SURGE

SURGE dancers Georgia Rudd and Samantha Hines. Photo Amber Haines

Dancenorth Premieres New Work Surge

April 5 – 8 | CG2018

Acclaimed contemporary company Dancenorth will premiere SURGE from 5th – 8th April at Festival 2018, the arts and cultural program of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018).
Specially commissioned for the Roundabout Stage, SURGE combines high-powered choreography by Gabrielle Nankivell, the athleticism of 5 dancers, and a dramatic soundtrack by Luke Smiles and Motion Laboratories.
Festival 2018 Gold Coast Co-Creative Director Yaron Lifschitz says he expects SURGE will attract both critical and popular acclaim.
“SURGE is by far one of the most exciting choreographic works and Dancenorth is certainly one of the most exciting contemporary dance companies in the country at the moment.”
“The work is thrilling in the way it combines the energy of sport and the beauty of dance, and that gives SURGE broad appeal,” Mr Lifschitz said.
Based in Townsville, Dancenorth was the only Queensland-based company to win at the 2017 Helpmann Awards.
Accolades for Dancenorth include an Australian Dance Award (Best Community Dance Award), a Greenroom Award (Best Ensemble If_Was_) and two Helpmann awards for the MFI Commissioned work Attractor (Best Dance Production and Best Choreography in a Ballet, Dance or Physical Theatre Production), along with numerous nominations.
Under Artistic Director Kyle Page, who is also one of the Segment Directors for the GC2018 Opening Ceremony, Dancenorth has presented work in over 11 international arts festivals and venues around the world.
Acclaimed guest choreographer Gabrielle Nankivell – who spent a decade working in Europe before returning to Australia to collaborate with the likes of Sydney Dance Company and Australian Dance Theatre – says SURGE explores our relationship with nature.
“From the beginning of time, humans have been mesmerised by the forces of nature; the hypnotic paradox of beauty and violence that rages within the elements.
“In SURGE I wanted to explore physically, instinctively and subconsciously – how we as humans respond to the tension and euphoria of natural energy,” says Gabrielle.
SURGE is a new creation for Festival 2018 Gold Coast, 12 action-packed days of culture taking over the Gold Coast from 4-15 April to celebrate GC2018.
For full program details and more information on Festival 2018 visit gc2018.com/festival2018