Rafael bonachela, the companys artistic director, stages his fervently charged frame of mind, featuring the companys awardwinning ensemble performing bonachela s signature high octane choreography to a contemporaryclassical soundtrack composed by bryce dessner of. For his work soledad, bonachela won both the premio guglielmo ebreo and the independent critics prize at the biennale danza e italia in pesaro in 2006. Ahead of sdcs anticipated south american tour, premiering tonight in sao paulo, we chat to rafael on the evolution of his choreography, what. Dance designer has been specifically designed to support virtually every dance discipline including. When londonbased, spanish choreographer rafael bonachela scored.
Choreographer rafael bonachela and composer ezio bosso have collaborated with tremendous success once again to create 6 breaths. Rafael bonachela to lead sydney dance company to its 50th. Meet sydney dance companys artistic director, rafael bonachela. Jan 27, 2018 the acclaimed artistic director of sydney dance company, rafael bonachela, spoke with the city paper about how music, lighting and movement create a worldclass performance. His infectious energy and passion for contemporary culture brought australian dance into focus on the international stage. Published for the first time in 2004 has evolved into the premier educational software for students, fireworks amateurs and professionals for small shows. Choreography is the lights, the music, the theatricality of the entire experience. Yet in order for them to grow in their careers and reach their full potential, they need the opportunity to practice the chance to take their ideas and put them on the stage in front of an audience.
He traveled to england and joined rambert dance company in 1992 where he remained as a lead dancer. He traveled to england and joined rambert dance company in 1992 where he remained as a lead dancer and associate choreographer until 2005. It is also celebrating rafael bonachela s 10 years now with the company. May 01, 2017 be captured by the extraordinary lunar mystery orb a world premiere featuring ocho, the latest creation from artistic director rafael bonachela, and full moon, the companys first ever. Hell be returning with the company in november to present a season of the work.
Since his appointment, rafael has brought the works of a diverse range of leading choreographers to australia including alexander. I think dance, movement, is something so, so primal, you know, and its. Bonachelalane sydney dance company bathurst region. The program supports young australian choreographers through the creation and presentation of new and diverse dance works. Rafael bonachelas combustible choreographic language and his sydney dance companys dancers produce art where rigour, freedom, strength and precision are deftly combined. Weve just started a youth program where young from, you know, very. I first began expressing my interest in choreography through ramberts workshop platform while i was a dancer in the company. Apr 24, 2014 rafael bonachela was born in barcelona where he began his early dance training before moving to london, joining the legendary rambert dance company in 1992. Kylie fever 2002 in concert live in manchester 2002.
It did not have anything to do with my bringing up, in terms. Explore the depth of human impulse with the world premiere of rafael bonachela s ab intra, meaning from within in latin. Sydney dance companys double bill, frame of mind, has a lot going for it. He is artistic director of the sydney dance company in sydney, australia. Choreography rafael bonachela the standing ovation was testament to the dancers skill and beauty of movement and its power to move, entrance and transport the viewer to something less. New logo and identity for sydney dance company by maud. Rafael bonachelas 6 breaths video philippe charluet. Dancing down and under house choreographer and artistic director of sydney dance company, rafael bonachela, employs.
Season one is a dream come true for artistic director. Born in barcelona, award winning londonbased choreographer, rafael bonachela has been described by the sunday times magazine as the next big thing and by id magazine as among the hottest of international talent. Staged in conjunction with the world premiere of rafael bonachelas frame of mind, the program went on to win the helpmann awards for best choreography and best dance work for frame of mind as. Established in 1969, sydney dance company is one of australias leading contemporary dance companies. Andrew discusses sydney dance companys production frame of mind and the process of choreographing a work of dance with choreographer and director rafael bonachela. Sydney dance companys second program for 2019, the fiftieth year of existence, began with a short film. Maria dear jhon, theres a computer program for composing choreography called danceforms. Rafael bonachela was born in barcelona where he began his early dance training. Best contemporary dance choreographers today all about. The company is known for its dancers high level of technical ability. But if that all feels overly mathematical, cerebral or mumbo jumbo mystical, think again. Spanish born choreographer rafael bonachelas stellar career both as a dancer and choreographer began in barcelona where at the age of seventeen. He moved to london and in 1992 joined the legendary rambert dance. Rafael bonachela enters his 10th year at the helm of the sydney dance company as a proud spanishborn australian citizen.
