Film: Blank Canvas

This review was originally published on the Spanish Film Festival blog

Sydneysiders may remember the tragic death of dancer/choreographer, Tanja Liedtke in August 2007. German-born Liedtke was due to start as the Artistic Director of the Sydney Dance Company, when she was struck by a garbage truck whilst crossing the road. She was to take over from Graeme Murphy, who had held the role since the founding of the company in 1976. This shock loss reverberated through the dance company and the 2008 season ended up with a radical program. Three guest choreographers were each invited to create a new work starting from a blank canvas.

Spanish choreographer Rafael Bonachela was one of the three invited to Sydney, before ultimately being announced as the company’s new Artistic Director in 2009. In a fascinating and inspiring work of Australian documentary, Blank Canvas follows the Spaniard as he creates his first piece, We Unfold for the Sydney Dance Company.

Offering unprecedented access and insight into the renowned dance company, director Tim Slade and his team follow the creative process from start to finish. Bonachela begins with a beautiful piece of music from his creative collaborator, Italian composer, Ezio Bosso, Symphony No 1 ‘Oceans’ for cello and orchestra. Bonachela works with his dancers, organically discovering the movements that go with this music. Bonachela, who is a new Spanish Film Festival patron this year, is a delightful focus for the film, with his enthusiasm and tactile approach to both dance and the dancers he choreographs.

This film gives you an incredible insight into the art form of dance, not only the processes of developing a performance, but also the grace, strength and endurance of the human body. As a viewer it doesn’t matter if you are a dance novice, it is the world of Bonachela you are being taken into and even if the vocabulary of dance is new, the emotions and spectacular visions on screen transcend prerequisite dance understanding. As Bonachela says to his dancers in the film, ‘Just hold my hand and I will guide you through it”.

Using footage from rehearsals and performances as well as interviews with Bonachela, Noel Staunton (Chief Executive of the Sydney Dance Company), dancer Amy Hollingsworth (Bonachela’s second in command) and the other guest choreographers; this documentary shows the highs and lows for the dancers and the drive they all feel to be working at their best.

(Beautiful footage of We Unfold; footage courtesy of Stella Motion Pictures)