Queensland Ballet’s annual Bespoke program is a triple bill of brand-new contemporary work that continues to push boundaries and expand expectations of what dance can be. Now in its eighth year, the three world premiere works include Yolande Brown’s Nhamgan Ngali Nyin, we all see you, Amelia Waller’s Curious Beings and Robert Binet’s Newborn Giants.
Under the Artistic Direction of Ivan Gil-Ortega, this season aims to celebrate storytelling beyond tradition. Each of this year’s three works stands alone as remarkable and it’s always exciting to witness ballet dancers explore contemporary styles.
The first piece, Nhamgan Ngali Nyin, we all see you, by Yolande Brown, sees the dancers in bare feet and working their bodies together to form striking montages. They embody sands, trees, fire, water, and mycelium. Zoe Griffiths’ costumes are soft, luxurious and cream coloured with pops of blue/green featured later in the piece.
The technical elements fuse together to create a piece that feels beautifully connected to Country. A mesmerising giant sheer cloth morphs its shape about the stage, with projections by Angharad Gladding at times adding stars to the sky. Soundscapes designed by Wil Hughes with compositions by Leon Rodgers and Fred Leone evoke babbling waters and crackling fires.
Lead dancer and Guest Artist Tyrel Dulvarie, who also serves as choreographic assistant, is a standout. He acts as both shapeshifter, witness and guide, partnering with Vanessa Morelli in a powerful duet. The choreography is mesmerising and the execution by the cast of 20 dancers is impressive. The piece sets the tone for an exciting night ahead.
Curious Beings, by Amelia Waller, draws inspiration from Alasdair Gray’s Poor Things, and sees QB collaborate for the first time with Dead Puppet Society. The work is an exploration of human behaviour through the lens of artificially created beings. The 12 dancers from the Jette Parker Young Artists ensemble feature here, proving once again that the future of dance is in very good hands.
The costumes, designed by Zoe Griffiths in collaboration with her team, are the most visually striking of the night. Colour palettes include dramatic tones of navy, blood red and cream. Puffy shirts abound, as well as velveteen and lycra, adding a distinctly vintage twist to the piece which aims to transcend time and place.
Wearing socks on their feet, each dancer has a different internal organ stitched on the outside of their costume. Blood vessels, lungs, intestines and bits of skeleton are among the parts on display. It’s a clever choice and the effect confronts traditional ballet costume aesthetics.
Three ‘scientists’ dressed in black (Declan Daines, Francesca Poi and Brooke Tarry) expertly manipulate a small skeletal puppet alongside the dancing ensemble. The tone of the work is dramatic, yet playful, and the various pieces of music build in tempo and speed, with increasingly frenetic choreography to match.
The company work incredibly well together, and Mia Paske gives a commanding and standout performance dressed in navy lycra and skeleton vest. This is my second year attending Bespoke and I enjoy seeing a work where these young artists are given a dedicated piece to showcase their skills. It is a highlight of the program and I would love to see it continue.
Arguably the highlight of the night is the third and final piece, Newborn Giants by Robert Binet. This work features some of the Company’s top dancers en pointe, Max Richter’s evocatively adapted score, and Devon Healey’s immersive descriptive audio (IDA).
Starting in complete silence, except for the dancer’s breath and intentionally heavy footwork, the piece slowly builds in intensity. As a blind artist, Canadian Devon Healey’s voiceover serves as powerful poetry about bodies in motion, adding to the drama of the piece.
There is some outstanding work among the cast of 13 dancers. Callum Mackie and Shaun Curtis provide a compelling (and rare to see in ballet) male duo performance. Alison McWhinney’s dramatic solos bookend the work. Always incredible, Chiara Gonzalez is a delight to watch. Her partner dancing with Vito Bernasconi delivers some of the piece’s beautiful highlights.
Neneka Yoshida impresses with some fabulous pirouette combinations. Company Artist Ruby Day continues to be a standout dancer and one to watch. At such a young age, she constantly astonishes with her technical excellence. It is a thrill to see her featured in this work.
Lighting choices are a bit on the dark side across the three works, none more so than in Newborn Giants. Appreciating that this is a creative decision, this dance loving reviewer wants to see performers this good fully illuminated.
There is so much to enjoy at this year’s Bespoke. Featuring a degustation of bold new pieces that all stand strong, this short season should not be missed. As a bonus, the Thomas Dixon Centre venue offers a smaller auditorium space with an opportunity to get up close to the dancers and bask in their brilliance.
Bespoke runs to 9 August at Thomas Dixon Centre, 406 Montague Road West End Qld 4101.
Tickets are on sale here!
Website: https://www.queenslandballet.com.au/performances/2025/bespoke
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/qldballet/
Hero image photo credit: Newborn Giants, photo by David Kelly
