LANDforms

'LANDforms' draws its inspiration from natural landscapes, the elements shaping the earth, and the industrial environments found in cities (Sydney Dance Company, 2017). It was part of a double bill called 'Shared frequencies', originally performed in Sydney theatre from the 29th of March to the 16th of April in 2011. The dance represents the landscape, while the music embodies the weather elements. The music, composed by Italian composer and pianist (Tremlett, 2020) Enzio Bosso, is called 'Music for weather elements'.

The performance begins with the sunrise and concludes at night, taking the audience on a journey through time. (Bonachela, Bonachela & Godani Share Frequencies, 2011). The dancers appear as extensions of nature itself, shaped by natural forces within the choreography while simultaneously exerting those forces through their internal relationships. Their duets reveal a latent tension and attraction, evoking a sense of primal energy. Partnerships emerge briefly—two bodies finding alignment or connection—only to dissolve just as quickly, giving way to new configurations. These fleeting couplings and formations create an ever-changing landscape of relationships, where moments of unity are transient and constantly renegotiated (Miller, 2011). While these sections do not rely on strict synchronisation, they are unified through recurring movement motifs and shared physical principles. 

The dancers, dressed in brown asymmetrically cut leotards, seek one another and nestle close, symbolically defying the forces of nature (Brug, 2011). A powerful sense of primitiveness permeates the entire piece, even as the music and lighting grow more varied, with cooler tones in the group sections and a warmer tone in the solos and duet sections, which gives it a more intimate feel and closes the audience into the movement happening. The interactions between the "characters" become increasingly complex. Though the movements remain simple and subtle, they convey an intense and deeply felt emotional experience. 

movement quality

The overall movement quality is smooth and controlled, characterised by a calm, continuous flow. Dancers frequently employ spiralling pathways around one another, alongside techniques of weight transfer and load bearing, to generate a sustained sense of fluidity. These elements also facilitate the integration of lifts, which emerge organically from the ongoing exchange of body weight rather than as discrete, isolated actions. 

His style

A recurring motif in his choreography is the use of repetition, wherein movement phrases are reiterated across performers. However, rather than strict unison, each dancer follows an individual temporal trajectory, resulting in a layered, asynchronous structure. Despite this lack of synchrony, the overall patterning remains highly cohesive, often organised through systematic groupings—for example, every third dancer executing analogous movements. 

Throughout his choreography, it is evident that Rafael engages in an exploration of the extremities of the human body, frequently emphasizing a recurring motif of full limb extension in both the arms and legs. At the same time, he demonstrates a contrasting focus on contraction and articulation within smaller joints—particularly the wrists—often keeping these movements closer to the body.

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