This appointment will see him program sydney dance companys 50th. The dancers weave ethereally in and out forming duos and trios. Season one sydney dance company dance informa magazine. Read more about this exciting development and rafael s latest work 2 in d minor via dancetabs here. It is very important to be engaged with the wider dance industry, too, to recognise the importance of keeping abreast of any developments that occur in the local, national and international dance or contemporary dance world. Roslyn packer theatre, walsh bay, sydney february 29, 2016. Rafael describes himself as a movement junkie and the exploration and experimentation of pure movement is his motivation. In 2011, he won the australian dance award for most outstanding choreography. The set on stage consisted of 7 screens were the video was played simultaneously. As the scrim lifts, free flowing choreography plays across the darkened stage. Rafael bonachelas 6 breaths performed by the sydney dance. The minimalist design ab intra is a spectacular performance no thanks to the talents of set and costume designer david fleischer and lighting designer damien cooper. Bonachela forsythe will see bonachela premiering a new work, impermanence, and restaging his awardwinning e2 7sd. Delgado has worked with choreographers such as mats ek, rafael bonachela, kenneth kvanstrom, ja linkens, itzik galili, samir akika, pedro ruiz, isidro rolando, and george cespedes, among others, and he has created works for dcc, rakatan, and ebony.
Jacqueline pascoe, dance australia sydney dance companys artistic director created his second major work following the unstoppable success of 360o, bonachela s premiere work for sydney dance company, which burst onto the dance scene in 2008, introducing its choreographer to. Now in his fourth year as artistic director, rafael bonachela has brought a sense of energy and excitement to the dance company, which recently posted a healthy operating surplus after ticket. Rafael bonachela moved to australia in 2009 to be the artistic director at sydney dance company. He remained with the legendary company as a dancer and.
Look, for me, its interesting, because the choreography thing was always throughout because there was all these, that ive just explained to you. Performing with them for twelve years he was appointed associate choreographer in 2003. We unfold will be a revelation of the new look sdc. He travelled to england, joining londons legendary rambert dance company in 1992 where he remained as a lead dancer and associate choreographer until 2005.
But then obviously, there was a point where i really understood you know, once i started taking proper classes at 15, i really understood that there was something great out there. Bonachela s 2 one another won australian dance awards in 20 for choreography and for performance by a company. Dance icons interview with rafael bonachela sydney dance. Rafael s frame of mind won the 2015 helpmann awards for best choreography and best dance work.
It is an updated version of the software that was originally used by merce cunningham and that had the name lifeforms at his time. The two works shown, william forsythes quintett and rafael bonachelas frame of mind, balance each other nicely. At only 90 minutes in length including one interval, it is not a long program but it does satisfy. Season one is the first programme celebrating the 50 th anniversary of sydney dance company sdc a most exciting triple bill. Rafael bonachela is already sitting in the southbank theatre when i arrive. Sydney dance companys national schools program supports dance education for all ages through curriculum relevant programs for primary.
Rafael bonachela is a spanish choreographer of contemporary dance. Mar 28, 2010 choreographer, and artistic director of the sydney dance companys production of 6 breaths rafael bonachela, opens his sydney home to 702 and simon marnie for this weekends sunday brunch. Sydney dance companys rafael bonachela prepares to take. Sydney dance company brings a beast of a program to. Excerpts from the sdc repertoire during the years it was. Acclaimed for his dynamic and innovative choreography, barcelonaborn rafael bonachela is artistic director of the sydney dance company. Rafael bonachela is a choreographer, artistic director and curator whose career has seen him success. Rafael bonachela is a choreographer, artistic director and curator whose career has seen him successfully span high art and popular culture, working across a range of art forms, including contemporary dance, art installations, pop concerts, musicals, film, commercials and fashion rafael bonachela has been the artistic director and resident choreographer for sydney dance company since. Rafael bonachela artistic director, sydney dance company choreography and concept 6 breaths and landforms rafael bonachela took on the role of artistic director of sydney dance company in 2009. In 2020, sydney dance company will explode the everyday and take you into the sublime with an electrifying double bill featuring rafael bonachela s newest creation impermanence and melanie lanes critically acclaimed woof.
