To headline this year’s Brisbane Festival, L.A. Dance Project presented a trilogy of contemporary ballets known collectively as Gems. The triptych of works, created between 2013 and 2016 for the company’s major patron, Van Cleef & Arpels, were all inspired by gemstones.
L.A. Dance Project was founded by former New York City Ballet Principal Benjamin Millepied. This collection of works, all choreographed by Millepied, was presented together for the first time. The company has only ever performed in Australia once before (Romeo & Juliet, Sydney 2024), so Gems marked their Brisbane debut.
As an overview, the first piece, entitled Reflections, was an artistic collaboration between Millepied, composer David Lang, and iconic visual artist Barbara Kruger. Playing live was pianist Yanfeng (Tony) Bai from the Colburn School, an internationally renowned performing arts school in LA.
The second piece, Hearts & Arrows, was set to Philip Glass’ composition Mishima, played by a string quartet from Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, with design by Liam Gillick.
The trilogy concluded with On the Other Side, set to a suite of piano études by Philip Glass, once again performed by Bai on piano, with a lush visual design by Mark Bradford.
I attended the final show of the short, four performance season. We were advised at the start of Reflections that choreography had been modified due to an injury. This was only evident in the opening duet, where moves appeared tentative.
Kruger’s design saw the stage engulfed in bright red and white lettering. The word ‘Stay’ featured on the backdrop, while the words, ‘Think Of Me, Thinking Of You’ marked the floor. Masha Tsimring’s lighting at times would spotlight key words on the floor while the dancers (there were five in this work) performed over them.
The dancers wore grey outfits with a red accent on each. The grey colour choice evoked rehearsal gear, street clothes, or something post-apocalyptic, depending on your interpretation! It juxtaposed the boldness of the red and white setting, which felt quite corporate given its design. The overall design choices felt stark against the beauty of the movements and score.
Lang’s dreamy piano score became more dissonant as the piece went on, and the work shined in its freneticism, particularly in the second section which saw Courtney Conovan duet with Clay Koonar.
After a 20 minute intermission, Hearts & Arrows came next and was the shortest piece of the three. It was also the most energetic. Featuring all eight of the company performing on stage, this work was my guest’s favourite.
Gillick’s design saw a monochromatic colour palette in sets and costumes, with hints of amber featured in the lighting. Millipied’s choreography saw the dancers create compelling images with their formations and transitions, a striking visual display. The live string quartet elevated the work further, resulting in a short yet memorable and effective performance.
Gems concluded with On The Other Side, perhaps the longest work of the three, but my personal favourite overall. The choreography, featuring solos, duets and trios, was at its strongest here. None more so than in the show stopping duet between Robert Hoffer and Tom Muilbaud.
Still a rarity in dance, the duet, featuring two male dancers, was beautifully executed. Technically outstanding, the pair drew us in with their sensuality and visually mesmerising movement.
Philip Glass’ pieces were once again played live by Bai on piano and worked well to complement the intensity and emotion of the choreography.
Bradford’s design was perhaps the most visually pleasing of the three works as well, with each dancer wearing a unique outfit that featured hints of shine and interesting textures and shapes. The striking backdrop featured a multi coloured piece of Bradford’s art.
The season of Gems may be over, but one doesn’t have a wait another year to catch world class contemporary ballet. Queensland Ballet’s Bespoke is an annual program that showcases three brand new contemporary works and runs annually in the middle of each year. Coming up in November is Queensland Ballet Academy’s annual performance of Soirée, showcasing innovative new works that fuse art, dance and live music.
Together, these programs ensure Brisbane’s dance calendar will continue to sparkle long after Gems has closed.
Gems is presented by L.A. Dance Project and ran from 4 – 7 September at the Playhouse, QPAC as part of 2025 Brisbane Festival.
The season has now ended.
Website: https://www.brisbanefestival.com.au/events
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/ladanceproject/ and https://www.instagram.com/brisbanefestival/
Photo credits: Jade Ellis
