“Yet another contrast. Whereas Clay provides a sense of constant movement but with very little horizontal space covered, Prismatic is the opposite: joyful, lively, fast moving across and within the total stage area. The movement is enhanced and driven by the 19th Century composer Brahms at his most triumphal – an ode to joy in movement, so to speak. As a prism bends and changes light to reveal rainbow colours, so there is a quickness, exuberance and colour about this work. We, the audience, are treated to ever changing combinations of dancers: solos, duets, trios, quartets and more. The costumes are contemporary: pale tunics with flashes of colour for the women and unitards for the men: a sense of ease of movement, a neo-classical re-imagining of Brahm’s era in a contemporary setting. A joyful celebration of the passing of the years and RNZB’s life, growth and, at times, dogged determination to keep dancing. As the programme notes remind us, this work was created to celebrate 70 years of the ballet company and was adapted for this tour. Nga mihi RNZB!”
Reviewed by Debbie Bright