Click below to book your tickets now to see impermanence, part of season one. Never a backward step for sdcs rafael bonachela the. Charming, witty and refreshingly honest, rafael took time out during his latest visit to melbourne to chat with me about his collaborative dance creation, we unfold. Rafael bonachela youtube connor scott contemporary duet bbc young dancer 2015 grand final contempory. The dancers are in blindingly brilliant technical form handling the demanding, acrobatic, at times almost impossible choreography with. Rafael bonachela has just started his sixth year as artistic director of sydney dance company, widely regarded as the premier contemporary dance company in australia. The outcome is a software program that offers a complete choreography package that assists with the creation, previsualization, documentation, communication and rehearsal process. If someone were to make an elevator pitch for the movie of rafael bonachelas life, it would be billy elliot meets fame directed by pedro almodovar obviously, there would be dance sequences first in barcelona, then recital halls across europe. It was followed by a second work called landforms, an emotional response to the effect of weather elements on landscapes. On the forsythe side of the program, there will be forsythes 2002 work, n. Rafael bonachela, choreographer interview by laura barnett my high point. The concept for gomw was paris burning so i think we have kylie and will baker to blame for the hand flaps. He remained with rambert as a dancer and associate choreographer until 2006 at which time he successfully set up the bonachela dance company bdc to concentrate on the rapid rise of his choreographic career.
At an awards ceremony on saturday rafael bonachela received the inaugural. Rafael bonachelasydney dance company stella motion pictures. She became a principal dancer in 2006 and worked with internationally recognized choreographers jan linkens, cathy marston, rafael bonachela, carlos junior acosta, samir akika, luca bruni, kenneth kvarnstrom, and andrea miler. G iven that he recently became director of sydney dance company, and now spends most of his time on the other side of the world, its frustrating to report that rafael bonachela. Aug 16, 2010 australias online home for performing arts. Rafael bonachela in the studio at sydney dance company. He is artistic director of the sydney dance company in sydney, australia reception. Rafael bonachela artistic director, sydney dance company. Rafael bonachelas vision for sydney dance company embraces a guiding principal that sees commissioned dance works by australian and international choreographers programmed each year alongside his own creations, ensuring diversity for audiences and a variety of challenges for the dancers. Sydney dance companys 2018 season opens with an electrifying. This video was created for the choreography fugal from rafael bonachela. As an educational tool for schools is offered free with a curriculum to lean different. The program will feature two world premieres from gabrielle nankivell and. Rafael has commissioned a diverse range of artists, composers, designers, choreographers, popular singers, instrumental musicians.
In 2014 sydney dance company and carriageworks with the support of the balnaves foundation, launched a major multiyear program, new breed, under the artistic direction of rafael bonachela. He serves as professor of dance at the national dance school in havana, cuba. Performed by the sydney dance company, 6 breaths is a composition inspired by six forms of breath. With an ensemble of 18 dancers, led by artistic director rafael bonachela, sydney dance company produces original works of choreography and performs regularly in the wharf, where they are the resident company, in sydneys walsh bay currently under renovation as well as stages around the. Rafael began his early dance training in barcelona and was a member of the legendary rambert dance company, both as a dancer and. Sydney dance company 2020 season is set with staging works from two contemporary dance masters sydney dance companys own rafael bonachela and william forsythe. Rafael began his early dance training in spain before moving to london and joining the rambert dance company. Without a crowd, the seats look like teeth, row upon row of square molars.
Rafael bonachela is a choreographer, curator and arts leader whose career has seen him successfully span high art and popular culture, working across a range of art forms including contemporary dance, art installation, pop concerts, musicals, film, commercials and fashion. May 15, 2018 explore the depth of human impulse with the world premiere of rafael bonachelas ab intra, meaning from within in latin. An intimate evening of breathtaking dance celebrating the music of benjamin britten. Australia is blessed with an extremely rich talent base of dynamic young dance creators. Jun 07, 2010 meet sydney dance companys artistic director, rafael bonachela. He remained with the legendary company as a dancer and associate. The design is minimal and raw, lending to a look of classical minimalism. Ahead of sdcs anticipated south american tour, premiering tonight in sao paulo, we chat to rafael on the evolution of his choreography, what he loves about sydney, and whats next.
Because of the demanding nature of his choreography, bonachela insisted on choosing fevers backing dancers. Pyrocreator is the leader and first 3d fireworks simulation software with drag and drop visual user interface. House choreographer and artistic director of sydney dance company, rafael bonachela, employs a profoundly physical movement style as a tool to connect audiences with consequential human themes. Artistic director of sydney dance company choreography founder of bonachela dance company. Awarded the first ever place prize for choreography in 2004 for e2 7sd, he set up his own company in 2006. Frame of mind is now showing at melbournes southbank theatre until may 16. Sydney dance company artistic director rafael bonachela was born in barcelona, but now calls the emerald city of oz home. It represented noise on the tv with the relief from the dancers moving in a sequence that speeded up or slowed down depending on the music on stage. Choreographed by rafael bonachela and dancers original music by ezio bosso designed by alan macdonald lighting design by guy hoare costume design by theo clinkard dancers.
