By Peter Maddern
A bare black stage is all patrons get as the house lights go down. A topless male dancer arrives, flops to the floor on his shoulder, stands and flops again and then again – Circa is away. Former Adelaide based member of Cirkidz, Jarred Dewey, then delivers a spellbinding solo exhibition of flexibility, virtuosity and grace. Blink twice and you may capture a still in your mind of extreme poise, balance and physical magic beautifully lit for effect. (If Crows supporters think Taylor Walker has some moves, then after you see Mr Dewey you will only be able to compare him to the most able of your aging local EFM participants.)
Circa brags about bringing circus to dance, but is it all only a marketing spin to another contemporary dance show? No, there is everything you would expect at a circus; a graceful and awesome trapeze performance, a hoop dance that makes you question if it is not a result of magic and a red stiletto dancer prancing her way over the bare torso of one of the males in a new twist on the strong man act.
But whereas circus acts can just seem to go on and on at times, drawing applause with diminishing enthusiasm, artistic director Yaron Lifschitz has structured his show so that each segment has a character of its own, musical accompaniment of great variety and relevance, all there with humour and a seeming devil may care attitude by the dancers to their own well being, all of which draws oohs and ahhs and spontaneous recognition from an audience like the best big top can generate.
The aforementioned Dewey is a physical marvel matched only by the entire cast’s ability to execute their routines without, it seems, either perspiring or sucking in the big ones. So why only 75 minutes, can’t you keep this up for another hour?
May seems to be dance month in Adelaide this year and unless Leigh Warren and his troupe have some real surprises in store tonight, Circa comfortably tops the ratings. What a show, what strength, what grace, what characters.
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