AMBASSADOR REVIEWS

 

Black Grace Verses

May 13 & 14, 2011

Theatre Royal

 

 

Claudia Peters

Black Grace's ballet production of "Verses" enchanted every member of the audience from the first movement. The family friendly show beginning with a Samoan traditional proverb meaning "hope is a tree of life" was portrayed with the help of tense lighting and music backing them along with costumes that complimented the dancers well.

The tribal style dance captivated the viewers and left them wanting more, the atmosphere and emotion bought across from the dancers contrasted effectively with the following dances.

Artistic director, Neil Ieremia, conveyed a specific meaning for each verse and each one showed every dancer's outstanding ability that then reflected perfectly with Ieremia's vision.

These visions consisted of themes including "only after the last tree had been cut down, only after the last fish had been speared, only after the last river had been polluted, only then you realise you can't eat money", a memory of church every Sunday, a dancer slowly rotting away and a lyric that had a deep meaning for him, "I stand up next to a mountain and I chop it down with the edge of my hand."

Each theme was enlightening and was assisted with powerful movements, costumes, lighting and music that either gave a twist to the term of ballet, or showed the meaning behind the passion of traditional ballet. From the first movement to the final standing ovation, each audience member had been taken into a world completely created by Neil Ieremia, and left it wanting more.

 

Te-Atapo Matthews

I enjoyed the performance very much. It was a very different type of show for me to watch, but I could relate well to them having Polynesian blood myself, and Samoan family.

It was all very exciting and kept my attention through out the whole show.

My favourite verse would have to be the first. The choreography was well planned,
and costumes were effective in their simplicity.

What I liked most about this particular verse though, was the perfection and preciseness of all the dancers, and how they were all insinc with each other, because of my experience with Kapahaka, this particular aspect really caught my eye.

Another aspect I liked about the performance was how the dancers used their bodies and movements.

It had me wondering what each dancer was portraying the whole time, and I liked that involvement.

Overall, I have admiration for the performance and enjoyed it all.

Ashton Wastney

On the 13 and 14 of May Black Grace performed verses by Neil Ieremia at the Nelson Theatre Royal and concluded with a standing ovation after a tremendous performance.

The New Zealand grown dance company Black Grace brought a up beat, slow, fast and motivating performance to the stage on both nights at the Theatre Royal. 

Black Grace is a dance company consisting of nine dancers from New Zealand that have danced on international stages to a school halls and they mainly contain of a contemporary dance genre that make up amazing dance routines out of the brilliant and artistic mind of Neil Ieremia.

The introduction to the night was a energetic piece called "Pati Pati" this dance was visually appealing and was an awesome start to the nights performance, this set us for the night and left all of us sitting on the edge of our seats as Neil Ieremia stood out to speak his mind and what inspired the dance, the music and the lighting as well as giving us the base of what will happen for the night and a bit of humor and laughs that added to the appeal.

Black Grace had an amazing turn out with both of their shows sold out, and to applaud the spectacular show was a standing ovation and many load roars and whistles. The audience for the night was supportive and well ready for the performance. After the show many people were blown away by the piece verses.

I would recommend the show to everyone if you dance or not you would appreciate the effort and stories behind the routines of Black Graces- Verses.
 

Comfrey Sanders   

The Theatre Royal is a magical performance venue for all sorts of shows, and last weekend on the 13^th-14^th May it was one of the venues for the tour of the critically acclaimed New Zealand dance company Black Grace.

Their show Verses was pretty much as the title suggests, a medley of short dance pieces with nine dancers and put to music that has special meaning to the artistic director and choreographer Neil Ieremia.

It was obvious that the show was very personal to him and in between the pieces he gave a quick talk about his inspiration and thoughts for the dances that was to come. In doing this he was able to create an intimate feel to the show and could connect all the dances that otherwise would have seemed like a random selection.

The show opened with the cast of dancers on the bare stage. Neil Ieremia used an empty stage throughout the whole show and used lights to create mood and set the tone of the pieces. In the opening number the dancers were dressed in earth tones and their dance had a tribal feel to it. They used rhythm and formations to create a driving, pulsing piece of dance, put to the sighing voice of Ieremia’s Grandfather.

