Sydney Dance Company’s triple bill Engine is powerful and rhythmic, driven by dancers whose strength, precision and energy propel each contemporary work forward.  

Love Lock by Australian choreographer Melanie Lane

The first performance opens to the sounds of the Australian bush, the stage a burst of birdsong calls. The dancers appear in fitted black attire, their moments primal and ritualistic as they move in unison. The score by UK electronic musician Clark is deeply resonant, driving the work with an insistent energy. As the ensemble performs in synchrony, there is an unmistakable sexual edge. Every gesture is taut and muscular, showcasing the extraordinary athleticism of the dancers.

As the performance progresses, the dancers don spectacular, vibrant costumes by legendary Australian designer Akira Isogawa, adorning themselves with feathers, frills and flowing, exotic fabrics. They peacock across the stage, their movements becoming increasingly energetic and frenetic before shifting into moments of extreme slow motion. While the ensemble largely moves as one, individuality emerges through both costumes and movement – a high ballet kick or a distinctive flourish revealing each dancer’s unique character within the collective.

The Mass Ornament by Spanish choreographer Fran Díaz

The 17-strong ensemble moves en masse, in constant motion with one another. With collective precision they march across the stage in a distinctly military fashion. The choreography is forceful, dramatic and at times aggressive in its intensity. Clad in flowing green satin pyjamas, the dancers create striking visual patterns as they advance and reform. The relentless score by Polish composer Henryk Górecki heightens the effect with high-pitched tones lending the work a twisted, unsettling atmosphere.

The Journey Itself Is Home by Sydney Dance Company Artistic Director Rafael Bonachela

For the final piece Bonachela draws inspiration from the writings of 17th-century Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō. The dancers line up, slowly moving backwards, inching ever closer to the edge of the stage. Grammy Award–winning composer Bryce Dessner’s music is softer and more classical in tone. Enchanting solos and pas de deux punctuate the piece. The dancers’ strength and control are once again evident with strong sweeping movements, precise lines and soaring leg extensions. Bodies cross and intertwine as the dancers leap, pull and twist. With legs entwined, they move over, through, above and beneath one another, in smooth dynamic and energetic patterns. Lighting by Damien Cooper works in tandem with Kelsey Lee’s reflective flooring and starry, glistening night-sky set design. Cooper’s lighting enhances Lee’s all-white costumes, lending the production an ethereal, dreamlike quality.

4.5 stars

Duration: approximately 90 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)

Presented by Sydney Dance Company, the production will tour Australia visiting: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House until 12 July 2026, before continuing on to The Art House, Wyong (19 June), Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre (24 July), Albany Entertainment Centre WA (29 July), Mandurah Performing Arts Centre WA (1 August), State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth (5–8 August), AANT Centre, Darwin (12 August), and Araluen Arts Centre, Alice Springs (15 August).

Looking for a pre-show bite? Deux Frères is located close by. For more suggestions, check out Bites & Sips.

Deux Frères | Pre-Show Dining