The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) dance showcase, RISE, is a stirring exploration of human connection in all its forms. Showcasing four works that span both classical and contemporary styles, the program weaves a rich tapestry of movement from the 2nd and 3rd year Dance students.
Held at Geoff Gibbs Theatre, the stage transforms seamlessly throughout the evening under the creative vision of WAAPA’s Production and Design students. It becomes a dynamic canvas for each piece to shine, elevated by the dancers whose versatility and presence breathe life into every shift in tone and tempo.
The four works performed include internationally acclaimed choreographer Nils Christe’s high-energy and fast-paced SYNC. Tyrone Earl Lraé Robinson’s A Few, choreographed and directed in collaboration with the students. Lauren Murray’s Kairos, a vibrant counterpoint within the program. And Silverbacking, a newly crafted dance-theatre work by Justin Rutzou and Rachel McDonald. Each choreographer brings their own unique vision, passion, and generosity, challenging and inspiring the students to rise to the occasion and perform at their very best.
SYNC
SYNC is a striking exploration of rhythm, unity, and movement. It was originally created for The Washington Ballet and has been performed by 14 companies across Europe, USA, and Australia. Set to Ludovico Einaudi’s percussive score Salgari, the piece plays with synchronisation and syncopation. A bridging truss structure adds an industrial, high-tech presence that becomes an active part of the choreography.
Annagien Sneep’s costuming holds equal intensity. Bold reds and blacks interact dramatically with the contrasting lighting designed by Mick Rippon, amplifying the piece’s dynamic energy and visual tension. Together, these elements create a high-tech atmosphere that pulses with urgency.
With sharp, fast-paced movements and unwavering precision, the dancers move across the stage with a sense of purpose and clarity. Their synchrony suggests more than just physical alignment. It evokes the intricate rhythms of human connection, from the spark of conception to the stillness of death.
Christe’s choreography unfolds like a living organism. Beginning with tightly woven formations that mirror cellular expansion, it evolves into sweeping, expansive movements that reflect birth and the emergence of individuality.
As the ensemble fragments, solo moments arise. Each one offers a quiet exploration of selfhood and discovery, highlighting the delicate balance between unity and isolation. From this solo exploration of self, the choreography transitions into duets that reflect the romantic and more intimate connections we share with a significant other.
The piece integrates pas de bourrée couru to create the illusion of gliding across the stage. This offers a delicate contrast to the otherwise sharp and powerful movements. Throughout the piece, there is a subtle reminder of our enduring connection to something greater.
A Few
Tyrone Earl Lraé Robinson brings his distinctive creative vision to A Few. It is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of pattern, memory, and the human need for connection.
Robinson continues to push the boundaries of contemporary dance, inviting audiences into a world where the familiar slips into the surreal. A Few conjures a world where patterns flicker just beneath the surface, where the mind begins to fill in the blanks and movements echo like half-remembered dreams.
The work searches for rhythm in chaos, clings to the comfort of threes, and listens as though the universe speaks in triplets. Inspired by the psychological phenomenon of apophenia and the rule of three, A Few explores the fragile compulsions that drive us to find meaning in randomness and to trust in the superstitions that shape our perception of the world.
With lights flickering and shadows lingering, the stage becomes a place of constant intrigue. Something is always unfolding, often in the places you least expect.
Through symbolism, a simple chair becomes more than just a place to sit. It represents the tension between waiting and the moment our soul is ready to move on. The piece evokes a sense of purgatory, a liminal space where souls wait and wander, suspended in the quiet uncertainty of the afterlife.
The entire performance is truly exceptional. From the costumes (designed by Saraya Edwards, Mia Skane and Mikayla Parr) to the design, led by Stella Potter, every element ignites the senses and transports the audience. Every movement is executed with precision, control and purpose, holding the audience in rapt attention.
Exploring connection even in death, A Few suggests that our ability to embrace change and the perspective we choose shapes the course of our journey. Even in solitude, we are united by the shared experience of wandering. Pondering the question, when will the chair come for us too?
Kairos
Kairos by Lauren Murray invites audiences into a world of transition, awareness and embodied reflection. The piece unfolds like a fleeting breath of magic where time softens, and the world holds its quiet, perfect stillness.
The dancers drift and flutter like forest sprites caught in shafts of sunlight, set against a warm backdrop that emulates golden fields, with lighting that gently bathes the dancers in a soft, embracing glow.
The dancers’ classical ballet movements are light and uplifting, weaving moments of whimsical joy and delicate discovery. Between the steady flow of Chronos and these shimmering instants, Kairos whispers of transformation and becoming. Connection blooms softly, not only between bodies but with the soul’s deepest rhythms and the world’s ever-changing embrace.
The narrative carries the audience on a journey from familial love to the embrace of found family. Through intertwined movements, it gently reminds us that life blossoms beyond measured time, nurtured by those who guide us and by the enduring connection we hold with ourselves and our purpose.
Silverbacking
Under the seasoned artistry of Rachel McDonald and Justin Rutzou, Silverbacking reflects the convergence of theatrical depth and choreographic finesse. Together, their vision breathes life into a piece where humour meets poignancy and movement becomes memory made flesh.
Guided by the commanding presence of character Dr Art Bitch, Silverbacking follows a family over twenty years as the world shifts around them. It explores the tension between the real and the fake, the transfer of power, and the choice to adapt or retreat.
With stand-out solos, the dancers’ connection to their characters is both compelling and authentic. The ensemble’s commitment to transporting the audience through place and time is marked by infectious enthusiasm and seamless transitions.
Costumes designed by Back Bognalbal and set design by Julian Melville are multifaceted, reshaping the expected into distorted replicas of our human experience, blurring the veil between fantasy and reality.
RISE is more than a showcase. It is a testament to the power of movement as language and dance as storytelling. Each piece offers a distinct reflection on connection, time, and transformation, brought to life by the dancers whose commitment and artistry reach far beyond the stage.
From the tender to the electric, the whimsical to the profound, RISE reminds us that through dance, we find not only expression but meaning. As the final curtain falls, what remains is not just the choreography. It is the emotional imprint of every step, every glance, every moment shared in motion, connected by every person who shaped this work of art. I urge audiences to witness this magnificent program, running for a limited season.
Rise is presented by WAAPA’s 2rd and 3rd year Dance students and runs to 19 June at Geoff Gibbs Theatre, 2 Bradford Street Mt Lawley WA 6050.
Tickets: https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1378597
Website: https://www.waapa.ecu.edu.au/performances-and-events/performances/2025/rise
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/waapa.ecu/
Photo credits: Stephen Heath Photography