This dance had a raw quality to it that invoked emotion in the viewer and the dancers created rhythm with their hands and feet which created a contrast with the old, traditional feel of the Samoan culture and the modern dance style. The second dance was very different however. The earth tones were exchanged for blue light and a much more modern feel. The dancers moved into a more ballet mixed with contemporary dance, set to the music of Radio Head. 

The third and fourth verses of the show were very contrasting. The third piece was created with more of a theme and storyline. Using the theme of Greed, the story was set out by the men in the company dressed in waistcoats and white shirts they used dance to play out the many different concepts and forms of Greed. This piece seemed to be a personal one for Ieremia as he explained about his youth. After it he took the time to share a poem that he had written with the audience. I thought this was a well placed and yet daring move and probably one of my favourite moments in the show, which is strange seeing as I had come to watch a dance show not a poem recital. But I thought that little touch made the show all the more rich in texture and intermit in nature.

In contrast to the third piece, the fourth one was a much softer, flued partner dance with the woman in the company. They were all wearing tones of gray and their dance was trusting and quiet, as if all the dancers were sealed in their own little worlds, putting all their trust in their partners. Their style almost felt like yoga and it was set to the yearning sound of Johnny Cash.

The fifth piece was very obviously inspired by the 80’s dance scene. Ripped denim and shoulder pads, it was performed by all the women and was upbeat and electric. The next piece was a short but sweet duet, performed by two women of the company. Here Neil Ieremia utilised his obvious love for patterns and shapes and the two women created beautiful shapes with their bodies, lifting each other as though they were as light as feathers and always staying connected. The flesh coloured costumes enhanced the feeling of connection and intimacy.

The seventh piece was a solo performance by one of the original men in the company. It was a dance about getting older, how everyone must deal with the time passing and what that means for dancers. It was performed to the appropriately named song Under Pressure by David Bowie and Queen. Doing a solo dance as a finishing piece was another risky move but I think it shows how much Neil Ieremia loves pushing boundaries. Embracing everything about dance and celebrating it.

As their finishing piece the company performed a dance that not only show cased their talent as dancers but ended the show on a high energy note.  Even though the show was shorter than I had expected it to be I was completely entranced, not only was it technically impressive but it possessed a raw energy that captivated the whole audience.  Everything they did felt genuine, down to the sweat that sprayed off them as they moved and the minimalistic approach to the stage and costume.     

Patrick Savill

Verses was performed by a dance troupe of 9 accomplished dancers that are part of the internationally acclaimed dance troupe, “Black Grace”.

 This unique show consisted of 8 verses that are all, in their own strange and fascinating way, reflections of Neil Ieremia’s life, the choreographer, founder and Artistic Director of “Black Grace”.

 This show is touring New Zealand and on Friday the 13^th and Saturday the 14^th of May Nelson was blessed enough to have it performed at the Theatre Royal. The first verse was called “Pati Pati” and set the entire mood for the night by having a violently energetic body percussion and contemporary piece compose a mood that was one of astonishment, amazement and enthusiasm for more of this energy fused dancing.

 From there it rose to an amazing peak at Verse 8 that consisted of a mixture of hip-hop and ballet to the tune of Jimi Hendrix’s “Voodoo Child”. This was an intricately woven piece with at least 3 groups of dancers on stage at one time and no one doing the same movements. Ranging from leaps spanning 2 metres around the stage to breathtaking trust between the dancers as they threw themselves into each other’s arms to perform lifts that any partner dancer would envy.

With every verse having a mixture of almost all dance styles I can only say that this show was worthy of the world stage and should be viewed everywhere. We, as Nelsonians, can only hope that they deem Nelson worthy for another one of their shows.

Eilish Wilson

Black Grace’s performance of Verses captured the audience with its contemporary and dramatic movements, proving that creativity through dance in New Zealand is still going strong. Artistic director, Neil Ieremia, portrayed a total of eight verses involving nine very talented dancers; the pieces specifically requiring a different number of dancers for each.

