Rise, Complexions Contemporary Ballet Aotea Centre, The EdgeSeptember 29 – October 2The New York-based contemporary ballet company Complexions redefined dance to Auckland audiences in 2007 with its breath-taking premiere season. Its new show “
Rise, Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Aotea Centre, The Edge
September 29 – October 2
The New York-based contemporary ballet company Complexions redefined dance to Auckland audiences in 2007 with its breath-taking premiere season. Its new show “Rise” which opens next week features the music of U2, Rachmaninoff, Billie Holiday and Roy Buchanan.
Since the inception of Complexions in 1994, founding co-artistic directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson have set more than 70 works for the company and toured across the globe with great acclaim. Their philosophy has always encouraged a strong technical foundation, physicality and versatility coupled with artists' uniqueness, individuality and passion.
Overflowing with power and speed, Rhoden’s powerful choreography, the company’s 14 technically brilliant and diverse dancers bring together an explosive hybrid of ballet, contemporary dance, jazz and hip-hop styles into one thrilling experience.
“Rise” brings together powerful dynamic ensembles, poignant duets and solos in a mesmerizing set of works which were described by The New York Times as “like hot molten lava; flowing with undeniable power.”
In an interview last year with US dance writer Michelle Vellucci, when asked why he thinks Complexions is so good at connecting with audiences Dwight Rhoden says: “The work itself is very eclectic. You may have a performance that begins with Chopin and ends with U2. The movement itself is a mélange of all different types of stuff – there are influences of street dance, but you’ll also see classicism. The dancers dance on point and they dance barefoot. There’s that diversity in almost every aspect of the organization. Then to top that off you have a very multicultural cast with people from all different parts of the world and all types of bodies and looks. The typical, skinny ballerina looks isn’t what we go for.”
