Rafael in Sydney

Sydney dance company (SDC), previously known as The Dance Company, was founded in 1969 by Suzanne Musitz. Rafael Bonachela has led the company since 2009, where its reputation as a creative powerhouse has been established (Sydney Dance Company, 2017). 

When he first joined the company, he had already decided that the company had to head in an entirely new direction. As his first executive decision he put together a new group of dancers with a better fit for his vision of contemporary dance (Dimasi, 2010). This included dancers with prior contemporary training, strong classical technique and their qualities in dance. This meant that the work showcases by SDC shifted from a strong narrative, theatrical and balletic pieces under Graeme Murphy's leadership to an abstract contemporary style. Bonachela introduced non-linear choreography and movement driven by emotion, energy and music rather than story. In turn aligned more with European contemporary dance aesthetics and trends, attracting a wider international audience and increasing exposure. This was also achieved by his structural change in programmes, commissioning other choreographers to work on the cast. This is always a mixture of Australian and international choreographers, which brings diversity to the company and, by including mixed bills rather than a single choreographers vision, positions SDC as a platform, not just a single artistic voice (Saunders, 2023).