The performance opened with a tribal, rhythmic, and uplifting verse called Pati Pati, which immediately energised the audience and left us all wanting more. Each piece was put to music that was relevant and of special meaning to Ieremia; Pati Pati was danced to the sighing voice of his Grandfather. The dancers used their bodies to create rhythm in the piece, not only through dance but with the tapping of their feet, and the clapping of their hands. The verse had a ‘back to your roots’ kind of feeling, which gave a very emotive and raw setting for the dancers.

Ieremia, who was obviously very connected to the verses, spoke to the audience between pieces, not only to give the dancers time to catch their breath, but to allow us into his thoughts for each part to the show. He shared poetry, quotes, (such as “Only after the last tree had been cut down, only after the last fish had been speared, only after the last river had been polluted, only then will we realise that we can't eat money”),  and laughs with us throughout the show, and this personal touch made the performance that little bit more memorable.

Themes for the other seven verses included greed, as well as a dark time in his life, a happy time in his young life, (which had an obvious 80’s feel), and the feeling of a tired, older dancer, which was set to ‘Under Pressure’, by David Bowie and Queen. This piece was stunning, (although they all were!), Ieremia expressing the feeling of an aged dancer who finds the moves somewhat repetitive, and he articulated this through the movement of the verse, performed by a solo male.

Overall the show was incredibly striking, the ideas behind this seemingly random yet somehow wonderfully connected assortment of verses were not only energetic, but appropriate to what they were aiming to convey to the audience. Ieremia captivated the audiences’ imaginations, and although I am not a dancer myself, I could not help but fall in love with everything about the show; the creativity, the interludes with Ieremia, the energy, and the raw talent that emerged through those incredibly talented dancers. I watched with awe as the sweat spun off their hair, new and contemporary boundaries were pushed, and I would definitely recommend Black Grace - Verses to anyone who enjoys a fantastic performance!

Penni Meleisea

After finally managing to find a park near the Theatre, I carried my diary and pen inside. I didn’t know what to expect of this show or who else would be there. Taking the last sip of my orange juice, it was finally time to sit and watch Black Grace perform Neil Ieremias dance piece ‘Verses’.

It was like being at the movies but better of course. There were elderly, mothers and daughters spending quality time together, primary school children and of course teenagers. The crowd was definitely filled with a mixture of generations. For me it made the atmosphere very relaxing and nobody minded the odd noise coming from the kids’ sweet bags. But the amazing performance was always favored over the strong temptation to eat lollies on a Friday night.

As beautiful as the décor inside of Theatre Royal is, it all some how went away with the first clap of the dancers in the first piece ‘Pati Pati’. I was no longer a part of an audience. I was at Black Grace which I have to say was the most breath taking and capturing show I have ever watched.

Besides the articles and few short clips of their previous works in performing arts I had never seen anything like this before. The piece was made up of 8 short dance pieces which were inspired from some of Neil Ieremias (Artistic Director of Black Grace) favourite songs and poems.  I loved how the choreography was strong and hit the beat of the music. I found this very interesting seeing other works of contemporary are always very slow and out of time with the music.

The costumes were very basic but were effective at the same time. Each suiting the mood and story of the dance. For me though the best costumes were during the last dance which was accompanied by Voodoo Child by Stevie Ray & Double Trouble. All dressed in black in modern designs definitely gave an old song new meaning. How ever as discrete as there costumes were they still did not restrict the muscles of the dancers showing and the sweat spraying during their turns

I guess because being a young Samoan myself I thought I would be able to connect with him. I did, however just through the fact we both love dance and use our experiences to inspire our movement, but what dancer doesn’t? I could not however connect through his personal experiences. But I was able to sit and watch his dancers tell a story about them.

Not only was I lucky enough to watch this gob smacking show I was lucky enough to meet the cast and of course the man himself Neil Ieremia. As he agreed to sign my program he asked me if I enjoyed his show I could only answer with the loudest YES in the room. He seemed like a very humble person but I guess I will only be able to take away those 8 verses that portray that image of him in my head.

