For those of you disappointed to have missed the visit of Mark Morris Dance Group to Perth in February, the good news is that the company will return in June, this time to Sydney. So don’t miss our article on Mark Morris in the current (February/March) issue, written by our New York correspondent Susan Reiter, who always writes out of a deep familiarity with the local scene. Here's a sneak preview of that story:
Mark Morris Dance Group sightings in Australia have been rare – roughly once a decade. Following appearances in Adelaide (1994) and Sydney (2003), this estimable company makes its Perth Festival debut with performances of Mozart Dances (February 13-15).
Artistic director Mark Morris has never stopped creating a steady stream of musically sophisticated, remarkably diverse dances. "Mozart Dances" is a full-evening work he made in 2006 for 18 dancers, set to two Mozart piano concertos (No. 11 in F Major, K. 413 and No. 27 in B-flat major, K. 595) which frame the Sonata for Two Pianos (K.448). With Morris, it’s always all about the music – there are no gimmicks or heavy conceptual impositions. His dances reflect his own deep musical knowledge and eclectic musical taste, and derive their design and structure from his own insights into their scores.
In his own distinctive way, Morris is a true heir to the American modern-dance tradition. His dancers move with weight and clarity, the impetus for their intricate phrases emanating from a powerful, grounded centre. At the same time, they are capable of elegant épaulement, remarkable lightness and fluidity. Morris himself (he still occasionally performs) is a dancer of rare and seemingly contradictory gifts, and his wonderfully personable company members reflect his multiple influences. While there are vast differences among his works, one can count on his dancers for a forthright clarity, a refreshing spontaneity, and a deep involvement with the music – no mannerisms or superficial gestures...
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