Works

Lux Tenebris

Work by Rafael Bonachela

★★★★ “Utterly mesmerising.”The Guardian

Information

Overview

The driving force behind Lux Tenebris is about how light and darkness affects us all, our moods, our memories of specific periods in our lives – the physical sense of light and darkness, overlaid with the emotional connections to those contrasting worlds.

Trailer

Creatives

Choreography: Rafael Bonachela
Composer: 
Nick Wales
Lighting Design: Benjamin Cisterne
Costume Design: Aleisa Jelbart

2018 International Tour
Serbia, Belgrade Dance Festival
3 – 4 April

Slovenia, Gallus Hall, Cankarjev dom, Cultural and Congress Centre, Ljubljana
7 April

France, Théâtre National de Chaillot, Paris
11 – 13 April 2018

Germany, Movimentos Festival, Autostadt, Wolfsburg
19 – 22 April

Chile, Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil, performing at the Cultural Centre
19 – 21 January

Colombia, Bogota, performing at Teatro Mayor, Julio Mario Santo Domingo
26 – 27 January

2017 Shanghai Tour
Shanghai Grand Theatre
22 – 23 October

Wuxi Grand Theatre
26 October

2016 Performances
26 Feb – 12 Mar: Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay, Sydney
19 May – 21 May: Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra
25 May – 4 June: Southbank Theatre, Melbourne

NSW
17 – 18 June: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong
22 June: Orange Civic Theatre
25 June: Newcastle Civic Theatre
29 June: Glasshouse Port Macquarie
20 August: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
24 August: Griffith Regional Theatre
27 August: Dubbo Regional Theatre

17 – 18 June: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong
22 June: Orange Civic Theatre
25 June: Newcastle Civic Theatre
29 June: Glasshouse Port Macquarie
20 August: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
24 August: Griffith Regional Theatre
27 August: Dubbo Regional Theatre

QLD
2 July: Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
6 July: Gladstone Entertainment Centre
9 – 10 July: Centre of Contemporary Arts, Cairns
15 – 16 July: The Arts Centre, Gold Coast

NT
29 July: Darwin Entertainment Centre

WA
3 August: Queens Park Theatre, Geraldton
6 August: Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
9 August: Albany Entertainment Centre
13 August: Bunbury Entertainment Centre

Media & Audience Reviews

“★★★★ Utterly mesmerising” – The Guardian

“★★★★★ The dancing is astonishing!” – ArtsHub

“★★★★½ A winning combination that, on the one hand provokes and entertains, and on the other confronts and moves its audience in a dazzling evening of dance.” – Limelight Magazine

“★★★★ A new work extends the dancers’ flexibility and boldness, while the return of a favourite reminds us that dance can be fun. Both engage the dancers’ feisty attack, admirable stamina and formidable technique.” – Sydney Morning Herald

“It’s the perfect show to take your dance-sceptical friend to.” – Time Out Sydney

“Wickedly witty, brilliantly danced and hugely entertaining” – Arts Review

“★★★★ CounterMove is full-bodied dance, swinging across light and shade, humour and gravitas. A satisfying and well produced combination of two very different offerings.” – Herald Sun

“Blindingly brilliant” – Crikey.com

“Forget everything you think you know about contemporary dance.” – Drum Media

“Massive congratulations to the whole cast, stunning dancers with so much power, grace and heart. Haven’t seen work that clean in a long time. Thanks for the inspiration Sydney Dance Company” – Benjamin Cure (Audience Member)

“I am so happy that I (randomly) bought a ticket to last night’s performance! It was absolutely exhilarating!” – Densie Devine (Audience Member)

 

The Creation of Lux Tenebris

Part One: Our World Without Dance

Part Two: Finding My Light in the Darkness

Part Three: Our World Without Sound

Part Four: A World With Dance

Discover More


"My process involved finding musical landscapes that showed me light or darkness. I juxtaposed one force with another to create a musical ‘tug of war’ between light and the dark. I mashed pre-existing musical elements, field recordings and sketches together to form more layers until I created something that I believed in. Contained within the score are elements such as recordings of Pluto’s atmosphere, Monks in Seoul, the sound of beehives, archaic Ethiopian religious processions and fireworks in Lismore." - Nick Wales Read More

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Information

Overview

The driving force behind Lux Tenebris is about how light and darkness affects us all, our moods, our memories of specific periods in our lives – the physical sense of light and darkness, overlaid with the emotional connections to those contrasting worlds.

