Natalie Weir's
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Expressions Dance Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre in association with Camerata of St John’s present NATALIE WEIR’S 20-28 May 2016, Playhouse, QPAC from Guangdong Modern Dance Company, who brings a unique and organic perspective to the role created with Daryl Brandwood. I am proud of the relationship we have built with Willy Tsao and his companies in Asia. I also welcome Jake McLarnon, who takes on the role created with Jack Ziesing. Jake brings a strong individuality and prowess to the stage. We welcome Thomas Gundry Greenfield back to his role as ‘The Ferryman’. Tom made a huge NATALIE WEIR I ARTISTIC DIRECTOR impression last time in this role and it is fantastic EXPRESSIONS DANCE COMPANY to have him back, following last year’s 7 Deadly Sins where he performed the role of ‘Man’. It gives me great pleasure to EDC members Rebecca Hall and Cloudia Elder welcome you to the return season bring a freshness to the work, and Michelle of When Time Stops. Barnett stars, in her first leading role, as ‘The Woman’, a role originally created with Riannon It has been exciting to revisit this work, which McLean. Benjamin Chapman revisits his role is the result of significant collaboration with with great sensitivity and grace, and Elise May many talented artists contributing to its once again moves us to tears, bringing her vision. The work was very successful in its increasing maturity and artistry to the stage. original incarnation in 2013, being nominated All of these superb dancers bring the work to for Australian Dance Awards and Helpmann life, taking new directions and refreshing the AwardsTM. The incredible score by the magical work. I have made some changes, tightened Iain Grandage won Best Original Score at the things up a little, and am very proud of the Helpmann Awards, and coming back to this company in this work. achingly beautiful music has been wonderful. Without QPAC’s unwavering support of EDC, The design by Bill Haycock is incredibly stunning these major works would not be possible. and lighting by David Walters is beautiful. Thank you John Kotzas and the entire I am so grateful to Brendan Joyce and Camerata QPAC organisation. of St John’s for their inspiring investment that I hope When Time Stops takes you on a has empowered the work and bolstered the wonderful journey, and the emotion and imagery strength of the vision, and we welcome four linger in your consciousness for a very long time. new musicians to the ensemble this time. We dedicate the staging of this season to We welcome some new dancers to the work EDC’s past chair – Karen Masnata. also. It is a pleasure to showcase Xiao Zhiren This re-worked return season has been co-produced by QPAC and EDC. When Time Stops features an ensemble of five dancers from EDC joined on stage by Thomas Gundry Greenfield, who featured in the original 2013 cast; Jake McLarnon, previously with Australian Dance Theatre; and Xiao Zhiren from Guangdong Modern Dance Company (GMDC). It’s wonderful to see the collaboration between EDC and GMDC. These JOHN KOTZAS I CHIEF EXECUTIVE two companies have been working together as QUEENSLAND PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE part of a cultural exchange program offering their dancers the opportunity to live, work and Welcome to Queensland perform in another country. EDC and GMDC’s triple bill collaboration Black was performed Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) for at QPAC earlier this year. These cultural this return season of Expressions collaborations are exciting for artists and for Dance Company’s (EDC) audiences also who have the chance to see performers not usually seen on our stages. celebrated When Time Stops. QPAC and EDC have collaborated to bring Since its world premiere at QPAC in 2013, new works to life since 2010. I look forward When Time Stops has become one of EDC’s to future co-productions with Queensland’s most celebrated works. With a Helpmann leading contemporary dance company TM Award winning score by Iain Grandage, and hope you enjoy this performance of choreography by Natalie Weir, design by Bill When Time Stops. Haycock and lighting by David Walters, this beautiful work demonstrates EDC’s reputation as a leading contemporary dance company. Natalie Weir’s When Time Stops is dedicated to the memory of Karen Masnata (1969 - 2016) Karen was a young, vibrant, positive and intelligent woman who was passionate about the arts, life, Brisbane and her family. She inspired those around her with her energy and vitality. In 2010, Karen joined the EDC Board of Directors and was appointed to the position of Chair of EDC in May 2011. Her unrelenting support of EDC allowed the company to thrive and dream big. Upon her resignation due to ill health in October 2014, Karen spoke of how EDC held a strong place in her heart. Karen, we dance for you. A woman is swept away by a gush of memory in the last moments