So You Think Tasmania Can Dance?

July 05 2012

​I love a good boogie. Probably the only thing I love more is watching someone who is toned, talented, and technically trained dance. So you can imagine my excitement to be part of the captive audience for The Land of Yes, The Land of No, by the Sydney Dance Company who recently performed at The Princess Theatre in Launceston. It was a beautiful show and I couldn’t help but feel pretty chuffed the company normally includes Tasmania on their itinerary. I’m going to thank Graeme Murphy for this privilege. Did you know he is one of our own? Murphy grew up in Tasmania, taking dance lessons in Launceston and has since gone on to be one of Australia’s most respected choreographers.

Tasmania is certainly not lacking talent when it comes to dance. In terms of dance companies, I think Launceston is pretty spoilt to have two awesome companies based here. Tasdance and Stompin are two quality contemporary dance companies regularly bringing creative dance works to our community. I believe that Tasdance are about to treat us to a new work, Voltage, very soon. Check out Tasdance for more information and dates. I will use this as a warm up to the dance on offer at Junction Arts Festival this year including another work by Tasdance called Somewhere Else. Most of what will be on offer will be our local dancers showing us their best moves, with the addition of interstate outfit Branch Nebula, who will challenge what our idea of dance is with The Royal Concrete and Bones Sessions. But you know what? I think the most fun to watch (and possibly participate in) will be the second edition of ‘So You think You Can Interpretive Dance’, after the massive success of the first edition at last years’ festival. Don’t be expecting the same level of technical skill evident on the television series of the (almost) same name, but do be expecting people confident they have the moves to entertain you. If you take your dance a little bit more seriously, and want to support some up and coming local talents then you better take a ticket for the Stompin Youth Choreographic Project. To satisfy my dance curiosity, I hope to catch up with some of those involved in the dance works closer to the Festival, so watch this space!