Awards/Achievements
Will Time Tell:
Once in a Blue Moon:
Three Times: Film
- Winner Best dance on film Australian Dance Awards 2008.
- Finalist Dance on Camera Festival New York 2007
Once in a Blue Moon:
- Shortlisted Best Dance Film, Australian Dance Awards 2006
Three Times: Film
- Special mention Napolidanza Competition, Italy 2005
- Shortlisted Best Dance Film Australia Dance Awards 2005.
- Finalist Reeldance 2006
Reviews
Inevitable Scenarios:
"Every detail is sculpted and honed – Healey focuses the viewer's attention on everything her dancers do…fascinating and touching" .The Sydney Morning Herald, April 2006.
"Ultra cool and classy."
The Australian, April 2006.
Inevitable Scenarios Dance Australia August/Sep 2006.
TIME, and how it affects our existence and experience, is the inspiration behind Sue Healey’s latest work, Inevitable Scenarios. While neither confronting nor profoundly emotive, the result is a really delightful contemporary dance experience from the Sydney based company.
Steering clear of melodramatic chaos, Healey instead opts for an exquisitely crafted, labyrinthine approach to this expression of distorted reality. Composed of 13 short scenes presented in an intriguing, non-linear fashion, the work depicts life’s rites of passage together with experiences inspired by such turns of phrase as “in the nick of time” and “all the time in the world”.
Craig Bary’s opening cavort around the stage, airborne and carefree to an arrangement o synthesized strings, quickly transforms into something much more complicated as the rest of the company enter and dress him in magician-like garb. The six performers move through this opening sequence, titled “Having the time of his life”, at varying paces – stopping, starting, intersecting and displaying quick snatches of emotion – expressing the effect of perception on individual experience.
Dressed in either colourful mini-dresses or short and shirts, the dancers executed Healey’s highly technical contemporary work with great finesse and control. Although simple, the costume proved vital to the piece –the bare limbs draw focus to Healey’s expansive choreography especially her wonderful configurations of the arms and legs.
While all distinct performers, the cohesion and chemistry of the cast was particularly striking. They navigated the space and each other with great intent and a seemingly innate sense of direction – their interactions appeared as natural, spontaneous and fluid as time itself.
Young guest artist, 14 yr old James Batchelor from Quantum Leap, performed with a sensitivity and focus beyond his years, his youth adding interest to the group dynamic, particularly in “14 and 32”, his duo with Michael Carter.
Lisa Griffiths and Nalina Wait were impressive as soloists. Griffiths was dynamic in “Time stood still”; an appropriately minimal score of soft resonant beats complemented her commanding, fast-moving performance, ending in stillness but for a captivating, quivering finger. By contrast Wait’s movement was delicate and considered – she appeared thoroughly immersed in her performance of “90 going on 18”, treading softly through spotlight with a poignancy that evokes old film footage and or a distant memory.
The dancers’ dramatization was pantomime-like without too much exaggeration, such as a perplexed and off-balance Nalina Wait, helped and hindered by those around her as she tottered through “Waiting melodrama”. This gentle whimsy suits Healey’s approach, as anything more visceral would jar.
The simple but effective production elements greatly enhance the work without detracting from the sophisticated movement. Healey uses richly symbolic props to complement her theme – wedding veils, watches, a nifty hat-swapping routine, and lengths of Persian carpet are unrolled into paths only to be rolled up again. Five screens arranged in a “V” (ostensibly for Joseph Mercurio’s lighting design – radiant and reflective in turn), add interest to the spatial organization of the piece, particularly the exits and entrances.
Ben Walsh’s segmented score evokes life’s transient nature, fashioned from samples of scratched records, muffled rag-time, bird-song, drops of rain and syncopated percussion, together with electronic compositions ranging from the melodic to industrial.
Immensely playful and slightly surreal, Inevitable Scenarios also offers moments of great intensity and sensitivity. This is a beautifully polished work with just enough quirks.