of her life. Those moments when time slowed down, Creative Team events she directly experienced and Natalie Weir and moments she observed others experiencing. Concept They all remain part of her well-lived life, Bill Haycock where she has loved and been loved. The Natalie Weir and the Choreography small silver ball, ‘the orb’ represents time. EDC Dancers Composer Iain Grandage In Between Michelle Barnett Design Bill Haycock Gush of Memory Full Company Lighting Design David Walters Thomas Gundry The Ferryman Greenfield Music Director Brendan Joyce Rebecca Hall, Rehearsal Director Lizzie Vilmanis First Kiss Benjamin Chapman Time Xiao Zhiren Production Team Michelle Barnett and Knocked Sideways Production Manager Leonie Lee Jake McLarnon Repercussions Jake McLarnon Set Construction Iceworks Design Scan Cloudia Elder Head Mechanist Craig Anderson Benjamin Chapman, Cutter-Costume Into the Wall, Bad Gayle MacGregor Jake McLarnon and Maker News Michelle Barnett Costume Maker Michelle Wiki Thomas Gundry The Ferryman Greenfield Season Show Crew Xiao Zhiren and Last Kiss Michelle Barnett Stage Manager Jodie Roche-Jones Impact Full Company Head Electrician Timothy Gawne Bodies Full Company Sound Designer Brett Cheney Elise May, Thomas Costume Cardiac Michelle Wiki Gundry Greenfield Maintenance Loss of Innocence Benjamin Chapman Chanthalah Webster- Physiotherapy Goodbye Full Company Tight, Core Yoga Special thank you to Riannon McLean for Promotional coaching and mentoring the dancers. Dylan Evans Photography Season Chris Herzfeld Photography of When Time Stops NATALIE WEIR relationship. At times the men are abstract concepts. For example, the scene, Into the What are the moments in a person’s life Wall, where two men fling ‘The Woman’ back where time seems to slow down or even stop? into a corner is about the woman’s emotion These moments can be intensely dramatic, upon hearing devastating news. The men are personal and life-changing. They linger in there to heighten the woman’s emotion and your psyche for life, and surface now and then bring an intensified physicality to the section. through a word, smell, sound or touch. They make us who we are and shape the way we Contemporary dance should take risk and perceive the world from that moment on. provide insight and investigation into the human condition without sugar-coating Now, we meet ‘The Woman’, who could be or fear. We paint moments that may feel anyone, at her moment of death. The saying uncomfortable to some. Also included are ‘one’s life flashes before your eyes’ might be moments of joy (may they be bittersweet), true given the intensity of our life moments. alongside beauty, darkness and light, Where do people go when they are no reflecting the shades that make up a life. longer conscious? Iain Grandage has embraced the enormity ‘Life’ is an intense concept and I approached of this concept and brought an honesty of it through a spiritual context centered on the emotion that is palpable and satisfying. I am notion of ‘The Ferryman’ who is portrayed sure you will agree. throughout different art and literature. He transports a person’s soul safely across the Bill Haycock’s bold and striking design sea and sets it free. Arnold Böcklin’s painting creates a place in our imagination, where past The Isle of the Dead, which in turn inspired and future wash over us. My brief to lighting composer Rachmaninov to write his famous designer David Walters was to allow the score, is particularly inspirational. lighting to play a starring role, and it does. The work does not provide a linear or a The incredible talents of the musicians lend straight narrative. Instead the work is similar them to being the emotional drivers of the to a painting, the content of which is whatever work. Being onstage amongst the action the viewer brings to it. Understanding the emphasises this. meaning intended by the artist is not as The dancers’ commitment and trust brings important as the experience of viewing it. new energy and vision to the work. They are We gift this to you. responsible for bringing it to life. It belongs The three male characters represent different to them. figures during the woman’s life; her first love, a childhood friend and a dysfunctional Soundtrack available for purchase. Submit your pre-order of When Time Stops form in the foyer now. IAIN GRANDAGE What do people hear when they die? We minimalism, polytonality and direct and know that people who have survived ‘near alluded quotations from Mahler and death experiences’ often tell of ‘music they Schubert’s Death and the Maiden. have never heard before’. Often this music Having the chance to revisit the score for comes with labels like ‘sublimely beautiful’ this, its second presentation, has been and ‘transcendent’ – undoubtedly beautiful deeply rewarding, not least because of the adjectives with which to start composing, if a investment and understanding of all those little daunting in the expectations they set up involved.