LIVE REVIEW | CATAPULT PROPEL ARTIST COLLABORATION RESIDENCY PROGRAM | KRISTINA CHAN & NEIL MANS

The Follower has long been spouting about the creative powers which have been stirring at 880 Hunter St. In case you missed it, for the past few months internationally renowned choreographer, CADI MCCARTHY, has been establishing a contemporary choreographic hub in our city’s West End. Known as CATAPULT DANCE, the space is beginning to create a new professional space within the Newcastle creative scene. Yes, that’s right, HERE, in our Newcastle!

One of the many multi-faceted elements of CATAPULT DANCE is the CATAPULT PROFESSIONAL CHOREOGRAPHIC ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM. This program is particularly exciting as it gives local artists, along with emerging artists, an unprecedented opportunity to collaborate with professional dance artists from across Australia. So far proving to be the perfect recipe for creating a new wave of multi-disciplinary contemporary dance works.

The resulting piece from the residency collaboration between award-winning dancer, KRISTINA CHAN, and acclaimed Newcastle filmmaker, NEIL MANSFIELD, was irrefutable evidence for the incredible power of collaboration. The work was nothing short of mesmerising. Inspired by the local coal industry, the work used digital media, film, projections, minimalistic stage design & actual piles real coal to create a haunting & evocative atmosphere. Diverting from usual performance modes the audience was invited to walk around the space as the dance was taking place. It was a rare pleasure to be able to watch such incredible movement & storytelling unfold around you.

Catapult Dance hosts regular showings of the Residency program. I cannot urge you enough to go and see it for yourself. It’s is true dance magic.

Photo courtesy of Neil Mansfield