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Short Circuit: Dancing at the Courthouse
With butterflies in my stomach I waited backstage. I looked through the small gap in the curtain and saw the awaiting audience. Suddenly the slow, haunting music began to play and it was my cue.
I transformed into character and swished though the curtain on to the stage for our performance in Short Circuit: Dance.
What is Short Circuit?
Short Circuit is a series of cabaret-style events hosted by spread throughout the year including dance, music and theatre. It is a non-judgmental forum in which emerging local artists can perform and showcase their work. By producing four fabulous shows based on different art genres, there is something for everyone.
These shows act as a launching pad for young local performers who want to get out there and have their talent seen by an audience. Unlike other strict auditioning processes, Short Circuit welcomes anyone who wants to participate. You don’t have to have any experience or belong to a dance company or group. All you need is to be aged between 12 and 27 and to have a passion for performing.
As a performer, one of the best things about being involved in the show is being backstage with the other acts. There is a sense of community as you meet other young people and network with new dance groups.
There are no tears, tantrums or breakdowns like the prima ballerinas in Black Swan. It’s a fun, exciting atmosphere where you get to mix with others who also have enthusiasm for dancing and performing.
Courthouse Arts is the awesome organization behind the Short Circuit series and many other arts events in Geelong. Their aim is to provide cultural and fun activities for young people in an alcohol- and drug-free environment, focusing on live shows, music, dance and acting.
Because it isn’t a competition, there is no judgment or pressure. You are free to experiment with all types of dance and performance and encouraged to celebrate your art form. At the end of the year there is a showcase with acts from dance, music and theatre together for another great show.
What a performance!
Friday 29 April, 2011 saw the first night in the Short Circuit Series, Short Circuit: Dance, explode onstage at the Geelong Performing Arts Centre (GPAC). This year it was hosted by local Geelong dancer and actor Caitlin Mathison, with the performances ranging from raw and emotional contemporary dances to hip-hop and commercial dances.
Parallax Dance Company kicked off the night with a sultry and sexy rendition of "Fever". Geelong Ballet centre, NB Dance Company and Kardinia International College all performed incredible contemporary numbers with exciting choreography and flawless technique. BecFairey Dance produced a raw and intense piece titled Revolution, while the company I performed for, Attitude Dance, wowed the crowd with the emotional contemporary dance "Blue Lips".
Impetus Dance Company had two entries in the show. One was a contemporary number called "Burn My Shadow" and the other a rock mashup of "We Will Rock You" and "Smoke on the Water". The only soloist of the night, Jaslyn Gray, is only 16. She performed a unique and quirky number called "Music Box", which displayed her natural technique and passion for dance.
Hip-hop was represented by two young Geelong dancers Xavier McGettigan and Jordan Fruk. The duo, who go by the name Beatz, added humour to the night with their tongue-in-cheek performance. They combined technique with fast, fresh choreography and a whole lot of personality.
It was also an amazing honour to have Adrienne and Andrew Gill from Southern Cross Tango as special guests to perform two classic ballroom dances. They have had such incredible careers and performed with natural ease and grace which, for a young dancer, was thrilling to watch.
Want to be involved?
In 2011 things are starting to change for Short Circuit and Courthouse Arts, with lots of exciting ideas being put in place. The Courthouse Arts building has undergone massive reconstruction to create a brand new, upgraded performance space. There is also a new artistic director, Ross Mueller, and a curator for the series, Georgina Capper.
The concept of Short Circuit is set to expand with ideas for workshops to link to the process of creating a piece and actually performing it. There may also be room to expand into different arts genres, from up and coming comedians to spoken word artists and whatever else people can perform.
If you are a young person in Geelong wanting to get involved and you have a passion for music, dance, theatre or arts in general, Short Circuit is the perfect place to go. You will not only get your talent noticed but meet some great people as well. To participate in the series check out www.courthouse.org.au (new window) or their Facebook page (new window) or email shortcircuit@courthouse.org.au.
So go on, get short-circuited!
For more articles about Arts & music, check out our Articles archive. For more articles about the Geelong area, check out our Geelong Area page.
Articles Written by Jessica
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