Lucy Everett

The piece verses is a high energy performance, one that captivates the audience with emotions, characteristics, history and that true New Zealand contemporary style. After being one of the lucky ones who got to participate in one of the few workshops Black Grace provided whilst being in Nelson I knew the performance was going to be one to remember….I was not wrong.

This mind blowing performance reflects on the life of the artistic director Neil Ieremia, from his Samoan culture, and upbringing, his most memorable music and poetry to his humour and thoughts you are taken on a journey of happiness, anger and struggle.

The moves that the dancers hit were at exactly the same time as other dances that accompany them on stage. I couldn’t believe the passion that these young dancers were putting into every move that they were showcasing. Their synchronisation and precision were at such a high level. The dancers looked as if they were the same dancer just in a different body. The costume and lighting was breathtaking. It was all very simple but yet effective.  This was like nothing I had ever seen at a stage performance in my life. The show grabbed my attention at the first beat of the first song. 

The audience was longing to experience this live performance of New Zealand performing arts. A lot of the audience were waiting at the door 30 minutes prior to the doors opening; this truly showed me how enthusiastic Nelson was to witness this show. The atmosphere in the theatre was electric as people beside each other whispered about their expectation of the show and how privileged they were to be there. It was nice and chilled as the adults chatted and sipped on there wine and the younger audience munched at food that they had purchased from the theatre as they sat, waiting anxiously for the show to start.

Black Grace was a truly memorable show that has truly impacted on me and many other people. It is a show that I will never forget in my life. Black Grace has also inspired me to push myself when I dance as it has shown me that New Zealand has got some amazing dancers and we should all be proud of the culture New Zealand has to offer.

Georgia Winter

I'm just going to tear straight into this. By the end of the show I was lost for words. From start to finish my attention and eyes were directly at the stage for every movement, every second I was hooked. The thing about the intro was the tapping, clapping and the use of breath all perfectly in sync. This piece was called "Pati Pati" which is Samoan for clap. The best part was it was so exact that it didn't just ask for your attention, it demanded it! I also liked how they formed into a pyramid like shape and their movements were cannoned. This was a brilliant effect and by the end of just this first piece the dancers were dripping with sweat and the crowd was near on there feet just for this opening. But that was just it. The opening.

The next verse was called "15 Step" by Radiohead. The idea of this was writing words with your body. And these bodies could talk. Every part of the stage was used and you could tell the dancers were putting in every piece of soul they had. I particularly liked how instead of just leaving they made a proper exit which was something that stuck out to me.

The third verse was about an investment banker. The idea of greed within people. "You can't eat money." I recall him saying which most of the crowd laughed to. I liked this dance piece for the fact they used the idea of guns and used the other dancers as props which made a great effect. My favorite was the car. Very creative, very impacting.

Fourth. This one was one of my personal favorites. It was to the song "Hurt" by Johnny Cash. I liked this as it was a very deep piece and how they danced in partners and the connection between them was noticeable to the whole audience. I also liked how they would freeze and the change in focus. But my favorite part was how it was really clear and you could see the story it was showing you which I admired because every movement said something.

Fifth was a song by Talking Heads called "Girlfriend is Better" this one was a trio and they were capturing the eighties in this song which really stood out to me. But I think the main thing that stood out here was the costumes.

The next was a solo piece about getting older put to the song "Under Pressure" by Queen. Personally, I love Queen. So to see this was rather exciting for me. I think he danced to it very well and as the song progressed you could see him get a little more and more rigid to display him getting older.

And the last verse of the night involved all the dancers; this song was "Voodoo Child" by Hendrix. This one made me think of the first one a lot for the fact that it commanded full attention and someone was always on the stage there was always something so there was never a dull moment. I also liked how in this one they were very light on their feet and it made a cool effect. The finish was amazing and the audience was on their feet clapping loud.
Over all, this was a brilliant show. I am so glad I saw it and I would strongly advise anyone else to see Black Grace - even if you're not a dancer. You will love this.

Well done to the whole dance company - Black Grace.