An artist is only as good as their tools, and that is definitely the case when it comes to the artistic medium of dance. Whatever the talent and vision of the choreographer may be, it is down to the dancers to bring that vision to life and present it in the best light possible.
How fortunate it is, therefore, that when it comes to bringing to life the vision of Dry Spell choreographer Rose Philpott, she has five versatile dancers who do so with energy, talent, and fluidity of movement that truly elevate the piece.
Rose's talent is clear from the opening moments of this performance, as the audience is shown only the dancer's feet, the rest of their bodies hidden by a piece of blue fabric as they begin to move. While their bodies are hidden, there is no hiding for the dancers, as with all the attention on their feet, those feet must move in perfect harmony, there is no room for mistakes here.
And there are no mistakes to be seen, from that opening scene onwards the five dancers are in perfect harmony and unison when the choreography requires. At other times, they swap that harmony for displays of almost manic anger and confusion, as they take the audience on a journey into the unknown.
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Advertise with NZME.There are moments of hedonism, where the dancers weave their bodies under, over and across each other with such effortless grace it is almost as though you are watching one dancer, with many arms and legs, move across the stage. Then there are moments of sorrow or anger, as well as playfulness, with each dancer having their own moment to take control of the narrative in some way.
Each dancer is undeniably talented, but a standout has to be Levi Siaosi, who creates moments of absolute beauty from his disjointed, perfectly awkward physicality, creating a clear image of the outsider of the group. Then there is Veronica ChengEn Lyu, who is perfectly poised, fluid and graceful even as she takes the audience on a journey into something almost manic in parts. Both would have the ability to completely steal the show if it weren't for the fact they are sharing the stage with three other incredible dancers.
At times it is hard to know where to look - do you keep your eyes trained on Cecilia Wilcox as she playfully and fluidly twists across the stage, or should you keep your focus on Oliver Carruthers who is almost puck-like as he breaks the fourth wall and directly questions the audience on what they are seeing and experiencing. What about Emma Cosgrave - who captures the playfulness of the piece with her energy.
Whoever you watch, you will not be disappointed, as each dancer truly rises to the challenges set by Rose Philpott's thoughtful choreography and Eden Mulholland's soundtrack of frenzied yet playful hedonism.
It may be called Dry Spell, but fortunately for New Zealand Aotearoa audiences, there is no dry spell in creativity and talent when it comes to Footnote New Zealand Dance, Rose Philpott and the five incredible dancers bringing their energy to this performance.
