Riverside Theatre, Parramatta
November 20
By Dolce Fisher
Fash + Fresh Dance 2010 was a celebration of young choreographers.
There was an immense range of styles performed including hip-hop, jazz, lyrical and contemporary from Sydney’s up-and-coming dance creators.
After three heats, 16 artists made it through to the grand final judged by Lisa Griffiths, Robert Love, Pam Thornton, Verity Jacobsen, Heath Baldwin, Patrick Harding-Irmer, Anca Frankenhauser, and Loretta Busby.
With a high quality and diverse range of works the judges were left with a tough decision. But the winners were:
Most Outstanding Female Dancer
Natasha Kay-Newling for her performance in My Body and Me
Most Outstanding Male Dancer
Josh Denyer for his performance in Cameron Beard’s Shut Up and Let Me Go
People’s Choice
Sarah Worthington’s Green performed by North Shore Dance Academy.
Best New Talent
Alyssa Skye Mahony for Altar Ego
Most Outstanding Choreography
Brandon Attoui for Shifted Gears
You Move’s Kay Armstrong offered two winning artists a place in her company’s mentorship program as part of their prize. Natasha Kay-Newling, who recently graduated from Ev & Bow, and Brandon Attoui, a student at the Australian International Performing Arts High School, were both offered a place in You Move’s program. This is a wonderful opportunity for both dancers to be exposed to other choreographers and gain more experience in the industry. Both dancers showed sound technical ability and their choreography was quite mature for their age. Natasha Kay–Newling will surely become a very successful professional contemporary dancer.
After success at Fash + Fresh, Cameron Beard’s Shut Up and Let Me Go will appear at Riverside Theatre’s Deck Chair Flicks as part of Sydney Festival this January. Cameron’s choreography was very appropriate for a school group dance and displayed some creative elements.
Another piece, Busta Move by Melvin Bautista, will be performed at Casula Powerhouse in 2011. Busta Move was very entertaining and showed Melvin Bautista as a talented young choreographer.
Most works presented showed much potential and should be applauded. There was so much creativity bundled into one evening! Fash + Fresh Dance aims to encourage young artists, and it has by providing a launch pad for these choreographers.
On a high note there was definitely an abundance of male dancers in the lineup this year, which is so exciting! On a low note there were some dancers performing tumbling unsafely and without correct technique. Choreographers- your dancers shouldn’t be performing these moves without detailed training; it will just jeopardize their longevity as a dancer. Allow your dancers time to master the correct technique before adding tumbling into a dance.
Fast + Fresh Dance, in its third year, is on the ‘on and up’. Recognition must be given to all involved.
Fast + Fresh Dance is collaborated through a partnership between Western Sydney Dance Action with Parramatta Riverside Theatres, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre and Liverpool City Council.
Top photo: The People’s Choice – “Green” choreographed by Sarah Worthington, North Shore Dance Academy
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