Private Dances II

Presented by Speakeasy and Nat Cursio Co.
AUGUST 28-31

“Transforming the majestic Northcote Town Hall into a kooky campground, Nat Cursio Co's Private Dances is a clever incarnation of the ambulatory, intimate-performances-in-separate-locations style.... Up close and personal, every nuanced detail is visible, sometimes uncomfortably so... it's a great way to experience new forms, gently dismantling comfort zones and the barrier between artist and audience.” The Age 2013

“(Private Dances) is delightfully surreal, plays with limits as is (Nat Cursio’s) bent, limits such as space, conventions of performance, and in this case, intimacy; there is the sense that this world was created, with such care for the details... It rather reminded me of a snowglobe of dance.” FJORD REVIEW 2013

First presented in 2010 Private Dances is all about intimate encounters with dance: private performances, tiny spaces and damn good dancing. Audiences are invited to eat, drink, and work their way through a formidable selection of live dance and dance on screen. 

Premiering as a keynote project for the 2010 Next Wave Festival to great critical review, Private Dances won the Green Room Dance Award for Concept and Realisation.

“Private Dances was a gift to the audience, a rare opportunity to be treated like a royal guest in a Persian tent city. Not surprisingly, the show was a festival favourite and quickly sold out.” REAL TIME

With a satisfying mix of exquisite work by top-notch dancers, choreographers and dance film makers, Private Dances treats viewers to close-up experiences with the textures, rhythms and nuances of the expressive physical body.

Private Dances (version II) features a mix of existing and new content.

Live performances by: Florafox, Atlanta Eke, Appiah Annan, Efren Pamilacan, Fiona Bryant, Gabrielle Nankivell + Luke Smiles, Hasini Wickramasekera, Jade Dewi Tyas Tunggal, James Welsby, Lily Paskas, Soo Yeun You and 2ndToe Collective.

Film works by: Sue Healey (NSW), Deborah Kelly (NSW), Simon Ellis (UK), Sam Fox (WA), Kristy Ayre + Nick Roux, Eugenia Lim, Alice Dixon + Caroline Meaden and Zoe Scoglio. 

Private Dances is an immersive, celebratory and social event centered around performances and mini-films that are culturally diverse – taking in styles such as Hip Hop, Indian Classical, West African and Traditional Korean, alongside contemporary choreographies.

Curator / Creative Director: Nat Cursio
Set Design: Kat Chan
Lighting Design: Rose Connors Dance
Production Manager: Emily O’Brien
Maitre D: Simon Kingsley Hall
Program Co-ordinator / Curator's assistant: Ely Elsass
Producer: Lee Cumberlidge,  Insite Arts

Private Dances II is supported by Arts Victoria, The City of Darebin and The Substation.

Article by Andrew Stephens / The Age

Article by Stephen A. Russell / The Lowdownunder

Review by Chloe Smethurst / The Age

Review by Rachel Vogel / independent dance writer

Review by Penelope Ford / Fjord Review

Nat Cursio is supported by Insite Arts through MAPS, a joint initiative of The Australia Council for the Arts and Arts Victoria.