EDC launches 2018 Season

Expressions Dance Company (EDC) launches its 2018 season with a year of bold international and Australian collaborations. Featuring three new seasons, 2018 includes numerous new works by some of Australia’s and China’s most acclaimed choreographers and new and emerging dance creators.

The 2018 standout will be the Australian premiere of 4Seasons, three bold and innovative new works developed in collaboration with Hong Kong’s City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC).  Uniting world-class dance artists from EDC and CCDC, this evocative triple bill featuring moments from Max Richter’s beautifully reimagined score of Vivaldi’s the Four Seasons is presented in partnership with QPAC and will run at the Playhouse theatre from June 14-22 before heading to the Darwin Entertainment Centre for performances on June 29 and 30.

4Seasons features inspiring new choreographic works by EDC Artistic Director Natalie Weir, Dominic Wong (Assistant Artistic Director of CCDC) and 2017 Peggy Van Praagh Choreographic Fellowship recipient Kristina Chan. The collaboration is part of EDC’s groundbreaking five-year partnership with three major Chinese dance companies – CCDC, Guangdong Modern Dance Company and Beijing Dance LDTX. Featuring residencies, exchanges, new collaborative dance works, festivals and seasons and touring, the Chinese Australia Dance Exchange Project (CADEP) provides the respective companies with rich opportunities to use their likeminded philosophies to transcend cultural boundaries through dance.

Opening the season from March 10-17, EDC partners with the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU) to present Converge, a dynamic choreographic platform for national and international dance artists and featuring the works of emerging composers and musicians from QCGU. Converge continues EDC’s long tradition of original collaborations between live musicians, composers and dancers and features provocative new choreographic works from Beijing Dance LDTX’s Xu Yiming, EDC ensemble member and multi-award nominee Richard Causer and acclaimed contemporary dance maker Stephanie Lake, recipient of a 2017 Australia Council Fellowship.

From November 9-17, EDC dancers will perform in Bespoke, Queensland Ballet’s contemporary dance season. Held at The Brisbane Powerhouse, Bespoke brings together leading dance makers and performers to challenge assumptions of what dance is through the creation of thought-provoking new works.

EDC’s highly regarded contemporary dance workshop, Brisbane Contemporary Dance Intensive (BCDI) returns in the summer and winter holidays, as does FOCUS, our professional development program for dance teachers. Held on April 16, our first FOCUS for 2018 will examine how to confidently explore the dance film genre and creatively explore multimedia to enhance teaching practice.

EDC Artistic Director Natalie Weir said she is excited to be presenting a season of truly collaborative works, not only with local artists but also with international dance makers and performers.

“Creating dance works collaboratively and providing opportunities for new and emerging choreographers is at the heart of everything I do and is fundamental to what EDC is all about. I’m proud to provide an open platform that enables diverse artists from around the world to come together and create new works that will challenge, uplift and inspire audiences,” Weir said.

The 2018 season is on sale now with great discounts for youth, students and concession. Visit www.expressionsdancecompany.org.au for more information and tickets.

Photo: Converge. Photo courtesy of Expressions Dance Company.