Sydney Theatre, Walsh Bay
March 9, 2015

The ‘arts’ is a subject that is largely spoken about in superlatives: the greatest; the most revered; the most acclaimed, etc. Used with such frequency (and for good reason) these descriptors can begin to lose their potency, and so adequately expressing an experience of truly astonishing achievement risks falling short of conveying the truth of that accomplishment. So with that in mind, I start my review of the Sydney Dance Company’s season opener by wiping my slate clean: I’m resetting the bar by which I measure these experiences, and I’m placing at the highest level the masterful genius of American choreographer William Forsythe, creator of the evening’s first piece, Quintett.

Created in 1993 for the Frankfurt Ballet, this piece could be described as a collection of deceptively simple expressions: a love letter to Forsythe’s dying wife and an exploration of hyperextended Ballet technique. I say deceptive, because of course both of these are wrought with complexity, both artistic and emotional, and thus Quintett is a hurricane of ideas, interactions and revelations.

Chloe Leong and Sam Young-Wright in Quintett
Photo: Peter...