully expresses themes of love and heartbreak as the two bodies move as one. It’s not long before the couple are joined back on stage by the others as the music builds again and poetry is heard whispered throughout the room. The performance dives into another element, clapping and banging sounds are made by the dancers as they spring from one side of the room to the other, as the electronic music begins to ascend once more.
Choreographed by Rafael Bonachela, Sydney Dance Company’s exhibition of 2 One Another tells the story of human interaction and how we are shaped by the relationships we form. Its fearlessness of expression is what makes the piece so compelling, the dance displaying the complexities and beauty behind human relationships. The performance runs for an hour and involves 16 dancers all interacting and intertwining with one another. The soundtrack is equally as compelling ranging from violent electronic sounds, to beautiful violins and even spoken poetry.
The performance is truly stunning and the movements complex. Working in conjunction with the music, the dancers’ movements are flawless and transfixing and allow for a non verbal expression of the human condition.
Returning to the stage on the 6th of October, Bonachela’s masterpiece is one not to be missed.