The 2020 New Zealand Festival of the Arts programme is announced, including a new commission for Borderline Arts Ensemble’s dance theatre work Strasbourg 1518.
Strasbourg 1518 by Borderline Arts Ensemble. Photo: Alex Efimoff.
"Thursday" by Borderline Arts Ensemble Review by Jennifer Shennan for Michelle Potter 'On Dancing'
“The Loveliest Thing” Review by Jennifer Shennan of "Thursday" by Borderline Arts Ensemble Review, for Michelle Potter 'On Dancing'
Photo ©Jocelyn Janon www.vocable.co.nz - All rights reserved.
“The Loveliest Thing” review by Jennifer Shennan of "Thursday" by Borderline Arts Ensemble. Published on Michelle Potter 'On Dancing' https://michellepotter.org/reviews/thursday-borderline-arts-ensemble
You’ve reached the Wellington Railway Station. In 15 mins your train is due to leave for Waikanae, so there’s time, no great hurry. It’s a fine day, just a bit draughty across the foyer, probably as well to keep your coat on. You stroll around a little and admire the warm pinkish-brown of carrara marble walls, the high vaulted ceiling panels painted in bright lightness. It’s all quite beautiful, must be the finest railway station in the world. The speakers are piping familiar Rachmaninoff, which is somehow comforting in such a transitory space.
Damn, something is caught in your eye and it stings, A man passing tries to help you. Whoa! Who is this? All the longing you’ve always kept inside but never voiced out loud, your secret that you could love someone till the end of time, even if there is no such actual person, or, if there is, you’ll never meet, it’s just a longing that you’ve always lived—perhaps others have it too?—but how would you know because this is not anything you can talk about. That would be unlucky and you might be overheard by strangers. There is no such person, too true to be real, too beautiful to last, to have a name, and she may not even notice you, and you’d risk losing her when you’d only just met. No, he’s just a kind man passing by, trying to help you sort your eye problem. Or let’s say it is just the thing called hope, the thing with feathers, that you nurture in the breast while reading Emily Dickinson’s poems on train journeys.
It’s not that you’re at all the type to fall carelessly and deeply in love with a stranger in a public place—for example, the man sitting in the third row of the No.14 bus that time you went to town … that was a breath-holding ride, you thought you could be together forever … but he knew nothing about you, did not even notice you, so the affair was safely over by the time you alighted at the third-section bus-stop. There was no dance, it was all in your mind, your soft head. So how come this day is different? This man does notice you, more than that—he pauses, he stops, he turns, he offers to help, he wants to meet you, he feels the same as you do. This is a film script, surely? You’re actually in this film, yet you never auditioned, and there was never any rehearsal. Who’s the choreographer here? Swan Lake is the story of a man and a woman who meet, they dance and love, but she is due to fly out that evening and he will lose her forever. This is different, it’s just a train station, remember.
A number of other travellers stop to watch the couple—and are fixed by the beautiful figures-of-eight they see traced, like infinity signs lying sideways. Small fires flicker inside those who are watching too. No one is voicing a commentary, there are no subtitles, no flyers to hand out, no powerpoint. The dance is the point of power. This is not pornography, it’s not erotic (though nearly it is…), it’s just a 13 minute love dance on the marble floor of a railway station, by a man and a woman who keep their coats on while they fall into the depths of each other’s eyes and drown there, just managing to save each other by doing beautiful things, whatever their bodies will allow— like waves and billows, like leaning and longings, with arms, and hands, with legs, feet, faces, eyes, the backs of their heads too—they don’t always need to be watching to know what the other is doing, they can just tell. He knows they will never have to argue or disagree, they will love and hold and be held forever. This is better than all the lyrics of all the love songs on all the shelves of all the music shops of the world. These are minutes of assurance that you can love someone you don’t even know by name, and still catch your train. But, hold the Rachmaninoff … the voice-over announces that the Waikanae train will be leaving in two minutes time. You both pause, you raise hands in the gesture of a farewell wave—oh no—but yes—but no, let it go without you. You walk back towards each other, hold still, hold tight. She has let the train go without her.
All the dance moves up till this point were just rehearsal, so now it’s time to do them all again, only more fully, and slower, deeper to lunge, higher to lift, wider to arc, stronger to clasp. The watching travellers are all choosing to miss their trains too. They can’t walk away from lovemaking. At the start there was a posterboard on the edge of the space that read ‘New World, special coffee & muffin offer free. Today only’ but the message has been changed while no-one was looking and now reads ‘Innocence is contagious, if you like’ which everyone knows is true, and better value than coffee and a muffin, even when that’s free.
They continue dancing and it is the loveliest thing you ever saw in a Railway Station. Then the voice-over for the next train to Waikanae, and oh, she must leave now, and so she does. He turns and walks to the street, it’s his eyes that are stinging now, holding the memory of all that just happened. Probably. Today only. In 13 minutes. And will last forever. Surely.
