I DON’T KNOW HOW TO DANCE
BATS Theatre, The Random Stage, 1 Kent Tce, Wellington
09/03/2021 - 12/03/2021
Production Details
A new piece of gig-theatre about why and when we as humans dance. Award winning UK alternative-folk duo, Good Habits, are joined by contemporary dancer, Cade Hansen, to present their latest international collaboration. Displaying their virtuosic cello-accordion playing within original electro-acoustic genre infused composition, they tell a new story.
With ambition and versatility at the centre of their philosophy, Good Habits launched their alt-folk duo project in October 2019, formed of singer-cellist Bonnie Schwarz and accordionist Pete Shaw. In 2020, Covid-19 saw them ‘stranded’ in New Zealand whilst on tour. In the year since, Good Habits have performed alongside a line up of New Zealand’s top acts including Nadia Reid and Lost Tribe Aotearoa. The release of their debut album, ‘Going For Broke’, gained them shining reviews in Songlines, appearances in National Paper NZ Herald, and a tight tour schedule including performances at New Zealand’s largest festivals: Splore, TSB Festival of Lights, Resolution and many more.
Emerging from lockdown as nomadic musicians, they set about creating a new piece of gig-theatre that combines live music with interview recordings from renowned movers and shakers from around the world.
Storytelling has always been at the heart of Good Habits’ creative ideology and can be seen throughout their music making and performance. After their first gig-theatre exploration, ‘Child’ (Everyman Playhouse, Liverpool), they have been itching to delve back into the world of gig-theatre, which has seen a huge rise in the UK theatre scene. They define ‘Gig Theatre’ as live-music-driven performance that captures the electric energy of a gig to enhance the storytelling.
In I Don’t Know How To Dance, Good Habits invite voices from across the globe to share their experiences and interactions of dance, which become woven into the audio tapestry of the show. Amongst this, they tell a story of confidence, culture, and identity, embodied by Cade Hansen (New Zealand School of Dance).
Through an energetic connection where the musicians dance and the dancer is amongst the music, the performance takes us on an invigorating journey through genre and dance as a social ritual, exploring it’s diverse roles and meanings.
Dance is empowering, romantic, expressive, silly.
Dance is our culture and our self-esteem.
BATS Theatre, Random Stage
Tue 9 – Fri 12 March 2021
8.30pm
Book tickets via the BATS Website
Music , Dance-theatre , Dance ,
1 hr
A show about being brave
Review by Donna Banicevich Gera 11th Mar 2021
I’m seeing a vivid rippling tapestry of dance and music unfolding before me, that lends to a spirit of freedom and spontaneity. The new production I Don’t Know How to Dance by UK alt-folk duo Good Habits (Bonnie Schwarz and Pete Shaw), in collaboration with dancer Cade Hansen (NZSD) wanders across my psyche. It’s a full theatre and I’m not the only one feeling like this – the atmosphere resonates with the crowd in the intimate Random theatre at BATS.
The performance is charged with a poetic intensity that is truly original. Subtle, powerful, revealing the intricacies of movement, the impact of dance and culture, and the profound power of performance.
Bonnie Schwarz, vocal lead and on cello, is simply wonderful – fresh and irresistible with a voice that touches the inner soul. Pete Shaw on piano accordion, poignant, colourful and illuminating. Cade Hansen (dancer) effortlessly contributes to a rich and rewarding night out with his well-crafted movement and sharply defined technique.
Lighting design by Bekky Boyce beautifully captures the threshold experience and spirit of the world of music, vocals and dance. The red enveloping the room like a soft, warm blanket of joy.
Spoken word adds another layer to the performance. I love the idea of going to the beach in the rain at 10.30 at night; it adds to the feeling of freedom, spontaneous thought and action, and taking a little risk.
I do however find the text projecting across the back wall a distraction. I’m instinctively drawn to the written word and it draws my attention away from the profound performance playing out beneath it. This, however, may not be everyone’s reaction. As I leave the theatre, I hear a couple commenting to each other, “What a wonderful night out.”
For me it’s a show about being brave, a show for anyone who has ever wanted to dance or loved to dance, of thought about moving in a moment.
Copyright © in the review belongs to the reviewer
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