Rites of Spring

Available for Touring

Choreography by Maggi Sietsma

Warm your senses with the primal energy of Rites of Spring; a season long celebrated as a time of love, fertility and new growth through mystical and sometimes sacrificial rites. The remnants of tribalism endure today with many unique rituals and rites of passage.

Choreographed by Maggi Sietsma, Rites of Spring will take you on a journey back to the future: from pounding tribal beats, to the celebration of birthdays and young romance, to the horrors of conscription and human sacrifice. This thrilling dance theatre work explores the lighter and sometimes shadowy side of ancient and modern ritual.

"This small company is anything but small in standard. There is a complementarity among the dancers that enhances excellence both technically and artistically: they are articulate and fluent with the form and demand attention."  Shaaron Boughen, The Australian.

"This is a performance from the whole Expressions team that is impressive and charismatic, and reinforces Sietsma’s reputation for originality and skill."  Rosemary Sorensen, The Courier Mail.

"Costumes, lighting, design and choreography all came together to show what a vibrant, exciting and talented company Expressions is. The performances were truly dazzling and evocative of so many emotions of love, longing and passion." Darren Brooks, M/C Reviews.

Choreographer Notes

"Rites of Spring revisits and explores the driving forces, innocence and passion of both tribal and contemporary rituals. It looks at the transformation from a primeval to an urban conscience and celebrates life and the anarchy that reigns within us all.

The word "tribe" evokes images of primitive societies, near naked warriors and spiritual rites. Yet tribalism has not disappeared. It exists today in the form of distinct social groupings and subcultures, each with their own special codes and social characteristics. Tribes are very much a part of contemporary society and continue to have their own distinctive rituals and rites of passage." MAGGI SIETSMA

Originally presented as part of ENERGEX Brisbane Festival 2002

CHOREOGRAPHY: Maggi Sietsma
SOUND TRACK: Devised by Abel Valls
SET AND COSTUME DESIGN: Greg Clarke

Technical Specifications

Personnel touring:
6 dancers, 1 Artistic Director, 1 Tour Manager, 1 Stage Manager and 2 technical staff. Total of 11persons

Performance duration:
68 minutes, no interval

Freight details:
1300kg/ 9 cubic metres

Technical requirements:
Stage Size:
Minimum 10m wide by 10m deep, 2m wing either side of stage, Min grid height 5.5m to stage, 1 black tab, 4 sets of legs, 2 dressing rooms for 5 persons each, Black dance floor.

Lighting:
110 instruments
100 by 2kw channels, memory board
 
Sound:
Stereo front of house, 2 fold back speakers, 1 minidisk player

For touring inquiries contact:
Abel Valls - General Manager
admin@expressions.org.au
+ 61 7 3257 4222


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