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#21: Damien Cooper on illuminating Sydney Dance Company

published

5 July 2019

Many of Australia’s leading lighting designers have illuminated Sydney Dance Company over the last 50 years, including John Rayment, Benjamin Cisterne, Matthew Marshall, John Drummond Montgomery and Damien Cooper.

Rafael Bonachela’s ‘Ocho’ (2017). Photo by Pedro Greig.

“When I started working with Sydney Dance Company, I was two years out of uni: I was fresh,” says Cooper. “I did two shows a year for about ten years, and now I’m back collaborating with Rafael Bonachela, which is really exciting.

With contemporary dance it’s not like lighting a play where you need to adhere to a script: you have complete freedom to inhabit the space. And Sydney Dance Company aren’t scared to do anything: lighting designers get the opportunity to experiment with wild, out there and dangerous ideas.”

Graeme Murphy’s ‘Grand’ (2005). Photo by Jeff Busby.

Rafael Bonachela’s ‘Cinco’ (2019). Photo by Wendell Teodoro.

Gabrielle Nankivell’s ‘Neon Aether’ (2019). Photo by Pedro Greig.

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