BY: CALLUM MANSFIELD
Aren’t holidays meant to be a time of relaxation, partying by the beach and soaking up the sun?
Aren’t we meant to be taking time OFF from flogging our bodies with our art?
Then why is it only a month into the year and I feel like I have been run over by a truck?!?
I think it has something to do with the fact that this year has launched itself into a buzz of excitement for Queensland dancers. It seems like everyone got on board the “SUMMER SCHOOL COURSE” train and raced full speed ahead! I have to mention two of these summer schools because they have done awesome things for uniting the dance industry in Australia.
Recently, Harvest Rain Theatre Company and Queenie Van De Zandt held the QUEENSLAND MUSICAL THEATRE SUMMER SCHOOL and invited artists like Todd McKenney, Max Lambert, Nancy Hayes, Simon Lind, Cameron Mitchell, Mitchell Butel, Margi De Ferranti and Torben Brookman to take master classes and workshops throughout the 2 weeks of intensive singing, acting and dancing. This was an excellent step for the dance industry here in Queensland, attracting 100 talented and aspiring youth and adults from all over Australia.
Expressions dance company also swept up the dance floor with their BRISBANE CONTEMPORARY DANCE INTENSIVE Summer School Program. Ten days later, the floors are polished with sweat and bruises are appearing in fascinating shapes and colours on all sorts of limbs.
It is not the amount of dance during the holiday break that is unusual – it is where it is happening that seems to provoke some interesting conversations. Expressions Dance Company promotes their Summer School Program with this opener;
“Now you don’t have to travel to Sydney or overseas for an exciting and enriching summer program….”
It seems like whether you are a commercial / contemporary / hip hop / ballet dancer or an up and coming musical theatre performer, you can have your cake and eat it too. With such high quality workshops and classes happening in Queensland in 2010, there is less need to fly down south or overseas to get trained. It seems like the Australian Dance Industry is getting even smaller, and I’m all for anything that is promoting unity with Australian dancers!
Heads up Queenslanders, this may be the beginning of a new era of dance up here.
CALLUM 🙂
