BackLit presents an evening of desire and indulgence. It is; its like that. BackLit is a group of extraordinary dancers – not yet, but they will be if they keep working this way. It is so good to see dancers who have been working together for a while – we used to call this phenomenon a dance company!

This time the small theatre of TAPAC, tempo’s homebase is cut with craft, the dancers intersect the proscenium arch, with their bodies and with the light (designer, Ambrose). The music soundscore (Eden Mulholland) grumbles and turfs us into the nexus of their choreographic imaginations.

Each dancer from within the realms of their vocabularies and characters serve up a show from the spectrum of contemporary dance forays.

Janine Parkes is a particularly sexy and morphous dancer; Georgie Goater’s subtle technical strengths are becoming enduringly watchable, Annabel Harrison is exploring a more fey and delicate role balanced as though forever on the cultural epitome of teacups. Colette Arnold intense and sinuous, Mandy in the mirror, stronger now in her very owned dancer body.

Shannon Mutu’s forte is strength and vigourous jumps; her character remains elusive, caught up in the needs of this production. And Lucy Miles, sensitive and differently lost, is like a tiny Cinderella searching for her shoe.

Rosey Feltham’s astute direction and taste is evident at all times.

The BackLit dancers move easily though technology and theatre. As a multimedia production, Leaning Tower of Penchant shows  the emerging sample impact of innovative confidence on Auckland’s theatre world. This is a very good production and their best is yet to come. Keep watching their manipulation of space.

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