"Of particular strength, the considered beauty of Sarah Aiken’s “THREE SHORT DANCES,” which features a dance of increased rhythmic effect between three large cut-out shapes that, as sound builds, appear to almost pulsate, thereby questioning our understanding of what is dance. Objects can be made animate, if our patience holds, and slowly a rainbow-sacked larva is revealed on the floor, it metamorphoses before our eyes, shedding its encasement and unfurling its wings. But it is the third dance, in which a series of six fine timber rods are balanced on the body that remains the most striking visual. Before my eyes, one moment an imagine synonymous with a bird cage, the next, a tightrope walker in meditative trance, before finally assuming a slowly spinning hybrid porcupine, with quills near grazing the walls. Balanced atop the head, and across each shoulder, within both hands, the appearance is mesmerising when coupled with the sound design and performance of Daniel Arnott" Gracia Haby, Fjord Review: New and Unsettled.

"For me. the most captivating work was Aiken’s sculptural Three Short Dances which she simply describes “Sublime. Ridiculous.”, though there is little that is ridiculous. Three Short Dances demonstrates how simple geometric forms and objects can fascinate when well-lit, animated and given some kind of underlying score. Sound designer, Daniel Arnott emerges in the third dance, a timely arrival to build more physical tension. There is a satisfying, literal journey in this work as we digest first one, two, then three specific dances, which complement and juxtapose delightfully. This work owes much to its imaginative design and dramaturgy by Matt Adey and Rebecca Jensen" Emma Sandall Dance Australia, Keir Choreographic Awards Finals.

Images: Gregory Lorenzutti