Flourish

1 August — 9 August, Playhouse, QPAC

These astounding and starkly beautiful dance works reveal the myriad expressive possibilities of dance.

Serenade, one of legendary choreographer George Balanchine’s earliest works, is a milestone in the history of dance. As fresh and illuminating now as when it was created in 1934, this iconic work re-shaped classical ballet into poetic geometry with a drifting, swirling ensemble, awash with beauty and bathed in light.

Short Dialogues brought people to their feet when it premièred in Queensland Ballet’s International Gala 2011. A provoking glimpse into three couples’ relationships, Nils Christe’s choreography is fast, sharp and perfectly matched to Philip Glass’s pulsing score. Another work of recent times, Nicolo Fonte’s Bolero steadily builds to the famous rhythm of Ravel’s rising orchestral music. Fonte’s precise, athletic choreography captures the escalating intensity of the music, culminating in an exuberant finale.

In contrast, the grand pas de deux from La Esmeralda is a gem from the classical era. Adapting Marius Petipa’s revival of the original work by Jules Perrot, Ben Stevenson has created a thrilling showpiece of bravura technique.