MERCURY IN REHEARSALS

SX Article
It’s been a tough couple of years for Sydney Dance Company. But as revered guest choreographer Kenneth Kvarnstrom, who has created a new worked for the troupe, says, the dancers are a resilient lot.
When Rafael Bonachela took the reins of Sydney Dance Company as Artistic Director at the beginning of the year, he announced that the work of guest choreographers from around the world would make up a significant proportion of the company’s creative output. True to this word, Kenneth Kvarnstrom’s Mercury will premiere next week at Sydney Theatre.
“I’m very happy to be here,” Kvarnstrom tells SX. “I now have to prove myself as a choreographer and show Rafael he didn’t bid on the wrong horse!”
Sydney Dance Company has been through a tough couple of years. The retirement of co-artistic directors Graeme Murphy and Janet Vernon after three decades at the helm in 2006 was cruelly followed by the tragic death of newly-appointed artistic director Tania Liedtke the following year. As the company again went on a world-wide search for Liedtke’s replacement, 2008 saw three new works by three guest choreographers. But the dancers, Kvarnstrom says, are very resilient.
“Of course the company has gone through a big change, but they are very dedicated – and very good. I hope it will slowly settle down – and it is – but even now two dancers are leaving after Mercury. But the dancers never bring what happens outside into the studio.
“Certainly, the company needs to build up its reputation again around the world – but I think there’s a lot of interest since Rafael was appointed. I feel that people are looking at the company right now.”
Read the rest of the interview here
Mercury – Sydney Dance Company
Date: November 17th- 28th
Venue: Sydney Theatre
Tickets: $20-$70
Contact: To make a booking by phone, contact Sydney Theatre on (02) 9250 1999
Internet Bookings www.sydneytheatre.org.au
www.sydneydancecompany.com