Flamenco works premiering at Riverside

FORM Dance Projects and Riverside Theatres will present the world premiere of two contemporary flamenco dance works, Forge and Bush Bailando, on May 5-7. This exciting double bill will see flamenco dance artists Annalouise Paul and Pepa Molina perform solo works accompanied on stage by renowned musicians. Reinterpreting traditional flamenco, Forge and Bush Bailando will delight audiences with a completely fresh take on this art form.

Forge is a striking dance-music collaboration between award-winning choreographer and dancer Annalouise Paul and composer-pianist Amanda Handel. It draws upon contemporary dance and the percussive power of the piano to reinterpret the soulful flamenco form “Seguiriyas” and its origins in Sephardi song. 

Bush Bailando reflects the sounds and rhythms found in the Australian landscape, and in particular, the bush surrounding the western Sydney home of dancer Pepa Molina. Molina explores the displacement of her Andalusian heritage and draws inspiration from the natural elements of water, wind, earth and fire. Molina, who has performed with the most prestigious flamenco dance companies in the world, will be accompanied onstage by flamenco composer and guitarist Marco Van Doornum and multi-instrumentalist Stuart Vandegraaff. The performance will feature an original score from Van Doornum and Spanish electroacoustic composer and soundscape designer Héctor González Sánchez.

“Geographically and culturally, flamenco has travelled from its Andalusian roots and these two Australian artists from western Sydney continue to push its boundaries,” said Annette McLernon, director of FORM Dance Projects. “Forge and Bush Bailando demonstrate a contemporary shift in flamenco, with these Australian artists experimenting and opening up new perspectives in a profoundly soulful dance tradition.”

The double bill will be presented May 5-7 at 8 pm and on May 6 at 12:30 pm. There will be a Post-Show Fiesta on May 7 – which is free for ticket holders! Tickets are $35 for adults and $28 for concession. Call the Box Office at (02) 8839 3399 or visit www.riversideparramatta.com.au for further information.

Photo: Bush Bailando. Photo by Tom Holland.