Trailer

+

Creatives

Choreography: Rafael Bonachela
Composer: 
Nick Wales
Lighting Design: Benjamin Cisterne
Costume Design: Aleisa Jelbart

+

Performance History

2018 International Tour
Serbia, Belgrade Dance Festival
3 – 4 April

Slovenia, Gallus Hall, Cankarjev dom, Cultural and Congress Centre, Ljubljana
7 April

France, Théâtre National de Chaillot, Paris
11 – 13 April 2018

Germany, Movimentos Festival, Autostadt, Wolfsburg
19 – 22 April

Chile, Festival Internacional Santiago a Mil, performing at the Cultural Centre
19 – 21 January

Colombia, Bogota, performing at Teatro Mayor, Julio Mario Santo Domingo
26 – 27 January

2017 Shanghai Tour
Shanghai Grand Theatre
22 – 23 October

Wuxi Grand Theatre
26 October

2016 Performances
26 Feb – 12 Mar: Roslyn Packer Theatre, Walsh Bay, Sydney
19 May – 21 May: Canberra Theatre Centre, Canberra
25 May – 4 June: Southbank Theatre, Melbourne

NSW
17 – 18 June: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong
22 June: Orange Civic Theatre
25 June: Newcastle Civic Theatre
29 June: Glasshouse Port Macquarie
20 August: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
24 August: Griffith Regional Theatre
27 August: Dubbo Regional Theatre

17 – 18 June: Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong
22 June: Orange Civic Theatre
25 June: Newcastle Civic Theatre
29 June: Glasshouse Port Macquarie
20 August: Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
24 August: Griffith Regional Theatre
27 August: Dubbo Regional Theatre

QLD
2 July: Pilbeam Theatre, Rockhampton
6 July: Gladstone Entertainment Centre
9 – 10 July: Centre of Contemporary Arts, Cairns
15 – 16 July: The Arts Centre, Gold Coast

NT
29 July: Darwin Entertainment Centre

WA
3 August: Queens Park Theatre, Geraldton
6 August: Mandurah Performing Arts Centre
9 August: Albany Entertainment Centre
13 August: Bunbury Entertainment Centre

+

Media & Audience Reviews

“★★★★ Utterly mesmerising” – The Guardian

“★★★★★ The dancing is astonishing!” – ArtsHub

“★★★★½ A winning combination that, on the one hand provokes and entertains, and on the other confronts and moves its audience in a dazzling evening of dance.” – Limelight Magazine

“★★★★ A new work extends the dancers’ flexibility and boldness, while the return of a favourite reminds us that dance can be fun. Both engage the dancers’ feisty attack, admirable stamina and formidable technique.” – Sydney Morning Herald

“It’s the perfect show to take your dance-sceptical friend to.” – Time Out Sydney

“Wickedly witty, brilliantly danced and hugely entertaining” – Arts Review

“★★★★ CounterMove is full-bodied dance, swinging across light and shade, humour and gravitas. A satisfying and well produced combination of two very different offerings.” – Herald Sun

“Blindingly brilliant” – Crikey.com

“Forget everything you think you know about contemporary dance.” – Drum Media

“Massive congratulations to the whole cast, stunning dancers with so much power, grace and heart. Haven’t seen work that clean in a long time. Thanks for the inspiration Sydney Dance Company” – Benjamin Cure (Audience Member)

“I am so happy that I (randomly) bought a ticket to last night’s performance! It was absolutely exhilarating!” – Densie Devine (Audience Member)

 

+

Behind the Scenes

The Creation of Lux Tenebris

Part One: Our World Without Dance

Part Two: Finding My Light in the Darkness

Part Three: Our World Without Sound

Part Four: A World With Dance

Discover More


"My process involved finding musical landscapes that showed me light or darkness. I juxtaposed one force with another to create a musical ‘tug of war’ between light and the dark. I mashed pre-existing musical elements, field recordings and sketches together to form more layers until I created something that I believed in. Contained within the score are elements such as recordings of Pluto’s atmosphere, Monks in Seoul, the sound of beehives, archaic Ethiopian religious processions and fireworks in Lismore." - Nick Wales Read More