Image: www.thesubstation.org.au
Basically a jam session for dancers, Clock It! sees 21 dancers take the wonderful performance space of The Substation for a series of consecutive solo pieces clocked (get it?) in around two minutes and thirty seconds each. Aiming for spontaneity and just a splash of danger, the production gives each performer only music and sound (improvised by Michael Havir) and the minimum of parameters to work within, the rest is up to them – sink or swim – it is up to you the imagination of the individual.
This freedom can be both a blessing and a curse. Sure the license to improvise whatever you want is no doubt a welcome one for anybody – dancer or not – but improvisation is a skill unto itself, whatever the medium. Rules still need to be in place in order to prevent the proceedings from going haywire. While Clock It! never turns into Whose Line Is That Anyway for the dance crowd, it did look at times that some of the dancers might be more comfortable with a choreographer – working on the fly isn’t their thing.
That is not to say that this not a successful platform for showcasing some very fine talent: Benjamin Hancock once again displays why he is one of the most sought after dancers in the city, displaying grace, daring and the kind of flexibility that makes him look like he is made from rubber. As always his presence is strong and mesmerising making the need for an outside eye seem redundant. Other wonderful stand-outs include the talented Julius Sackey, Yuko Masukawa, Peter Fraser and the stunning Joe Lewis each proving deft hand (and foot, leg, arm, torso and any other expressive extremity), and giving memorable performances.
Director/dancer David Wells has a keen eye for talent when it comes to picking dancers, picking improvisers is a different skill and sometimes it is a hit-miss situation. While the skill level may vary it is, all-in-all, a strong ensemble and worthwhile venture. Clock It! is an intimate and surprising celebration of dance and performance.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Clock It!
Curated by David Wells
Produced by Bec Reid
Music and Sound by Michael Havir
The Substation
1 Market Street, Newport 3015
19 November 2014
