Melbourne Reviews

Left – Natasha Kusen and Andrew Killian

Far from the familiar Swan Lake, Romeo & Juliet and Giselle, Chroma is an adventure into the unknown. An incredible feat of strength, technical ability and grace, the Australian Ballet’s current four-piece feature is a glimpse into the future of ballet.

Opening on a minimalistic set, the first act, Chroma, is an acrobatic journey of ballet’s finest athletes. Muscularity is highlighted in this piece choreographed by Wayne McGregor, as the dancers contort themselves into McGregor’s vision. The pure set allows for the dancers to represent colour and movement in a dizzying display of precision and intense physical power. With a soundtrack courtesy of Joby Talbot and The White Stripes' Jack White, Chroma is a ballet for the modern audience. It is raw, powerful and at times an utterly terrifying display of athleticism.

Followed by Stephen Baynes Art to Sky, this ode to Tchaikovsky is the weakest portion of the program. However, Chengwu Guo’s masterful solo and comic timing was the saving grace in this otherwise lackluster piece.

The final act brought the evening to an outstanding climax with Jiri Kylian’s Petite Morte (small death), an aggressive and riveting display of human emotion, sensuality and contemporary ballet. Followed by Kylian’s Sechs Tanze, (German Dancers) and set to Mozart’s score of the same name, the piece is broken up into several short and quirky acts that are both humorous and thought provoking.

Chroma is an exciting modern ballet, that allows for the Australian Ballet to show off the super-human abilities of their company. It is a riveting performance that will leave you breathless and on the edge of your seat, as the human body is pushed to it’s extreme of defiant physicality.


The Australian Ballet presents
Chroma

Venue: Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre | 100 St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC
Dates: 6 – 14 June, 2014
Tickets: from $39
Bookings: artscentremelbourne.com.au