What the critics say about Abhisheka
From ‘New Zealand Festival: Contemporary Dance Matures’ by Jill Rivers
‘Burnett has created a new vocabulary to convey the emotions of this deeply searching work, which stirs the depths of the soul. The dancers writhe and sway in a sacred ritual, within a glorious setting of celebratory gold and black. Their obeisance and homage, yearnings and resistance is grounded in style, reminiscent of Stephen Page’s medium for Bangarra Dance Theatre, yet Burnett has kept the girls en pointe.
There is also a strong Hindu character, particularly in the arm movements. Burnett has created a range of innovative arm and shoulder movements to express the temple dancers’ inner turmoil as they wrestle with their minds and emotions and the ritual builds to a climax.
There are some poignant solos, pas de deux and pas de quarter, expressing a roller coaster of emotions from sadness to joy. Burnett has drawn on his knowledge of the big ballet classics and natural theatricality to explore his own psyche and emotions to produce his most significant work to date.
Kinesis Magazine AUSDANCE May/June 2004
From ‘Saltarello season, Royal New Zealand Ballet: Would you move, please?’ by Francesca Horsley
‘Burnett has a strong sense of drama, space and musicality, and combined these to produce a powerful contemporary ballet. He has the ability to give classical steps a contemporary line and to seamlessly meld these to original movement without disrupting the essence of the work.
Designer Tracy Grant’s strips of burnished gold curtains created a pavilion-like enclosure; intimate and exotic. Set to compelling music by John Psathas, the work was a contained and intense abstract interpretation of Hindu initiation rites. It featured a central figure, powerfully danced by Pieter Symonds, embodying the different elements of ritual- both goddess and initiate. Fourteen dancers explored intricate movement and gestures, broken lines and dissected flows.
At times, there were three complex, distinctive ideas working concurrently, each holding their integrity, while collectively creating a powerful dynamic.’
NZ Listener 27 March 2004
About the composer
John Psathas is currently one of the most internationally performed New Zealand composers.
He shot to prominence at home and abroad in 2004 with his music for the Athens Olympic Games. His music is unique in fusing elements of rock and jazz along with the music of his Greek heritage into a new contemporary classical style.
His Abhisheka is described as:
‘…a sustained and luminous work for amplified string quartet, whose other-worldy atmosphere resembles nothing else in the quartet repertoire.’
For more information see A LEARNING GUIDE FOR NCEA YEARS 11-13
Drum dances and Abhisheka - John Psathas. Written by Jeni Little (Chimaera)
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