"The Magic of Mastery of Movement" - 'Thursday' Review by Deirdre Tarrant on Theatreview
“Thursday” by Borderline Arts Ensemble Review “The Magic of Mastery of Movement” by Deirdre Tarrant on Theatreview
Image ©Jocelyn Janon www.vocable.co.nz - All rights reserved.
Review of “Thursday” by Deirdre Tarrant on Theatreview
The Performance Arcade has a pink line running from its home site behind Te Papa to the Railway Station. All roads should lead to Thursday - a short superb dance work by Lucy Marinkovich that surprises as you enter the station forecourt. Two dancers meet, dance, long to be together, and in a sweeping, soaring, lyrical dance duet, this relationship is allowed to find a passion - only to be relinquished as the dancers move on. The venue is perfect and feels like a step back into a European yet universal film genre (Third Man) and Hannah Tasker-Poland and Manu Reynaud are outstanding.
Passers-by paused, stopped, and missed their trains on Thursday, caught in the magic of a mastery of movement that is rarely seen on stage let alone in a railway station! Left to dream of passing encounters that may have been or may be promised in our lives, we stepped back into reality touched by a choreography that took us on a physical and emotional journey - and back to catch a train or walk into the sunshine - beautifully crafted and realised by Lucy and her cast.
"Thursday" by Borderline Arts Ensemble Review - Natasha Thyne on Theatreview
"Thursday" by Borderline Arts Ensemble Review - Natasha Thyne on Theatreview
Image ©Jocelyn Janon www.vocable.co.nz - All rights reserved.
Review of “Thursday” by Natasha Thyne for Theatreview https://www.theatreview.org.nz/reviews/review.php?id=11506
I wish Thursday was longer. Not something I would typically say but in the case of Thursday by the Boarderline Arts Ensemble, Friday can wait.
A small audience is already gathered in the foyer of the Wellington Railway Station. Gentle piano music begins to play as the two dancers, Emmanuel Reynaud and Hannah Tasker-Poland, emerge through the crowd to take their place on the tiled floor.
They begin their pas de deux, their movements fluid and graceful as they move singularly and together around the floor, their simple brown trench coats flowing, an extension of their movements.
As described on the Performance Arcade website Thursday, inspired by the 1945 classic Brief Encounter, creates a brief encounter – 12 minutes to be exact - with the arts for Wellington’s unsuspecting public.
More of a crowd starts to form as those unsuspecting commuters become aware of the show, expertly choreographed Borderline's Artistic Director Lucy Marinkovich.
A couple of young girls whisper behind me; ‘they are so strong, so beautiful.” And that they are, especially when together moving as one, both taking turns lifting and spinning each other.
The railway station is a stunning venue. There is no flashy set or lighting but the dancers are so mesmerising you don’t even notice the mundane ordinariness around (like people sneaking in and out of the key and luggage store). The regular loudspeaker announcements enhance the soundscape and add to the narrative of the lovers’ time together running short, eventually having to go their separate ways.
And just like that, Thursday is over. The dancers walk off into the masses, one through the front doors and the other with the commuters to the train platform.
The crowd disperses. The train to Johnsonville departs.
Brief but beautiful, Thursday is one for the diaries.
"The moving art of Lucy Marinkovich" MASSEY Alumni Magazine Feature Article
“The moving art of Lucy Marinkovich” feature article in the Massey Alumni Magazine.
Image: Borderline Arts Ensemble’s “Lobsters”.
Written by Jennifer Little for the MASSEY ALUMNI magazine. http://masseyblogs.ac.nz/alumnimagazine2019/alumni-notes-and-news/the-moving-art-of-lucy-marinkovich/
"Perpetual Motion" - Capital Magazine Feature Article on Lucy Marinkovich
"Perpetual Motion" - Capital Magazine Feature Article on Lucy Marinkovich
Image: Capital Magazine
Article by Sarah Lang for Capital Magazine https://issuu.com/capitalmag/docs/capital_60
"First we take Manhattan" - Harriet Friedlander Radio New Zealand Interview
First we take Manhattan - Lucy Marinkovich and Lucien Johnson RNZ Interview
Image © John McDermott for The New Zealand Dance Company.
Creative Wellington couple Lucy Marinkovich and Lucien Johnson will soon be packing their bags - and in Lucien's case his saxophone - to head to the Big Apple on the Harriet Friedlander New York Residency.
"Stars in their eyes" - Harriet Friedlander Residency Dominion Post Article →
Stars in their eyes: Wellington couple earn artist’s residency in New York
Wellington choreographer Lucy Marinkovich said the news of her and her partner Lucien Johnson receiving $100,000 for a creative residency in New York left her with "stars in her eyes".
Harriet Friedlander New York Residency Award Recipient →
The Harriet Friedlander New York Residency from The Arts Foundation of New Zealand
2018 Recipients: Lucy Marinkovich (Choreographer) and Lucien Johnson (Composer)
Harriet Friedlander was a dedicated supporter of the arts, who loved New York, believing that the city nurtured artists. She established this residency in 2008. It is gifted every two years and sends an artist to experience New York with $100,000 to cover their living expenses.