Watching kylie minogue perform a dance id choreographed for her at wembley arena. The first piece i created was taken into the company repertoire and after that experience, i jumped at every single chance to choreograph i was given. It is a reflective, dreamy work, a solo by luke haywood the highlight. Sydney dance company annual report 2015 by sydneydancecompany. Be captured by the extraordinary lunar mystery orb a world premiere featuring ocho, the latest creation from artistic director rafael bonachela, and full moon, the companys first ever. She moved to chicago in 2008 and began working with hedwig dances and concert dance, inc. I much prefered the video choreography anyway, the original was a bit too high school musical in my opinion. Get outta my way was choreographed by tony testa, not the people who did fever rafael bonachela and michael rooney. He taught tina turner and kylie minogue how to move, but choreographer rafael bonachelas real mission is to reinvent dance.
This year is the companys 45th anniversary and bonachela is, as ever, full of plans, excited about them all and brimming over with enthusiasm for his role with sydney dance. Winner of australian dance awards 2011 outstanding achievement in choreography, choreographer rafael bonachela collaborates with music composer ezio bosso. Artistic director rafael bonachela discusses the importance of each work that features in the upcoming season. It was a stellar 2015 for rafael bonachela and sydney dance company, packed with new work, including bonachela s own inventive frame of mind which saw them winning awards and garnering praise left, right and centre. Spanish born choreographer rafael bonachela s stellar career both as a dancer and choreographer began in barcelona where at the age of seventeen he performed with lanonima imperial. He remained with rambert as a dancer and associate choreographer until 2006 at which time he successfully set up the bonachela dance company bdc to concentrate on the rapid rise of his. He is known for his work on dance academy 2010, kylie minogue. Their sensitivity to choreography and creativity produce an aweinspiring production, says bonachela. Rafael bonachela was born in barcelona where he began his early dance training before moving to london, and in 1992 joined the legendary rambert dance company. He followed graeme murphy, who had been at the helm for decades, and took up the role after the tragic death of tanja liedtke, who was named as murphys successor. From the legacy of life forms animation software, credo interactive presents the first choreography software designed with dance teachers and choreographers. Media in category rafael bonachela the following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. Sydney dance companys rafael bonachela the saturday paper.
Sydney dance company performs at the joyce theater 118. The stage itself looks claustrophobic, too small to hold the kind of dance rafael, artistic director of the sydney dance company, is known for choreographing. We are thrilled to announce that artistic director rafael bonachela will be leading sydney dance company for 5 more years, taking the company to its 50th anniversary. These famous choreographers present their work all over the world and with the most well known dance companies and while i love to watch their productions, i regret not seeing other companies. Choreography rafael bonachela with the dancers of the sydney dance company assistant to the choreographer amy hollingsworth music music for weather elements composed by ezio bosso lighting mark dyson costume design rafael bonachela costume realization fiona holley music performed by ezio bosso piano. Born in barcelona, bonachela moved to london in 1992 and joined the rambert dance company.
Choreographer and artistic director of sydney dance company, rafael bonachela, employs a profoundly physical movement style as a tool to connect audiences with consequential human themes. Its quite an odd thing to compete in something as subjective as choreography, but i think initiatives like the place prize really do provide upandcoming artists with some fantastic opportunities. Nov 16, 2011 inspired by the 80s tv show fame, rafael bonachela went from jiving schoolkid to one of the hottest names in dance. Courtesy ben symons born in barcelona toward the end of francisco francos dictatorship, there was not a dance school for bonachela to attend as a child. Witness this astonishing collaboration between the queensland symphony orchestra, chanteuse katie noonan and sydney dance company partnering with qso for the very first time as conductor johannes fritzsch directs a. Rafael bonachela and jacopo godani with the sydney dance. Israeli emmanuel gat will share the program with bonachela in the. When londonbased, spanish choreographer rafael bonachela scored a choreographic commission with sydney dance company in early 2008, he never imagined he would be artistic director of the company by years end. On tuesday evening the joyce hosted another group, sydney dance company, making its return to the theater under its stillrelatively new artistic director, rafael bonachela.