Vortex Temporum

Vortex Temporum is a puzzling piece of art. Charting a very analytical relationship between movement and the piece of music that accompanies this work, Vortex was choreographed by acclaimed Belgian Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker, working with Gerard Grisey's dense music.

The piece begins with just the musicians on stage. The music they play is thrilling, with each instrument fighting for dominance. Soon they trade places with the dancers who then perform the next movement without any musical accompaniment. It is an impressive feat, the swish and squeak of rubber soles the only sounds helping these dancers stay in sync. But their timing and awareness of each other is a delight to watch. Unfortunately once the musicians rejoin the dancers in the cavernous Carriageworks performance space the intellectual rigour of Keersmaeker's choreography makes it hard to connect with this suddenly difficult work. Even the casual Sydney Festival goer can still enjoy flashes of hard-to-miss brilliance. Jean-Luc Plouvier's dexterity playing a piano being rapidly pushed around in circles should almost earn him a dancer credit to accompany his musician credit. But there are too many moments that are alienating to anyone who doesn't bring an extremely thorough understanding of contemporary dance to the work.