This residency is not open for applications.
https://www.thearts.co.nz/awards/harriet-friedlander-residency
Awesome Robots Audience Thank You Letters
In June 2018, Lucy choreographed Awesome Robots on the New Zealand Dance Company for their Tamaki Tour. A collection of the students responses can be found at the following link:
NZDC has a mission to bring high-calibre contemporary dance performances to schools across Auckland. During June and July 2018, The New Zealand Dance Company took their Tāmaki Tour to Auckland Schools. With engaging and comical works created by diverse, young choreographers, students loved and found inspiration from this high energy programme!
Performances were held at schools across the Auckland region, presenting a collection of short works by young and emerging choreographers, including NZDC company members, with a Q & A afterwards.
Awesome Robots was inspired by trends surrounding vintage science-fiction and the current re-alignment of futurist metaphors to reflect cultural diversity. In particular, Awesome Robots was influenced by the movement known as Afrofuturism. This movement seeks to place the African diasporic experience at the heart of science-fiction narratives. In turn, Awesome Robots uses this as a point of departure for exploring the possibilities of creating a uniquely Pacific futurism.
Awesome Robots, Lucy Marinkovich for New Zealand Dance Company. Photography: John McDermott.
RNZB Community Dance Workshops →
The Royal New Zealand has an ongoing commitment to making dance accessible to all New Zealanders, offering an unparalleled range of performances and events that will excite, instruct and inspire. These include activities for audiences and communities, schools and the dedicated dance community, there is something for everyone.
One such event is Te Papa Family Day, where activities range from watching the dancers warm up in company class, see a working rehearsal, and kids’ dance workshops.
Workshops led by RNZB Dance Educator Lucy Marinkovich explore characters, steps, and scenes based on the ballet The Nutcracker.
RNZB Dance Educator Lucy Marinkovich at Te Papa Family Day
Audio Described Ballet & Touch Tour for blind and low-vision patrons →
Royal New Zealand Ballet’s 2018 Ryman Healthcare Season of The Nutcracker includes audio described performances for blind and low-vision audience members.
The Nutcracker’s national tour offers free touch tours before each audio described performance, where audiences go backstage, touch costumes and props, and learn more about the production. RNZB Dance Educator Lucy Marinkovich explains ballet terminology, and the shapes and quality of movements in The Nutcracker.
RNZB Touch Tour and Audio Described Performance. Photography: Stephen A’Court.
Nelson Arts Festival, Lobsters, Review Theatreview →
A critical review by Ruth Allison of the Borderline Arts Ensemble’s performance of Lobsters at the Nelson Arts Festival.
The Nelson Mail & Nelson Arts Festival, Lobsters Review →
A critical review by Fiona Gallagher for Stuff.co.nz and The Nelson Mail of the Borderline Arts Ensemble's performance of Lobsters at the Nelson Arts Festival, (concept, choreography, co-direction, and performance by Lucy Marinkovich).
Wellington City Council, Dancing Through the Pages →
Wellington City Council, Wellington Central Library and Dance Aotearoa event for New Zealand Dance Week 2018. 'Dancing Through The Pages' is an event to share the links between the creative practices and reading habits of Wellington based dance artists in an open forum at the Central Library.
Royal New Zealand Ballet, Creative Dance Workshops →
The Royal New Zealand Ballet company's Education and Community department offers creative dance classes and workshops, delivered by their Dance Educator Lucy Marinkovich. Feedback for Lucy's work with the RNZB has been fantastic, including this response from Tauranga: “Our students are still buzzing from the workshop. Lucy was incredible with the students. They have all asked is Lucy coming back this Friday. Lucy’s manner with our students was wonderful. She had their full attention with her great lessons and wide range of knowledge and expertise. The students and I gained so much and we thank you. We would love to have Lucy visit our school anytime. She is a great asset to your company. Thank you for giving us the opportunity of this experience with Lucy.” – Rochelle Rhind, Dance Coordinator, Greenpark School
Royal New Zealand Ballet, New Dance Educator →
The Royal New Zealand Ballet company announces the addition of Lucy Marinkovich to its Education department for 2018. She joins the company as their Dance Educator, delivering dance workshops, masterclasses and community events throughout New Zealand.
The Dominion Post, Lobsters Review →
A critical review by Ewan Coleman of The Dominion Post for the Borderline Arts Ensemble's Lobsters, (concept, choreography, co-direction, and performance by Lucy Marinkovich).
Pantograph Punch, Lobsters Review →
A critical review by Adam Goodall at the Pantograph Punch of the Borderline Arts Ensemble's Lobsters, (concept, choreography, co-direction, and performance by Lucy Marinkovich).
Theatreview, Lobsters review →
A critical review by Sam Trubridge from Theatreview of the Borderline Arts Ensemble's Lobsters, (concept, choreography, co-direction, and performance by Lucy Marinkovich).
