Subtle Dances
World Premiere 2021 / Bruce Mason Centre
Commissioned by BalletCollective Aotearoa
Auckland Arts Festival
Dunedin Arts Festival
Choreographer Loughlan Prior
Composer Claire Cowan
Costume Design William Fitzgerald
Lighting Design Alan Wilson
Featuring:
Abigail Boyle
Medhi Angot
William Fitzgerald
Tabitha Dombroski
Björn Åslund
Honor Christian-Slane
Callum Phipps
Eloise Moore
Kit Reilly
NZTrio:
Amalia Hall Violin
Ashley Brown Cello
Somi Kim Piano
Images: John McDermott
With special thanks to
Turid Revfeim, Brigitte Knight,
Shona McCullagh, Auckland Arts Festival, Charlie Unwin, Dunedin Arts Festival and
Creative New Zealand
Program Notes: Loughlan Prior continues to develop his strong artistic relationship with acclaimed Kiwi composer Claire Cowan. Their new work, Subtle Dances, explores a set of three contrasting atmospheres for piano trio, fused with a synthetic sound-mix. Flirtation, nervousness, exhibitionism, 'peacocking' - the unspoken rituals performed in complex courtship are explored in every note and subtle dance.
Both sassy and hypnotic, the ballet presents itself as a continually shifting collection of landscapes for human interaction. Inspired by traditional partner dance styles (ballroom and latin dance), the work slowly devolves into a physical language all its own, where the lines of gender and sexuality are erased.
A definitive and unique style that reflects a contemporary ethos is definitely apparent in the performance of Loughlan Prior’s Subtle Dances, a work reflecting the rituals of courtship and touching on the ambivalence of gender fluidity. - Theatre Review
The work explores and explodes with themes of gender blurring—swirls of hot tango as the boys and girls and boys come out to play. It is saucy, spicy, dark and compelling. - Michelle Potter…on Dancing
Prior jigsaws together steps from a variety of eras and styles with queer mischief - DANZ