I was able to view a fifteen minute section from the first piece of Tavaziva's new work Double Take, and I was very impressed. It is evident that even after a few weeks that the dancers are working their hardest to get the piece up and running. The section which I saw, as explained by Bawren was about beliefs; it was a representation of how he grew up and where he is now. This section is also about care within the community however burdened the people are with the hardship of everyday life.
The dancers enter the space one by one and as they do they command it and let us know of their presence without saying a word. We wait anxiously as the dancers stare into the audience, when they begin suddenly and simultaneously I am drawn in and put on edge by the power of the movement as the dancers move as one. Duets break off as the pack of dancers at the back of the stage stay strong and grounded with their movement. The duet is repeated by different pairs and because of their different styles of movement; parts seem like new and exciting material, aesthetically pleasing on the eye. It is evident that there are strong relationships between the dancers and these seem to mature throughout the piece.
The dancers have their own solos within this part, and each dancer brings a different quality to their individual pieces, for example Lisa’s solo is very strong and powerful whereas Katie’s has a flow to it and a sense of direction. You will be drawn in by the strong presence of Anna as she beautifully communicates with the audience through her solo – so watch out for it. Bawren uses a soundtrack of emotive music with voice-overs in an African dialect; they have an authoritative voice which leaves us wondering if they are commanding something; and if so is this being displayed through the dancers’ movements?
Some of the duets which I had watched in a previous rehearsal (see first blog post about Double Take) have been inputted into this first piece. These duets work very well with the theme of hardship and grief and they draw on recurring motifs which Bawren uses throughout his work. One is unable to see that the sections are created separately and in different orders and added together later to form the whole piece, because they flow so well into one another.
You will be stunned by the stamina and stage presence of these dancers; they leave no stone unturned when it comes to engaging an audience and exerting their power as strong dancers. It would be a crime to miss this exuberant and thought provoking work, so make sure you come along when Double Take goes on tour from January. Tour info coming soon!