Jessica Thomson, Dance Australia August/Sep 2006.
As you Take Time:
Realtime Arts: http://www.realtimearts.net/article.php?id=8727
Will Time Tell?
Realtime Arts: http://www.realtimearts.net/feature/DanceWrite/9079
"Every detail is sculpted and honed – Healey focuses the viewer's attention on everything her dancers do…fascinating and touching" .The Sydney Morning Herald, April 2006.
"Ultra cool and classy."
The Australian, April 2006.
Inevitable Scenarios Dance Australia August/Sep 2006.
TIME, and how it affects our existence and experience, is the inspiration behind Sue Healey’s latest work, Inevitable Scenarios. While neither confronting nor profoundly emotive, the result is a really delightful contemporary dance experience from the Sydney based company.
Steering clear of melodramatic chaos, Healey instead opts for an exquisitely crafted, labyrinthine approach to this expression of distorted reality. Composed of 13 short scenes presented in an intriguing, non-linear fashion, the work depicts life’s rites of passage together with experiences inspired by such turns of phrase as “in the nick of time” and “all the time in the world”.
Craig Bary’s opening cavort around the stage, airborne and carefree to an arrangement o synthesized strings, quickly transforms into something much more complicated as the rest of the company enter and dress him in magician-like garb. The six performers move through this opening sequence, titled “Having the time of his life”, at varying paces – stopping, starting, intersecting and displaying quick snatches of emotion – expressing the effect of perception on individual experience.
Dressed in either colourful mini-dresses or short and shirts, the dancers executed Healey’s highly technical contemporary work with great finesse and control. Although simple, the costume proved vital to the piece –the bare limbs draw focus to Healey’s expansive choreography especially her wonderful configurations of the arms and legs.
While all distinct performers, the cohesion and chemistry of the cast was particularly striking. They navigated the space and each other with great intent and a seemingly innate sense of direction – their interactions appeared as natural, spontaneous and fluid as time itself.
Young guest artist, 14 yr old James Batchelor from Quantum Leap, performed with a sensitivity and focus beyond his years, his youth adding interest to the group dynamic, particularly in “14 and 32”, his duo with Michael Carter.
Lisa Griffiths and Nalina Wait were impressive as soloists. Griffiths was dynamic in “Time stood still”; an appropriately minimal score of soft resonant beats complemented her commanding, fast-moving performance, ending in stillness but for a captivating, quivering finger. By contrast Wait’s movement was delicate and considered – she appeared thoroughly immersed in her performance of “90 going on 18”, treading softly through spotlight with a poignancy that evokes old film footage and or a distant memory.
The dancers’ dramatization was pantomime-like without too much exaggeration, such as a perplexed and off-balance Nalina Wait, helped and hindered by those around her as she tottered through “Waiting melodrama”. This gentle whimsy suits Healey’s approach, as anything more visceral would jar.
The simple but effective production elements greatly enhance the work without detracting from the sophisticated movement. Healey uses richly symbolic props to complement her theme – wedding veils, watches, a nifty hat-swapping routine, and lengths of Persian carpet are unrolled into paths only to be rolled up again. Five screens arranged in a “V” (ostensibly for Joseph Mercurio’s lighting design – radiant and reflective in turn), add interest to the spatial organization of the piece, particularly the exits and entrances.
Ben Walsh’s segmented score evokes life’s transient nature, fashioned from samples of scratched records, muffled rag-time, bird-song, drops of rain and syncopated percussion, together with electronic compositions ranging from the melodic to industrial.
Immensely playful and slightly surreal, Inevitable Scenarios also offers moments of great intensity and sensitivity. This is a beautifully polished work with just enough quirks.
Jessica Thomson, Dance Australia August/Sep 2006.
As you Take Time:
Realtime Arts: http://www.realtimearts.net/article.php?id=8727
Will Time Tell?
Realtime Arts: http://www.realtimearts.net/feature/DanceWrite/9079